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Responsibility What is my responsibility as a Christian? What must I do? What avenues are mine in which to execute my responsibilities? Our society has a very large element within it that seeks to have as little responsibility as possible. To the Christian there should be a realization of what God (and not man) has to say about our responsibilities, especially in the area of being a servant in subjection. What is a Servant? This is a word that can mean in some instances a slave, one who is forced to serve. It can also mean one who voluntarily gives himself up to another's will; those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing His cause among man; devoted to another in the disregard of one's own interest. Paul wrote that we are servants to whomever we yield ourselves, whether it be good or bad (Rom. 6:16). Jesus, Servant One of the great truths about Jesus is that He came in order to serve (Phil. 2:5-9; 2 Cor. 8:9). In his own words He makes it clear that He did not come to be served (Matt. 20:20-28). His point about how this was among the Gentiles where one lords it over the other should not be overlooked. It is that way so many times today. We have those who are eager to surrender to others in order that others might serve them. "What's in it for me" is often the order of the day. Unfortunately, even in the church the basic idea of service has become skewed. There are simply too many who want to be served and too few who are willing to serve. Jesus left us an example of servitude. He did this in John 13:1-17. Too many times when this context is under consideration we focus of the foot washing. It then becomes a question of whether or not this ought to be done today as a "church ordinance" (whatever that is). Thus, we miss the point of what Jesus was doing. "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them" (Jn. 13:15-17). The whole thing was about service. The event of foot washing was merely the occasion to make the greater point. He, their Master, served them. You ought to do likewise to each other. It is not that one of you should be Master to the others, but that you should serve. Add to this the words of Peter (1 Peter 2:21-25) and we have a very clear picture of Jesus as our example of servitude. I am to serve as He served. My Responsibility as a Servant I have already written quite a bit in this article about servitude. How is that connected to my responsibility? My responsibility as a Christian is to serve. I have not been called to be served. Neither have I been called to be a spectator who watches others being served. It is not my responsibility to offer "armchair quarterback" analysis of the service of others. My responsibility, as taught by the Lord, is to take up a towel and gird myself to serve. That is the responsibility of all who profess to be Christians. I know of nowhere in the Bible of those who are exonerated from the responsibility of service. I would feel ashamed to let my responsibility go and expect others to "pull double harness" and take up the slack I have created. We are told that when this life is over "we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad" (2 Cor. 5:10). I hope we all realize that that includes meeting our responsibilities. ~Terry Sanders~ |