Been editing a novel I wrote a few years ago when I came upon this passage.
“You pledge that you will … do your duty to God. What duty do you have to God? Duty is a word that means you are expected or required to do something as an obligation. You are obligated to someone for something, perhaps because something was done to or for you and you owe that one something in return. Now, it’s expected of you. You are required to do something. No second-guessing. No questions asked. You’ve been informed as to what is required, so you do it as a duty.
“But what did God do for you that you owe the Almighty something in return? You’re living, you’ve got life inside your body. God gave you the ability to choose, to reason, to imagine. You have a body to navigate around this world. God has done it all for You. He created this marvelous universe and put you here in this particular spot where you can breathe and learn to live abundantly enjoying the benefits of a sun rising every day, with animals to enjoy and feed on, water to drink. And in these waters fish to catch and eat. You have others to talk and fellowship with, and on and on.
“God has done this for you, so what do you have to give as a . . . duty . . . in return for this life you’ve been given? God has also sacrificed His only Son for you. So how do you repay Him for that? You choose to live the way God wants you to live; no lying, no stealing, no cheating, none of that wanting what your neighbor has. And, yes, there’s usually an and. You want to tell others about this gift.