Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
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The word obligation is something that motivates some to action and others see it more like a curse they try to avoid. It is a weighty word, in general, having requirements attached to it that can be challenging. I remember landing my first sales job out of college and getting a fairly large raise. At the time I was driving an older car, a Mazda 6 wagon. I thought, “I need to look the part so I should buy a new car.” The problem was, I had very little money. So, I made the decision to buy a brand-new Oldsmobile Intrigue. It drove nice, had good reliability reviews, and could get off the line. Problem was it was also $24,000. So, I did what any smart recent college graduate would do: I took out a 7-year loan. My car payment was $350/month. I did like the car, but a few years later when I got married, neither my wife nor I appreciated the payment much. It was an obligation that felt weighty as I had to fulfill it while wishing I could spend my cash elsewhere.
In contrast, we do have an obligation or debt to Jesus when we accept his free gift of salvation. But it is not to pay him back, but more to “pay Him” forward. And he gives us the ultimate counselor and life advisor, His Holy Spirit. We are now soldiers in his army and can fight with spiritual weapons of power against the evil and darkness in this world. Our obligation, though made voluntarily, is real: we must put to death the deeds of evil and darkness in our hearts. The good news is we are not on our own. We simply need to seek after God, and when he convicts us of sin, repent (in sincere remorse, turn from it), and he will walk with us into victory over it.

Thank you, Lord, for this new kind of obligation I have accepted as your follower and that you have placed on me. It is different than the obligations of the world, meant to weigh me down. Your obligations are light and not burdensome, because your Spirit is there to help me carry them. And so, I get to claim victories I have no business claiming on my own, but always eventually win with you in control of my life. Praise you for the light obligations you give. They are rewarding and highly prized honors for me!