To some Christians “the sense of duty” and kindred phrases sound unattractive and suspicious. Yet it is dangerous even to minimise the sense of duty. A man who makes no terms with conscience, but does what God commands, will find his love grow stronger. A Christian’s sense of duty is not the same as the sense of duty of one who has no faith. Natural religion would teach a man to be honest, sober, and industrious, but Christ’s teaching goes far beyond this. Religious duties; purity of heart; forgiveness of others, etc. But it is in the realm of supernatural help, prayer, and the sacraments that the greatest divergence is seen. “As the duty of every day required.” Words such as these suggest that unless we are living a life of prayer, unless we are partaking of the life of Christ in the means He left for us to use, we are undutiful. What we claim for our religion is this--
1. The personal love of Christ will make us more severe with ourselves in performing “hard, unwelcome” duties of every day.
2. It will also claim from us earnest prayer, belief in the grace of the Holy Spirit, etc. (W. R. Hutton, M. A.)
