How to Combat the Mission Creep of Entitlement

Last updated on: July 24, 2013 at 9:00 am by Josh Daffern

How to Combat the Mission Creep of Entitlement 2013-07-24T09:00:08-06:00 Josh Daffern

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In Monday’s post, I talked about four signs that you may be entitled in your faith. If you’re looking to give your faith a little kickstart, here are four great ways:

1. Remember that you’re not entitled to anything. That’s why grace is grace. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23). God saved us because of His goodness, not our goodness. In reality, we’re not entitled to anything.

2. Realize that the Christian life is a constant upstream swim. “I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Philippians 3:10-12). What’s amazing to me is that Paul wrote these words at the tail end of his life, after he had accomplished more in his Christian life than any of us could ever dream. He never stopped looking forward, and neither should we.

3. Come to church with an expectation to serve others rather than being served. When we come to church with an expectation of being entertained by the worship and catered to by the staff, we’re putting ourselves on a pedestal even higher than Jesus. What was Jesus’ mindset? “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

4. Quit talking and do something. At the end of the day, the only surefire way to combat entitlement and laziness is to roll up your sleeves and do something for the Kingdom. Sacrifice something; give some money away; serve somewhere. As Paul so eloquently put it, “the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power” (1 Corinthians 4:20).

QUESTION: How else to you combat the creep of entitlement in your life?

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July 22, 2013

Four Signs that You're Entitled in Your Faith

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