Duty Duty is a good four letter word. It is good because it expresses a Bible principle. Among Webster’s definitions are these, "Conduct based on moral or legal obligation, or a sense of propriety…any action, task, etc. required by or relating to one’s occupation or position [the duties of a secretary]." In a day when few feel a "moral or legal obligation, or sense of propriety" toward anything, it is refreshing to consider. Discussing the relation between a servant and master Jesus said, "Doth he (the master) thank the servant because he did the things that were commanded? Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do."(Luke 17:10) "Duty" in this text means something owed. A servant "owes" his master. Because of the relation that maintains between servant and master the servant is never in a position which makes the master obligated to him; rather the servant is always obligated to the master—the servant always owes the master. Such is our relationship with God. God owes us nothing, but we owe God! This is due to several reasons. First, God created us and is therefore over us.(Psalm 100:3) It is our "whole duty" to keep His commandments.(Eccl. 12:13-14) Second, we have sinned. Sin separates us from God.(Is. 59:1-2) Through God’s kindness, love, mercy, and grace, He authored the whole scheme of redemption by which we could be saved from our own sins, reconciled, and justified before Him.(Tit. 3:4-5; Heb. 12:2; Rom. 3:23-26) God’s justice demands our death and eternal separation from Him in punishment.(Rom. 6:23) Nonetheless, God’s justice was mingled with His mercy, making it possible for all of us who have fallen woefully short of His expectations to dwell with Him.(Gal. 4:4-7) Hence, we owe God from this viewpoint. Third, God will judge us by Christ and His gospel.(Jno. 12:48; Acts 17:30-31; Rom. 2:16) Since He is the Creator, Sustainer, and Judge, it is our duty to obey Him. Because of these and other reasons, we owe God and it becomes our duty to: 1.Worship Him As He Directs. Because of His power, wisdom, care, and love manifested in so many ways revealed in His word, we should feel it our duty to worship Him. In addition, because of His right to command, as well as Old Testament examples, God can be worshipped properly only as He has directed. It is our duty! Pity the poor worm of the dust who has no compunction of conscience in failing to worship God. Pity the Christian who for the least matters sees nothing in absenting himself from the assemblies. As many have said, worship is both our duty and privilege.2. Carry Out Family Responsibilities. While God designed the marriage relation for our good(Gen. 2:18), and while it should bring happiness(Prov. 5:18), each husband and wife has "duties" toward his spouse. Reciprocal love and affection should make our duties easier to execute, however, each is to do what the Lord commanded regardless. Why should husbands love their "wives, and be not bitter against them"?(Col. 3:19) Because it is their duty! Why should each wife "see that she fear(respects—NKJB) her husband’?(Eph. 5:33) Because of his innate goodness? Hardly! It is her duty! Fathers should understand that whether it appeals to them or not, it is their duty not to provoke their "children to wrath, but nurture them in the chastening and admonition of the Lord."(Eph. 6:4) Regardless of what kind of parents you may think you have, it is your duty as children to obey and honor your father and mother.(Eph. 6:1-2) Regardless of tastes, bad experiences in the past, or good relations, it is a man’s duty to care for his extended family when necessary. He who fails in this regard has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.(I Tim. 5:8) These are our duties. 3. Withdraw From The Disorderly. We are to "mark" and "turn away" from divisive brethren(Rom. 16:17-18), and "have no company,…no, not to eat" with immoral and other unrepentant sinners among brethren.(I Cor. 5:4-13) We are to "withdraw" ourselves from any disorderly brother and "avoid" him "to the end that he may be ashamed."(II Thess. 3:6,14; Tit. 3:10-11) Why? Among other reasons the Lord gives, it is our duty! Brethren who attempt to explain away why "it will do no good," or who say "there are two sides to every story," or "the withdrawal wasn’t handled properly" all in an attempt to continue social relations with people who clearly sinned and from whom those relations should have been severed fail in their duty! 4. Encourage The Fainthearted & Support The Weak.(I Thess. 