Bible Questions
  • Home
  • Topics
    • Popular
    • Steps to Salvation
    • Seeking a Church?
    • A - E >
      • A
      • B
      • C
      • D
      • E
    • F - J >
      • F
      • G
      • H
      • I
      • J
    • K - O >
      • K
      • L
      • M
      • N
      • O
    • P - T >
      • P
      • R
      • S
      • T
    • U - Z >
      • U
      • V
      • W
      • Z
  • Lessons
    • Baptism
    • Bible Basics
    • How to Study >
      • Interpreting the Bible
      • Effective Bible Study
    • Bible Surveys >
      • Beginner Bible Survey
      • Advanced BIble Survey >
        • Old Testament Survey
        • Major and Minor Prophets
        • New Testament Survey
      • Old Testament Characters
    • Book Surveys >
      • Ecclesiastes
      • Sermon on the Mount
      • Acts of the Apostles
      • Romans
      • 1 & 2 Thessalonians
      • 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus
      • James
      • 1 & 2 Peter
      • 1, 2, 3 John
      • Jude
    • Christian Living >
      • Adding to Your Faith
      • Christian Evidences
      • Parables of Jesus
      • Personal Evangelism
      • Practical Christianity
      • Prayer
      • Self-Assessment
      • Supernatural Power
    • The Church >
      • Leadership
      • Work of the Church
  • Podcasts
  • Ask Question
  • About Us
  • Study Aids
  • Blog
  • Sermons
  • Baptism Debate 2011
  • Privacy Policy
<...Go back

Can you comment on duty?


Introduction. Duty and responsibility are terms many will not accept. In fact, not a few of the problems affecting this country are the result of people not accepting duty, from the national debt to the illegitimacy problem. Man, as God created him, is a responsible being. God awareness, I submit, enhances man's sense of duty.

Man has civil duty. God recognizes civil government (Rom. 13: 1-7). In fact, civil government is "ordained of God (vss. 1, 2). Man as a citizen has the duty to obey the laws of man and to pay taxes (Ibid., see Acts 5: 29 for the exception). Law-breakers are not accepting their duty in this regard.

Duties in the domestic realm. Marriage is a relationship which rebounds with duty. The husband and wife typically vow "for better or worse, until death parts us." All the divorce plaguing this country is the result of a failure to perform duty (Matt. 19: 3-9). Furthermore, marital quality is a duty of both the husband and wife (Eph. 5: 22-33). Parents have duties toward their children. They have the lofty duty of "bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord" (Eph. 6: 4). Children have the duty of "obeying their parents" (Eph 6: 1).

Man has duty to himself, to others in general, and to his God. Man has the duty of "saving himself" (Acts 2: 40). Man's duty to others can be summed up in the "Golden Rule" - do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Matt. 7: 12). The wise man declare, "...Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man" (Eccl. 12: 13).

Conclusion. As man realizes his God-designed nature and status, he is more likely to exercise his duty. Rest assured, man will give an account of how he addressed his duties (Rom. 2: 6-11). The acceptance of duty shows maturity and strength of character. I believe all agree we need more recognition of duty.

 Bible Questions is a work of the Holly Street church of Christ in Denver, CO. 
Copyright (c) 2023 Holly Street church of Christ. All material within the website may be freely distributed for non-commercial uses by including a reference to the website.