After devoting an ample amount of time to studying numerous books, I have come to some profound realizations: The essence of our existence on this planet is to showcase our devotion to King Jesus, progressing towards emulating his unwavering loyalty towards us. This unwavering devotion was exhibited through his earthly life, crucifixion, burial, and most importantly, his resurrection. His resurrection authenticates Jesus Christ's loyalty to his Father and to all of us flawlessly. It also is the evidence of his enthronement as King of kings, hence our need to be subject to him in all things.
The demonstration of Christ's loyalty is evident in how he interacted with people. Jesus exemplified mercy, compassion, love, care, healing, and a desire to provide assistance rather than harm. This stands in stark contrast to the Enochic Watchers, who were fallen sons of God, and their offspring, known as giants and now referred to as demons and devils in the unseen realms.
Therefore, it is through his actions towards us that Christ's loyalty is shown, not merely through his words or thoughts.
With the resurrection of Jesus Christ and his exaltation as the King of kings, the divine power of God has unequivocally affirmed his loyalty. His authority now extends not only over the heavenly realms but also over the earthly domains. In light of these remarkable acts and the undeniable reality of his Kingship, our attention turns to humanity and the choices we make in response.
Will we emulate our Lord and King by exemplifying his character and remaining faithful to him, as demonstrated in how we treat our fellow human beings in like manner to our Lord?
Before we dive into discussing the tests of loyalty to Jesus, it is important to clarify that this is not about earning our salvation through our actions. Instead, it is about nurturing a living relationship with Jesus.
Additionally, we must recognize that our ability to be loyal does not rely on our own strength, but on the power of the cross and the presence of the Holy Spirit within us. It is through Jesus' provision, wisdom, and divine power that we are empowered to stay loyal to him in this testing of our allegiance to him through how we treat others.
Conversely, when we fail to understand the nature of these tests and rely on our own efforts, we are prone to stumbling in our walk with him into a works-based earn-it-myself manner of living. The earmark of this is when we start spouting a rule-based system of do-and-don't (law) as the basis for determining our being given eternal life in the Day of the Lord.
1 John 4:20-21: "Whoever claims to love (be loyal to) God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister."
James 2:14-17: "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith (loyalty to Christ) but has no (matching) deeds (emulating Christ)? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith (by words alone) by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
Galatians 5:22-25: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness (growing loyalty to Christ demonstrated through treatment of brothers and sisters in Christ), gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”
The word gospel and the phrase gospel allegiance hold great significance from the perspective of the apostles in the first century, Peter to Paul. It is evident that these gifts from the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25) have a specific purpose that originates from the mind of Christ. This purpose revolves around our testing in loyalty, wherein we seek to showcase our allegiance to Christ by emulating him. We do this primarily through our interactions with fellow believers, as well as with sinners who are eager to pledge their loyalty to Christ as their King as they hear the gospel proclaimed!
Your mission, Mr. Phelps ...
Therefore, given all of the above, what are we to conclude? Most specifically, we are to arrive at the conclusion that Christ as King and his body, the people around us as fellow brothers and sisters, matter most of all and ourselves least of all. The trajectory of our lives must be towards loyalty and obedience to the work and nature of our King expressed through selfless service to the people around us. Holding them in high regard is the natural outcome we have if we truly hold loyalty to Christ Jesus and him in others as the highest matter of life and living. It is to these members of his body that the Gifts of the Spirit are directed within us.
When Christianity starts to focus on ourselves and what we can gain from it, our faith (demonstrated loyalty) loses its true purpose. It becomes like a fragile house of cards built on unstable ground. The true strength of our devotion to Christ lies in how we value others more than ourselves. Our love, compassion, and assistance should be directed towards them consistently. Meanwhile, we can trust that God will take care of our needs. Instead of being consumed by personal worries, we ought strive to serve the King by helping our fellow believers. By doing so, we become instruments of God's power and bring people from the darkness into His kingdom, through the work of the cross and the Holy Spirit.