Loyalty

Introduction

Loyalty is perhaps understood but not always easily discerned. There is loyalty to country; loyalty to company; loyalty to family; even loyalty to sports teams. While this is not new, I just recently read that in conjunction with Major League Baseball, it is now possible for a person to be buried in a casket or cremation remains in an urn with one’s favorite baseball team’s emblem on the casket or container and the emblem on the inside of the casket. One online add read: “The caskets are crafted from our proprietary composite and decorated with various woods and metals. Like the urns, each casket is instantly recognizable for the team after which it is designed. The interior fabric features the team logo and colors for the pillow and fabric trim.”

Now that is loyalty!! How would you define loyalty? Pick up a dictionary and you read “the state of being loyal.” Not much help. But pick up a Thesaurus and the words give us a challenging picture: devoted, faithful, honor, integrity, reliability, stedfastness, and singlemindedness. Challenging words. Words that demand much and have the sound of high expectation. What kind of things demand your loyalty? An old hymn resonates: True hearted/whole hearted faithful and loyal, King of our lives, by Thy grace we will be. We want loyal friends. We want a loyal family. We want loyalty from our employer. Do we expect loyalty from our God? Does God have an rightful expectation of loyalty from us? Let’s go back to Mt. Sinai for some answers.

Loyalty to God

The words from God’s voice must have been thunderous and overwhelming. God speaks these words directly to the people. Previously God had spoken to Moses who relayed the information to the people. But on this occasion there will be no doubt that the God who brought them out of Egypt wants them to hear his voice. They are undone. They find themselves shrinking back from voice. They cringe in fear with the sound. And God expects loyalty from his people.

The first four “words” or commands that God spoke reveal the intent he has for how his people will think about and interact with him. The people are to have only one God. Inherent within the statement is that other gods exists. There are other spiritual beings like angels or demons. There are beings thought to be gods but are not gods at all. The word is about the exclusivity of God and that his people will pursue only one God.

The second word has to do with visible images. God prohibits any visible image to be used as an object of worship. The object may be thought to a replica of the one true God or the object may be made that looks like some created thing from above or on the earth. No image is to be used for worship that takes away from this one true God. No image is to distract from one’s loyalty to God.

The third word prohibits using God’s name loosely. The first innate intent is that if God’s name is used there is honesty and integrity with one’s words. Jesus says something similar in Matthew 5:37 and James in 5:12 that one doesn’t need to swear by God’s name or any created thing. The one who belongs to God only speaks truth. So to use God’s name loosely is to use his name to prop up one’s words but not following through. This misuses God’s name. But then there is also the misusing of God’s name that produces irreverence or casualness with his name. To use God’s name to speak evil, to curse, or to use his name as a byword for surprise expression is to misuse his name. Such language diminishes his holiness resulting in a casualness associated with the name of God.

The fourth word expects his people to spend a day reflecting on God’s holiness. It isn’t that the day itself is holy but the keeping of the Sabbath was a time to reflect on the holiness of God. In an agricultural society some work is going to have to be done. Animals must be fed and watered. Food must be made to eat. But the point is not about the absence of work or even the resting. It is on the holiness of God. This is a day to remember that all belongs to God and that He is the one who brings all things into existence. Indeed on this day, God’s intent was that his people would stop the day to day activity that focused on existence and spend a day focused on the God who brings life and creative ability to the world. God’s expectations were for his people to be loyal to him.

So What?

So what does this have to do with us? Surely we can appreciate the language of loyalty. Most definitely, we can understand that God desire exclusivity from his people. Undoubtedly, the ideas of devoted, faithful, honor, integrity, and single mindedness still resonate with us. The God who brought Israel out of Egypt is the same God who sets us free from the condemnation that our sin deserved. If a physical people several thousand of years ago would be expected to be loyal surely God’s spiritual people would practice loyalty.

But I want you to notice the language that God uses to talk about this loyalty. In verse 5, God describes himself as a jealous God. In verse 7, he says that any who misuse his name will be punished for doing so. The idea is that God expects loyalty. Not divided loyalty. Not casual loyalty. But single minded devotion. The question comes “does God need our undivided loyalty.” Absolutely not. But we need it. I would suggest to you that this kind of loyalty is found in the idea of covenant. This is the what a covenant means. God has acted on Israel’s behalf. He has brought his power and grace to bear for Israel’s benefit and freedom. His expectation is loyalty.

We treat God in casual ways. Call on him in times of need but ignore him in times of plenty. Casually speak his name when things are good, but demand him to be something special when times are hard. Single minded devotion to him and no other being or thing is God’s expectation. Few earthly relationships capture the heart of this devotion like the marriage covenant. God has used marriage language from the beginning of creation to capture his intent for the closeness of relationship with him. Isaiah 54:5, God says: For your Maker is your husband—the Lord Almighty is his name. A casual marriage is a marriage of convenience. A casual covenant with God is a covenant of convenience. Want to be with him when you want rather than devoted and loyal.

Idols in our culture are rarely crafted objects enshrined in a special place in our dwellings but make no mistake there are idols. As we come to the Lord’s table, what idols separate you from God. Education? Leisure? Money? Social media? What others think? Job? Comfort and ease? Health? God wants loyalty. He has acted in loyalty toward us. Come let us celebrate his loyalty at the table.

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