A duty is a legal or moral responsibility to someone, or it may be a task that we are required to perform for a position. With every position or opportunity in life, there will be some sort of duty. The title of Christian is no different. It is a position that requires us to do certain things to fulfill our title as a child of God. The duties of a Christian come from God himself. The King of Kings places a responsibility on each of us if we are to retain the title of Christian.
In Philippians 2:16, Paul gives us one of those responsibilities. We are to hold fast the word of life. The word of life is the gospel. Why is it called the word of life, because without it we are doomed to eternal death in Hell? This is not a death with which we are familiar. We think of death as an end, a time when something ceases to exist and will decay until there is no evidence of it. However, eternal death is different. We are created beings in the image of God. Our souls are eternal and will live forever. While this physical body decays our soul lives on until we are resurrected when Christ returns. In Acts 24:15, Luke reminds us that the just and the unjust will both receive a new body that will spend eternity in Heaven or Hell. Without the gospel that eternal soul will be in torment forever. We are bound by duty and love to proclaim the good news the word of life brings.
Philippians 2:16 “Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.”
Act 24:15 “And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.”
Therefore, it is our duty to proclaim the gospel to a lost and dying world. It is our duty to be a light that shines the truth of salvation to all. Matthew teaches us that our light should show our good works, not so we may be noticed, but the one who empowers us, the one whom we represent will be glorified.
Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
We are left here for the purpose of telling others. If this were not the purpose God would take us on to Heaven because there we will live in complete perfection with God. Jesus revealed our purpose in Matthew 28:19 just before He ascended back to the Father. He commands us to go and tell everyone about the plan for eternal life. Then we are to baptize them, consecrating them to show the world where their allegiance lies. We are to teach them so they in turn can repeat what has happened to them. This process should happen over and over until Jesus returns to take those who have placed their faith in Him to their eternal home in Heaven.
Matthew 28:19 “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
How are we to fulfill our duty as Christian? We are to tell what God has done for us. We all have contact with those who don’t know Jesus. No matter how well we know them we need to look for opportunities to share our faith. We should pray daily that God would give us people who need to hear and the courage to share. We are not only bound to tell those around us but to support those who will take the gospel where we cannot go. You may not have much to give but God can take an offering, no matter how small, from a surrendered heart and achieve much.
We need to study God’s word and listen to expository preaching so we may be equipped to defend our faith when others don’t believe. When schools, businesses, or governments promote actions or ideas that are against God’s word we need to take a stand and be able to defend our position with the truth of God’s word.
We need to rebuke the sinful actions of others who claim to be Christians. It is vital to the promotion of the gospel that it stays pure and holy.
It is our duty to defend, promote, and uphold the holiness of the gospel message. Our lifestyles and our words will give either a positive or negative opinion to those around us about the God we serve. There is no other way by which mankind can have eternal life in Heaven with God but through the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are duty-bound to make sure that it is shared with all, and that its integrity is upheld. If every Christian were committed to fulfilling this duty multitudes would come to know Jesus.
Why is this so important that we fulfill our duty as a Christian? Because the eternity of every person rest on the gospel.