5:14) Vine defines "fainthearted" as "literally, small-souled,…denotes despondent." "Weak" whom we are to support applies both to the weak physically as well as spiritually. People can become and remain for some time despondent, dejected, and blue. This may result from physical problems. Spiritual problems among family and close friends can likewise cause one to be despondent. Further, weakness comes from being insufficiently grounded in the truth. We all know such people. They always seem to have problems they can’t overcome, are discouraged over their circumstances, and seem on the verge of giving up on the Lord. Often they are not the most pleasant to be around. Yet, Christ died for them just as He did for others.(Rom. 14:15) Paul said that he had given an example, "that so laboring ye ought to help the weak."(Acts 20:35) Again, "Now we that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves."(Rom. 15:1) It may not give you the greatest pleasure to call, visit, write, or talk with weak and despondent people about their needs, but it is our duty! If we could but see all we do along these lines is designed by God to help people reach heaven, it would make these duties less burdensome. In a letter written to one of his sons, Robert E. Lee eloquently stated the principle we have set forth in these words: "Duty is the sublimest word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more – you should never wish to do less." -- p.a.o. * * * * * * * * * * * * "POPE OFFERS CATHOLICS TIME OUT OF PURGATORY BY Y2K INDULGENCES" By Steven F. Deaton The above was the headline of a recent article in the Houston Chronicle, Nov. 28, 1998, p. 26A. The article said: "Pope John Paul II announced Friday that throughout the millennium celebration, penitents who do a charitable deed or give up cigarettes or alcohol for a day can earn an 'indulgence" that will eliminate time in purgatory... "The medieval church sold indulgences, a practice that drove Martin Luther to rebel, leading to the Reformation... "The pope said individual sinners would be granted 'plenary indulgences," a full pardon for sins as opposed to a shortening of then time spent in purgatory...He included personal acts of penitence or local charity as a way of earning an indulgence. "Throughout the period, believers will be offered a wider selection of ways to receive a plenary indulgence. They may follow tradition and attend a Mass in one of several designated churches and perform such devotions as the rosary or the stations of the cross. Or, as an appendix to the pope's letter explains, they may visit the sick, the imprisoned, or the handicapped, or give to the poor. Or they may choose an act of private sacrifice...This would include abstaining for at least one whole day from unnecessary consumption (for example, from smoking, or alcohol, or by fasting)." Wouldn't that be nice? Wouldn't it be great if we could receive "a full pardon for sins" by simply going to see someone in prison or on their sickbed, or ... imagine this Christian brothers and sisters ... if we could give up our sinful practice of drinking alcohol for only a day!!! Wow! Think about it. That would mean we could avoid the painstaking instructions given by the INSPIRED JOHN when he said, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us for one another that you may be healed" (Js 5:16). "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome"(1 John 5:3). Please don't misunderstand, we are for doing good deeds (Mt 25:31-46). We are for people giving up their sins, but for more than a day (Col. 3:5-10). However, when you read the Bible "from cover to cover" you will never read of a thing called "indulgences." It is purely a tradition of man, established by man's authority, not from God in heaven (Mt 15:1-9; cf., Acts 8:18-24; 1 Jn. 1:10; Js 5:16). Moreover, there is no such thing as purgatory. Again, we submit that nowhere in God's inspired word will one find the doctrine that says people leave this world and enter purgatory to cleanse themselves before they get to heaven. Rather, the Bible teaches that upon our death, we will either go to paradise or torments, and can never cross over to the other, to await the final judgment (Lk 16:19-31). Further, the article mentioned "rosary" and "stations of the cross," two things which are not as the oracles of God (1 Pet 4:11). It is worth noting that Martin Luther was right to rebel against the Catholic church and its teachings, but he went FROM BABYLON PAST JERUSALEM TO EGYPT. His disgust for Catholic perversions drove him to an equally sinful extreme--faith only. The Bible teaches that one must OBEY, DO, FOLLOW, and WORK in order to be pleasing to God (Heb 5:9; Mt 7:21-27; Jn 10:27; Mk 8:34-38; 2 Pt 1:10-11). God's word foretold of those who would set themselves up as God and teach perversions of truth (2 Ths 2:3-4, 9-12; 1 Tm 4:1-3). These men and their doctrines are to be rejected (Gal 1:6-9; 2 Jn 9-11). Therefore, let us abide only in the doctrine of Christ! * * * * * * * * Only in America could people be upset that an amoral animal was killed to make a warm fur coat and never shed a tear that the innocent Lamb of God died on the cross for our sins. [Oscar Miles] |