Allegiance To Christ

Romans 10:8-9, “The Word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart--that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.” (New American Standard Bible)

I asked a soldier if he was a Christian. He answered, “Sure, Chaplain; I’m an American!” I’m afraid being a Christian takes more than US citizenship.

The church needs to be on guard against the notion that becoming a Christian is merely an act of accepting that Jesus is Who He claimed to be, with no visible change of life. We’re saved by “faith”, but he NT Greek word translated as “faith” (Gk pistis) is better understood as fidelity, loyalty, and allegiance. Genuine faith results in a transformed outlook and behavior. Salvation isn’t just about getting into Heaven; it’s getting Heaven into us. We respond to the Gospel message by turning from our selfish ways of living and taking on a new way of life. “How we act is the only accurate sign of our faith” (Dennis Prager). A Christianity that does nothing is worth nothing.

We believe in Jesus. I believe Kim Jong Ill is the leader of North Korea, but he’s not my leader; in fact, he’s my enemy. Assent is not enough to save anyone. The Bible says that even the demons believe. Saying we believe in Jesus without living for Him is demon-faith. Assent says “Jesus is Lord.” Allegiance takes “Jesus as Lord.” Saying “Jesus is Lord” is history. Saying Jesus is my Lord” is salvation! We are saying “yes” to Jesus being Lord. Christ is on the throne of our lives! We occasionally test ourselves to see if our commitment is real. In this Romans 10:9 declaration, we are acknowledging Christ’s authority and affirming His divinity. Paul takes this a step farther in chapter 12, urging us to to “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.”

We are justified by faith, not by works. That was the battle-cry of the Reformation. Being justified means that God declares us righteous and the record of our sins is wiped clean by the blood of Christ. This is as a free gift of grace by faith and not moral achievement. But genuine faith is verified by what happens next; there’s evidence: “By their fruit you will know them,” Jesus said (Mt 7:20). When we understand faith as allegiance, salvation isn’t just “fire insurance”; it’s a new worldview and lifestyle. Jesus saves us when we turn to Him and He continues to save us. We “were” saved, and we are “being” saved. The Apostle Paul says we’re “new creations” in which our old life is passing away in a process of spiritual renewal (II Cor 5:17). Earlier in Romans Paul declares that “the just will live by faith” (1:17). Faith is not faith if it is not lived. Merely saying we believe is no proof. We need an active faith. We’re not sinless, but we sin less. We’re not perfect, but we’re making progress. Martin Luther, who started the Protestant Reformation said, “Truly if faith is there, believers cannot hold back…they break out into good works.”

That soldier I talked to knew that by joining the Army, he was pledging allegiance and embarking on a new life. Joshua, a military commander, declared to Israel: “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (24:15). Military recruits take an “Oath of Enlistment,” swearing to protect and defend our nation. An "Oath of Allegiance" is taken by those who become naturalized citizens of the United States, renouncing prior allegiances. Paul writes in Philippians 3:20, “Our citizenship is in Heaven.” A Brit who becomes an American is no longer subject to the king. When we trust Christ, we’re subject to the King of kings. As Romans 10:9 insists, to take Jesus as Lord means to come under His lordship. We’re joining the Army of the Lord, an all-volunteer army...and by committing to Christ as Lord, we become citizens of the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom defined by the cross and empty tomb. We submit to Christ’s authority, acknowledging His supremacy. He is our Commander, our leader. We’re “Under new Management.” This changes everything.

The idea of being under authority does not sit well with some people. They want to set their own rules and make their own truth, with no accountability. Christ as Lord is not agreeable to them. So they replace moral absolutes with personal preferences. When people treat them unfairly (according to what they think is right or wrong), they don’t seem to realize that those people are living according to their preferences. Remove moral absolutes and “anything goes.” If you don’t wish to answer to a Higher Power, Christianity is not for you...but think what moral relativism can do to people.