This article goes through the duties of a Christian. They are not limited to moral responsibilities that are assumed upon political leaders. But these are BASIC deeds in obedience to the word of God that a Christian performs out of the heart, not viewed as religious duties.
Basic Duties of A Christian
- Every saved Christian is supposed to love the new Christian life, not the old life. They are also to perform their Christian duty for the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
- God does not expect them to live a life of sin anymore. They are indebted to serve Him.
Romans 6:1-2: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”
Romans 6:18-19: “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.” - They are going to be judged for their duties. They will not lose their salvation or eternal life.
Ecclesiastes 12:13-14: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”
Basic Duties for Baptism
It is a Christian responsibility to be baptized. Once again, baptism has nothing to do with salvation.
- Christians throughout the world are commanded to be baptized.
Matthew 28:19: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”
- Do it as soon as possible
Acts 16:31-33: “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.”
- Baptism is done by immersion, not sprinkling.
Matthew 3:16: “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:”
Basic Duties for the Bible
- Read the Bible daily
Joshua 1:8: “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
- Memorize the scriptures
Psalm 119:11: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
- Spend time studying
2 Timothy 2:15: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Basic Duties for Prayer
Prayer is a spiritual duty. One grows through Bible studying and prayer.
- Do this frequently. It should be a frequent thing as if it’s naturally part of one’s everyday life.
1 Thessalonians 5:17: “Pray without ceasing.”
- Confess one’s sins to God. God the Father has a hard time respecting one’s requests and listening to his prayers when he has sinned.
1 John 1:6-7: “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” - Give thanks to the Lord, not just for answering your prayers, but for how He takes care of you even when you didn’t pray about it.
Philippians 4:6-7: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
Basic Duties for Church
Christians are exhorted to attend normal services (not just Sunday service).
- Attend church every meeting, not just Sunday service.
Hebrews 10:25: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
- Give money in order to pay for rent, facilities, and support missionaries.
2 Corinthians 8:1-2: “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.”
2 Corinthians 8:7: “Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.” - Help out the church.
1 Corinthians 14:12: “Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.”
Basic Duties for Soulwinning
A Christian has to be fruit bearing. They can achieve this through their own sanctification (working on their flesh) or telling others about Jesus Christ.
- Tell everyone about salvation in Christ (man, woman, child).
2 Corinthians 5:18-19: “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.”
- Spread the word everywhere (e.g. tracts).
1 Thessalonians 1:8: “For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.”
- Every church should street-preach and perform house-to-house visitation.
Acts 20:21: “Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Basic Duties for Christian Walk
- They walk according to Christ’s way after they were saved.
Colossians 2:6: “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:”
- They walk by faith, not by sight (feelings, physical evidence, human reasoning).
2 Corinthians 5:7: “(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)”
Romans 10:17: “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” - They walk in the spirit, not in the flesh.
Galatians 5:16: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
Galatians 5:19-25: “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 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. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”
Basic Duties for Christian Growth
- Grow in the milk
1 Peter 1:23: “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
1 Peter 2:2: “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” - Milk is the basics, first principles.
Meat is the deep doctrines.Hebrews 5:12-14: “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”
- There are carnal Christians who are stuck on milk.
1 Corinthians 3:1-3: “And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?”
Basic Duties Concerning Truth
- Christ promised that He will give everyone the truth. But how many are willing to accept that truth?
John 8:32: “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
- The problem with people is that they don’t want the truth. They want pleasure. God warned that if men prioritize their desires in life, i.e. what pleases them rather than the truth, He is going to give them what they want and deceive them.
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12: “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwzUqvZ4lqs
- Truth comes through sound doctrine. Is your life showing the right doctrine?
Titus 2:10: “Not purloining, but shewing all good fidelity; that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.”
For further reading,
– What are Christian leaders’ duties?