But the core principle that we must all agree on is strength of nation. Declaration of loyalties.
We have to make sure that you or this country is never bought. It’s never bribed. And it’s never blackmailed.
– Griffin Dunne as George Pike IV (‘Fourth’) on Billions, Season 7, Episode 8
The survival of any entity is based on its strength as a whole. I understand that it’s been quoted that we’re only as strong as our weakest link, but it appears that the one thing that finally breaks the entire social structure is the loyalty of the said link.
That being said, we can append: We’re only as strong as our weakest link, and the weakest link is not necessarily the least capable link, but the least loyal link.
And we’re given a template to consider, when it comes to loyalty standards – Can you be bought? Can you be bribed? Can you be blackmailed?
In other words, will you remain loyal when you are presented with offers catering to what you need (bought) or want (bribed)? And if you remain loyal when presented with silver, will you remain loyal when presented with lead – that is, a threat (blackmail) to you and/or your loved ones?
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!
Psalm 33:12
I have cause to believe that in the body of Christ, the same loyalty we have to Him and to our brethren is constantly tested. In fact, we’re presented with yet another perspective to the Parable of the Sower:
- Will we be threatened out of our loyalty, just as the birds threaten to take away the seed?
- Will we be bought out of our loyalty, just as the rocks be overbearing to the seed?
- Or, will we be bribed out of our loyalty, just as the thorns choke out the seed?
The good news is, we can give thanks to our God, who has saved us by way of covering all angles: That is,
- by way of the Holy Spirit, the Sower, who has been given charge to spread seed – that is, by way of convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, (John 16:7-11) and
- by way of the Father, the Gardener, who, as we grow, lifts us when we do not bear fruit, and prunes us to bear even more fruit (John 15:1-2)
And, most important of all, we have been saved through Christ, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, a Faith which comes through hearing of His Word; He is both the Living Word and Seed that has been planted into us, and the Vine to whom we have been made branches.
As such, we have all that we really need in Him (for as He lives, so we live – John 14:9).
We are enjoying the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23); the foundational benefits which we not only eventually realize that we really want at the core of our being, in this reality and beyond.
Finally, we have peace beyond all understanding (Philippians 4:7), regardless of any threat domestic or foreign to us or our loved ones, because (1) nothing in this reality, and I dare say even the worst mankind could imagine for us, can separate us from the love of God through Christ (Romans 8:39), and (2) we believe that Christ saves us, and our household (Acts 16:31).
Side observation, ‘household’ in Acts 16:31 is oikos (oy’-kos): Of uncertain affinity; a dwelling (more or less extensive, literally or figuratively); by implication a family (more or less related, literally or figuratively): – home, house (-hold), temple. I’m open to rebuke and correction here, but I believe that this means that when we believe in Christ, our we and our family and all within our influence (temple) are saved (sōzō: Delivered, Saved, Protected, Healed, Preserved, Made Whole)…
…But I suppose all that’s left on their part is to believe. To trust, as we have, that Christ has done all the work for us.
I guess this is in line with what I preached last Sunday. This all presents us with cause to continually remind ourselves (‘deliberate reminders’, as we’ve termed it on the pulpit) of Christ and His finished work – because through this we’re reminded:
- That it’s Christ who gives us all we need, so we are not so easily bought.
- He gives us all we really want, so we are not so easily bribed.
- Nothing can ever separate us from Him, so we are not so easily threatened.
…And to think that Christ did it ALL to guarantee that God is so faithful – no, so LOYAL to us, much so that we could so freely call Him ‘Father’; Oh, we LOVE Him, and we love one another, because He loved us first, and forever – We’re loyal to Him, and loyal to one another, because He is loyal and faithful to us first, and forever!
Here I was thinking I’d make this short so I could go on to other backlogs, but, wow – Here’s yet another perspective to God’s goodness.
In our weakness, we are strong, because He is loyal! Amen!
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#Loyalty #God #JesusChrist #HolySpirit #Teamwork #Trust #Belief #Salvation #Bible #Billions #BibleStudy #Revelations #Realizations #Reflections #BenefitsOfSalvation #PracticalChristianity
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