We live in times when people take lightly the meaning of duty.

Either we lack the required maturity to understand or we totally don’t

understand what the word means.

Whether at home, work or in ministry, if there is problem on how we take

the word duty then it surely would not be appreciated.

We abhor the word duty because it implies burden on one’s part,

Automatically, ang papasok sa isip natin is pabigat, pahirap, pasanin, we see

it as “work”-

Thus, the joy is automatically zapped away because we deemed it

burdensome and taxing.

Such is how distorted our minds have become that we often forget the
“privilege” or if we may use, the “honor” that it carries:

Ask any good and brave soldier and he will say that it is an honor to give
one’s life for the country. With a sense of pride he will say that it’s his duty
to defend the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.

- (hindi ba ganun ang saloobin ng ating mga bayani- nila Rizal, Bonifacio
at Luna?)

- In work, if you are an officer of a corporation- and you are entrusted,

that:

 It is your duty to take care of the properties

 It is your duty to protect the trade secrets of the company

 It is your duty to safe guard the money of the government (public

officer)

 It is your duty to guard the President (member of the Presidential

Security Group/ Secret Service-US)

 It is your duty to take care of the nuclear launch codes- general in the
armed forces

how about : It is your duty to worship God/ serve God- do you feel
more honor in that? Or it becomes taxing?
Duty is synonymous with obligation (though) I use duty because obligation
is usually used in business transactions/ contract. But the implication and
effect are the same.

When we speak of obligation- the English dictionary defines it as:

“an act or course of action to which a person is morally or legally

bound; a duty or commitment.”

Collins English Dictionary: If you have an obligation to do something, it is

your duty to do that thing.

- It implies responsibility
- It implies that the duties are the things that you do as part of your
job.

We talk of “obligation” because believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have an

obligation:

first and foremost, to God.

Rom. 8

12 
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—

- but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live

according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death
the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
14 
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The
Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear
again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to
sonship.[f] And by him we cry, “Abba,[g] Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies
with our spirit that we are God’s children.
17 
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with
Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in
his glory.

The style of writing is more of supplying support to his argument, but in

plain words, what Paul is saying is that- we have an obligation, period.
 This obligation is to God-
1. WE HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO GOD
a. Why? Because God provided the way and set us free from the
law of sin and death-
2 
because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set
you[a] free from the law of sin and death
What is the meaning of this?- -sin produces death; but the Spirit gives life---
accomplished through the substitutionary death of Christ.
All are bound to the consequences of the law—if you break it, violate it---you
sin, it produces death
Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in
Christ Jesus our Lord.

God in his goodness, saved us. In his mercy, redeemed us---naawa lang
ang Diyos…
2. OUR OBLIGATION: to live each day in the power and control of
the Holy Spirit

And this obligation: is an obligation to live each day in the power and
control of the Holy Spirit
-kaya nga ang sabi ni Paul in v. 12 but it is not to the flesh, to live
according to it

One thing I can say is that living in the power and control of the Spirit
is done consciously and deliberately---meaning- we allow God the Holy
Spirit- to lead us. We surrender to God and submit to his will.

Word Biblical Commentary- each believer’s responsibility is a positive

one- to live each day in the control and power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul expressed this truth negatively- NOT TO THE SINFUL NATURE, TO

LIVE ACCORDING TO IT. Each Christians is to refuse to follow the
inclinations and desires of his sinful nature. He is to deny the efforts
of that nature to imposed its lifestyle on him.

We can say that there must be refusal and effort to refrain-

 - This is to say no---temptations---vices, anything that wage war
against your soul
- Magpigil, magtiis, umiwas
- Dynamics of temptations vs human response----stand your ground
(Shadrach) or run (Joseph)

v. 13 is very instructive:

13 
For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you
put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

The word die does not mean that the believer who sins face eternal death
in hell- assurance of salvation (Jn 3:16, 1 Jn 5:13)- 13 I write these things to
you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that
you have eternal life. 

Instead, it means, he will not enjoy his spiritual life. He will seem like an
unsaved person and will unable to enjoy the indwelling presence of the
Spirit. On the other hand, if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of
the body, you will live.

- “body”- sarks- flesh (other translations)- it’s the vehicle that one’s
sinful nature expresses itself.
- Only by the Holy Spirit’s power can a person subdue this “sinful
nature”---

v.5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what
the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have
their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the
flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and
peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not
submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of
the flesh cannot please God.

3. We have victory through the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit- who is he?
Ministries:
-creation
-salvation
-present day ministry?

14 
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.

Declaration of our identity / who we are

 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in
fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to
sonship.[f] And by him we cry, “Abba,[g] Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies
with our spirit that we are God’s children.

Residence: -

9 
You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the
Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have
the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 

indwelling is the determinant of our relationship with Christ

victory at last:

17 
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with
Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in
his glory.
11 
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he
who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal
bodies because of[e] his Spirit who lives in you.