Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—

Romans 8:12a

We have, then, an obligation. Don’t let anyone tell you that believing in Jesus all there is to it. No, Jesus was finished when He died, Paul finished his course when he died, and each of us finish ours when we die.

Those who have died in the Lord do rest from their lsbor. They no longer toil, but are with the Lord. But, until that day, we have an obligation, a duty, a requirement.

Jesus said,

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

John 13:34-35

Love is the fulfillment of the Law, and love is our command. God is love, and so the Spirits every leading is love. Love does no wrong to its neighbor, and so the obligation is to follow.

If we live by the Spirit, who is love, we do not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. As Paul wrote, even though a man may call Christ Lord, if he continues wilfully and unrepentantly in it, he will perish.

Yet, we rest assured, because we do have love for one another. By this, we know that we are His, that we have love one for another. And, this is the obligation, that no matter what comes, we abide by the law of love, which is by the Spirit.

The obligation is our joy, but it is ours, nonetheless. Let us rejoice that we are counted worthy to know Him.