Christian duty

 

Christian duty

An example of Christian duty

If, in fact, I preach the Good News, that does not give me the right to glory, because I am obliged to do so. And woe to me if I do not preach the Good News! If I do it on my own initiative, I am entitled to a reward. If I do not do it on my own initiative, it is only the performance of the duty entrusted to me. What is my reward then? That by preaching the Good News, I am giving it to Badava, so that in no way do I use my right in the Good News. Indeed, although I am free with respect to all, I have become a slave to all, to win as many of them as possible. I was with the Jews as a Jew, to win the Jews; with the subjects of the Law as a subject of the Law - although I am not a subject of the Law - to win the subjects of the Law. With those who are without law I was as without law - although I am not without the law of God, but I am subject to the law of Christ - to win those who are without law. With the weak, I was a weakling, to win over the weaklings. I became everything to all of them, in order to save some. And I do all this for the sake of the Good News, so that I can share its promises with them.  (1 Cor 9:16-23)

   As members of the Holy Orthodox Church, we are obliged to know and understand these above-mentioned words of the Apostle Paul in order to be able to fulfill our Christian duty as preachers of the Good News.
  If,  due to our carelessness and laziness, we do not know and do not understand these words, we are unjust and unreasonable, and due to the lack of holy Christian love for God and neighbor, we are  not even able to fulfill our Christian duty. As such, we are in great danger of appearing before the King at the wedding feast in Heaven without a wedding garment, that is, without holy Christian love , and being thrown into Hell where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.     

   We can understand the aforementioned words of the apostle Paul completely correctly only if we are just and reasonable, that is, if with the help and grace of God we possess holy Christian love for God and neighbor, which alone gives us the guarantee and ability to fulfill our duty as a preacher of the Good News. Amen!