Rick Liggin
Loyalty is a very noble, grand and admirable quality. You see, when one is loyal, one is “faithful to those persons, ideals, etc. that one is under obligation to defend, support, or be true to” (Webster’s p. 840) A loyal person can be trusted and counted on; he or she is dependable.
Now, loyalty is one of those qualities that we like to see in ourselves, but we certainly expect it in others. No one respects the person who would betray his friend or country. Remember Judas? He is looked upon in distain because he betrayed the Lord and for only “thirty pieces of silver”. We simply do not appreciate a traitor, and it is doubtful that we are going to tolerate anyone who is disloyal.
But how much disloyalty are we willing to tolerate in ourselves when it comes to our service to Christ? How much are we like that infamous Judas?
Let me suggest that the Christian’s loyalty is supposed to be to Jesus Christ. Jesus is the One who has “all authority” in heaven and on earth (Mt. 28:18), and He is the One who is to have the “preeminence” (or first place) in all things (Col. 1:18). As His disciples, we are supposed to imitate our Master and be “conformed to His image” (cf. Lk. 24:40, Rom. 8:29), we are to be people who totally abide in His Word (Jno. 8:31-32).
But how often do we become disloyal to Christ and betray Him (like Judas did) by allowing other people and other things to come before Him? What is the difference in Judas’ “thirty pieces of silver” and our families or friends or jobs or education or possessions or recreation that we betray Jesus for? These temporal things are nice, and even have their place in our lives, but loyalty to Christ may involve turning our backs on these things (Lk.9:57-58; 14:25-33, Mt. 10:37). Loyalty to Christ clearly involves putting spiritual things first (Mt.6:33).
And so, whenever we allow earthly things to come before our service to the Lord, we become spiritual traitors. And this is true whether it happens “only once a year on special occasions” or whether it happens many times a year. We are still being disloyal to Christ, and we really are no better off than Judas, the traitor.
Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.”
(Luke 14:25-27)
Folks, the Lord expects us to be loyal and true to Him…in all things! Just as we might detest and be disappointed in the disloyalty of a friend, you know the Lord detests and is disappointed in our disloyalty to Him. And putting other things before Him is clearly a form of disloyalty!
If we will not tolerate disloyalty in our friends, then we should not tolerate it in ourselves as friends of Jesus. Let me encourage and exhort you: “To Christ be loyal and be true; in noble service prove…your faith and your fidelity, the fervor of your love” (Sacred Selections, number 332). Are you really being loyal to Christ?
This bulletin is being published for the purpose of encouraging a further study of the Word of God. Editor – Josh Liggin
Want to get into touch check out our Contact Us page