LOYALTY
"Therefore, my dearly beloved, shun--keep clear away from, avoid by flight if need be--any sort of idolatry (of loving or venerating anything more than God)" (1 Corinthians 10:14AMP).
In a corrupt society there are temptations at every turn to be disloyal to the One True God. When we suffer or are afraid, we can be tempted to seek something other than God, our heavenly Father, for our protection and care. He knows what we need and is prepared and delighted to give it to us; but, He is usually the last (rather than the first) One we reach out to.
Out of His covenant love for us, Our heavenly Father warns us of things that can and will permanently harm us, like evil desires and immorality, indulging cravings, lust, coveting what others have, irreverent exploitation of His goodness and idolatry (spiritual adultery). God knows of the temptations to disloyalty we face and, in His faithfulness to His Word and His compassionate nature, as well as, His pledged love for us, He will "not let [us] be tempted and tried and assayed beyond [our] ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide a way out--the means of escape to a landing place-- that [we] may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).
As Christ-followers in a corrupt society, we cannot be found disloyal to our Beloved Lord by any defiance of His covenant with us! We must not try His patience with infidelity or lift Him up to ridicule and rejection by any manner of evil conduct or wicked speech. We cannot partake of communion with our God and, then, turn and love the world also. We must not, like an adulterous wife, provoke our Lord to jealousy and anger and indignation and expect Him to do nothing to correct us. That is not love; and, that is not loyalty. Think about it.
"Therefore, my dearly beloved, shun--keep clear away from, avoid by flight if need be--any sort of idolatry (of loving or venerating anything more than God)" (1 Corinthians 10:14AMP).
In a corrupt society there are temptations at every turn to be disloyal to the One True God. When we suffer or are afraid, we can be tempted to seek something other than God, our heavenly Father, for our protection and care. He knows what we need and is prepared and delighted to give it to us; but, He is usually the last (rather than the first) One we reach out to.
Out of His covenant love for us, Our heavenly Father warns us of things that can and will permanently harm us, like evil desires and immorality, indulging cravings, lust, coveting what others have, irreverent exploitation of His goodness and idolatry (spiritual adultery). God knows of the temptations to disloyalty we face and, in His faithfulness to His Word and His compassionate nature, as well as, His pledged love for us, He will "not let [us] be tempted and tried and assayed beyond [our] ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide a way out--the means of escape to a landing place-- that [we] may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).
As Christ-followers in a corrupt society, we cannot be found disloyal to our Beloved Lord by any defiance of His covenant with us! We must not try His patience with infidelity or lift Him up to ridicule and rejection by any manner of evil conduct or wicked speech. We cannot partake of communion with our God and, then, turn and love the world also. We must not, like an adulterous wife, provoke our Lord to jealousy and anger and indignation and expect Him to do nothing to correct us. That is not love; and, that is not loyalty. Think about it.
© S.M. Hudson, Hidden Treasure Ministries, December 2003. All rights reserved.
Categories: forgiveness
