Dr. Rodney Howard Browne preaches that God has continually sought a personal relationship with each and every man and woman.
Both to Greeks and to barbarians (to the cultured and to the uncultured), both to the wise and the foolish, I have an obligation to discharge and a duty to perform and a debt to pay. 15 So, for my part, I am willing and eagerly ready to preach the Gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God’s power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:14-16 AMP
1 Corinthians 15:8-10 AMP
Rodney Howard Browne also points out that all the things that Saul had thought were so very important, all the things he was so very proud of, Paul counted as dung. Paul counted no longer on the flesh and his works and put all his confidence in Christ Jesus and the righteousness which is of God by faith. Now he lived to please God and not himself. Paul made a commitment to Christ, to fulfill God’s call and to give his all for the Gospel and for the Kingdom of God! Even though he went through horrendous persecutions and hardships (2 Corinthians 11:22-28), he never lost sight of God’s purpose for his life and the debt of gratitude he owed the Lord for saving him.
Paul says that he had:
-an obligation to discharge
-a duty to perform
-and a debt to pay
Rodney Howard Browne tells us that a debt is something that is owed or that one is bound to pay to or perform for another. A duty is something that one is expected or required to do by moral or legal obligation. An obligation arises from a sense of duty. It is the act of binding or obliging oneself by a promise or a contract. An obligation is an agreement that is enforceable by law. It is an indebtedness – a favor, service or benefit for which gratitude is due. It is the state of being under a debt, as of gratitude, for a favor, service, or benefit. Paul voluntarily chose to obligate himself to God’s service because of his gratitude to the Lord. He committed himself completely, expecting nothing but a “well done” at the end of the road.
Rodney Howard Browne warns that many Christians do not feel the obligation to the Cross that Paul felt. Maybe they are lukewarm, or they have the fear of man in them. Either they don’t have a revelation of what Jesus has done for them personally or they are just flat ungrateful. They attach little or no value to the price He paid for their salvation. Of the woman who wept and anointed Jesus with precious perfume, Jesus said, “She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.” (Luke 7:47 Message Bible).
Christians, if they have not already done so, should realize how much they owe the Lord and stop living for themselves alone. We should all start to really appreciate the price Jesus paid for us and commit ourselves fully to God’s plans and purposes. You and I are no different than Paul. God has been so good to us! We have eternal life! We are not facing an eternity in hell! We too have an obligation to discharge and a duty to perform and a debt to pay! Let us purpose today to always be grateful to the Lord for the great things He has done for us and to get up and fulfill the Great Commission with the same heart and passion as Paul!