Duty Or Pleasure

Posted by anointedplace on April 9, 2011 · 5 Comments 

Image via Wikipedia

During our lifetime we perform many jobs.  As children we  dream of having a job that we will enjoy doing for rest of lives.  We run off to the universities and various institutions of higher learning in order to follow our dreams.  We spend whatever it takes so that duty will be our pleasure.  We want to work, just not for a living.

We rarely think about the things we do in a course of a day.  We go over our “to do list” like it’s a death sentence.  Our “duty” is bothersome, time consuming and never leaves time to ourselves. We lothe the coming of morning with thoughts of Saturday.  Some may feel that they know where I’m going next.
“Yes, we are the richest nation and our poor are rich compared to most”,  “we should be thankful for our lifestyle”.

If you thought that, you would be way off.  If you thought that I have never seen my daily goings and comings as a burden, you would be wrong again.  But what I have grown to know by renewing my mind through the working of the Holy Spirit is this….

1. I no longer belong to me. Actually I never did, see the life of a sinner is based on the lie of freedom and control.  We are born slaves to our flesh of sin and we graciously comply.  We all think that we are in control but its an illusion.  But now Christ freed me to serve my true LORD.  I was bought with something far more valuable than gold or diamonds.  So I must be worth something if God spared no expense.

Romans 6:¹⁷But^(A) thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the^(B)standard of teaching to which you were committed,

2. I was bought not to be set free for my glory but for the one who saved me.  We usually start our evangelistic witness with what Jesus did for us.  But its more about Jesus saving the worse to show the grace of God.  That display of grace is the result of the Son of Man being lifted up.  When the saving grace of Jesus’ finished work on the cross is shown all men are drawn unto God, all for His glory.   He made us acceptable to the Father, presenting us covered in the redemptive blood of the lamb.  So now when the Father looks at us He sees The Son.

Romans 5:⁶ You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

⁹ Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! ¹⁰ For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! ¹¹ Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

3. Since I was freed by the work of The Son of God, covered in His blood, and now filled with God the Holy Spirit who glorifies the Son  in good works and by living out the life of Christ to complete his work here, then who am I truly breathing for?

Ephesians 2:^9(A) not a result of works,^(B) so that no one may boast. ¹⁰For^(C) we are his workmanship,^(D) created in Christ Jesus^(E)for good works,^(F) which God prepared beforehand,^(G) that we should walk in them.

So I was left with a deep probing question that I was afraid to answer.  I will put it like this;  I had been treating Jesus Christ like the rich relative that we are to just tolerate for a few hours.  Because they might put you in the will or “bless” you with money.  I was treating Christ like a holiday.  All full of reverance and worship one minute then worshipping the idols the next minute, back making my life all about me again.

I had put the interest of myself and others before the reason of my breathing.  I had never once thought to ask God what He wanted from me.  Plus he told me over and over, but I pretending to not understand or hear.  I saw God as only a gift giver thinking that He would never require anything of me. God wouldn’t demand us to obey?  We are the church, His bride so what groom marries without expecting his bride’s love and respect.

We feel that we deserve everything and owe nothing.  Being a Christian is more than believing in Jesus Christ but it is also a process of being and living in Jesus Christ.  So now all that I do, I do to His glory alone.  Whether its working at my job or cutting the lawn; its done with worship in my heart.  If I’m cleaning a toilet or washing the car, I’m worshipping in spirit and in truth.  If I’m driving, walking, running or sitting I find time to love my Lord. Is it easy no it isn’t but is it worth the effort, yes.  The more you seek Him, the more natural it becomes and when its natural that means its flowing from a regenerated heart.  When the heart is regenerated it is of God.  A heart of thanksgiving is truly a transformed heart and its easy to tell.  A sinful heart gives thanks based on what we have and what others don’t have.  A godly transformed heart gives thanks because of who God is and what He has done.  When it becomes second nature without effort it’s because the new nature is Jesus.  And He has made duty a pleasure.

When you can’t recognize the blessings in your life, you become bitter with God and begin to worship the idol of self. Because if you want it do now and right, do it yourself as well as don’t trust God. But when we trust him and him alone, he is faithful to us.

Romans 6:¹⁰ The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. ¹³ Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

1 Corinthians 10:30-32 (New International Version, ©2011)

³⁰ If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?

³¹ So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. ³² Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—

Galatians 2:20-21 (New International Version, ©2011)

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹ I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”^[a]

1 Peter 4:10-12 (New International Version, ©2011)

¹⁰ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Related Articles

• Truth or Lie (anointedplace.wordpress.com)
• Its Deeper Than That (anointedplace.wordpress.com)
• Rebirth (anointedplace.wordpress.com)
• Christ Centered (anointedplace.wordpress.com)
• Yokes (anointedplace.wordpress.com)

Filed under Christ, Christian, Grace, Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ, Lesson, Love, Salvation, The Gospel, Witness, Word of God · Tagged with Christ, Christianity, content, duty, Epistle to the Romans, glory, Glory (religion), glory of God, God, Gospel of Matthew, Greeks, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Lord Jesus Christ, New International Version, Religion & Spirituality, Second Epistle to the Corinthians, Sin, Son of God, Son of man, thanksgiving, work