Our Responsibilities

The Epistles written to and for the Christian tell us of our rights such as sanctification, righteousness,
justification, redemption and the ministry of reconciliation. They tell us of our privileges including health,
direct access and connection to God, protection and to sum it up, complete wholeness. But, the Epistles
hold another aspect that very few Christians know or adhere to in our day and time. That aspect is our
responsibilities as a Christian.
The Bible tells us that when we became a Christian we became free, we have liberty. In other words we
are free from restraint or control. Sin has no more dominion over us AND we are freed from the law of
sin and death.
Romans 8:1-2 (KJV)
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and
death.
John 8:31-32 (KJV)
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my
disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Galatians 5:1 (KJV)
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled
again with the yoke of bondage.
Galatians 5:13 (KJV)
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the
flesh, but by love serve one another.
1 Peter 2:16 (KJV)
16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
We have freedom, we have liberty, we are the sons of God, so, why can’t we do whatever we want?
Well, actually we can, BUT, what you don’t understand is that, in this life, we are going to serve
something and there are only two principle choices. You are either serving sin and the powers of
darkness or you are going to serve God. Sorry, but, there are no other choices.
So, why would we choose to serve God? Most ministers would have you do it out of fear and or
obligation to God. This is not what God wants! It is not out of obligation to God, but, out of love for God
and out of the understanding of what we have been given, out of joy and thankfulness for what we have
and an understanding of the rewards that we are treasuring up for ourselves in Heaven. This is the
correct attitude.I have worked for people before where it was a drudgery to go to work. I didn’t enjoy it, but, I worked.
Other jobs I have had the people and bosses were nice and I was being paid good and I enjoyed going. In
both jobs I was doing the same type of work. What was the difference? Actually, there were two
differences. The conditions were different and my attitude was different. Now, if you have been taught
your whole life that God is a God of hellfire and brimstone and that you have to work for the Lord to
make it to heaven then you will not see the absolute joy of being a fellow workman with God.
Jesus Christ laid down his life for you and for me and now, because of what God accomplished through
Jesus Christ we have all the goodness of God.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (KJV)
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of
God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 Corinthians 7:23-24 (KJV)
23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.
24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.
So this brings me to the point that I wish to share with you. That point being that the Epistles, Romans
through Jude, teach us not only of what God has accomplished for us and has given us, but, how we are
to live and to serve God. Most Christians today have been so overwhelmed by the world that they forget
or aren’t taught HOW to live for God and Jesus Christ. I don’t have enough room to fit everything into
this one article, but, I have included a few points as to living with and for God, according to God’s Word.
Romans 1:16-17 (KJV)
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to
every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just
shall live by faith.
We must believe that the Bible is the Word and Will of God and we must live by the faith of Jesus Christ.
Romans 12:2 (KJV)
2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may
prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
Romans 12:21 (KJV)
21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 13:8-10 (KJV)
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear
false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended
in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.1 Corinthians 6:15-20 (KJV)
15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and
make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one
flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication
sinneth against his own body.
19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of
God, and ye are not your own?
20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
1 Corinthians 15:33 (KJV)
33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
1 Corinthians 15:58 (KJV)
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the
Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (KJV)
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as
God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean
thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Galatians 5:13-26 (KJV)
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the
flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary
the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,
lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I
have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of
God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
Let me clarify that walking according to the revealed Word and Will of God whether in written
form, the Bible, or by revelation both are “walking by the spirit.”
Galatians 6:9-10 (KJV)
9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the
household of faith.
1 Thessalonians 2:4-8 (KJV)
4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as
pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God
is witness:
6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been
burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.
7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the
gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing
the word of truth.
James 1:22-25 (KJV)
22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a
glass:
24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful
hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
1 Corinthians 1:10 (KJV)
10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same
thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the
same mind and in the same judgment.
Matthew 6:33 (KJV)
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto
you.
It is time in our lives to compare the way we are living to how the Bible says to live and adjust
accordingly.