Loyalty

Let's dip into God's Word for a few, brief, verses. (pick at least three to read to your class)

Judges 8:35, They also failed to show any loyalty to the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) in spite of all the good things he had done for them.

1 Samuel 22:14, Ahimelek answered the king, “Who of all your servants is as loyal as David, the king’s son-in-law, captain of your bodyguard and highly respected in your household?

2 Samuel 2:10, Ish-Bosheth son of Saul was forty years old when he became king over Israel, and he reigned two years. The tribe of Judah, however, remained loyal to David.

2 Samuel 3:8, Abner was very angry because of what Ish-Bosheth said. So he answered, “Am I a dog’s head—on Judah’s side? This very day I am loyal to the house of your father Saul and to his family and friends. I haven’t handed you over to David. Yet now you accuse me of an offense involving this woman!

1 Kings 12:20, When all the Israelites heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the house of David.

1 Chronicles 12:29, Saul’s tribe—3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then;

1 Chronicles 12:33, from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty—50,000;

Psalm 78:8, They would not be like their ancestors— a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him.

Psalm 78:37, their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant.

Question the class on “What is the common thread of those verses.

In the dictionary, the word “Loyalty” is defined as an unwavering allegiance. An allegiance to government, individual, cause, ideal or custom. What organizations, team, persons, causes, et cetera, are you loyal to?

How does loyalty and friendship differ? How are they the same? How would you feel if a friend proved disloyal? How do you think God feels about us? Are you loyal to God and friends?

1 Chronicles 29:18, Lord, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Israel, keep these desires and thoughts in the hearts of your people forever, and keep their hearts loyal to you.

Colossians 3:23, Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,

“Loyalty to God leads to devotion to others. Devotion to others requires the spirit of self-sacrifice. The spirit of self-sacrifice leads to greater rewards in heaven.”

Usually positive things have many polar opposites. What are some opposites of loyalty? (Ask the class to respond)

Many secular persons believe they can exercise one of a few electable choices; They can become Christians, they can stay apathetically neutral, they can deny God or, as some do, embrace and reach out to Satan. Those last three  are severely wrong! We all start on the wrong team, all guilty of eternal damnation. We can't choose Satan because that is our default team, our human nature. If you don't believe that, just think back on how many one and two-year old's you know that are able to throw quite the tantrum with no training whatsoever? The one choice we have is to give our allegiance and loyalty to God. Then we move to the winning team.

2 Timothy 1:15, [ Examples of Disloyalty and Loyalty ] You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

Psalm 12:1, Help, Lord, for no one is faithful anymore; those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.

Of loyalty, the Bible tells us:

Loyalty is unwavering in good times and bad. (Proverbs 17:17)

Loyalty is what you do, not what you say. (Matthew 26:33-35 and 26:69-75)

Loyalty is in your heart. It is willing and not reluctant. (Psalm 78:8)

Loyalty can be demanding. (Exodus 17:8-13)

Loyalty may involve sacrifice. (2 Chronicles 11:13-16)

Loyalty to the Lord will be rewarded. (Psalm 84:10-11) When this psalm says “those whose walk is blameless” it refers to Genesis 17:1 when the Lord appeared to Abraham and said to him “walk with me and be blameless” meaning that Abraham would receive the Lord’s promises if he was faithful and obedient.

We should be able to see that the word "loyalty" has definite relationships to our obligations. Not necessarily legally bound but where we feel virtuously or morally bound. Sometimes, as with marriage ceremonies, we see blended reflections of what is legal and moral. On most wedding days, the couple's love and loyalty to each other seems to be everlasting. Everlasting until one jokingly smears cake on the face of the other. If not then, the difficulties of a faithful, loyal marriage may soon begin.