Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Loyalty Day
Romans 13:1-7
K. E. Mathew
Philadelphia MTC, PA
1 Let every person be subject to the governing
authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities
that exist have been instituted by God.
The title of this particular passage (Rom 13:1-7) can be duties toward state authorities. In this passage Apostle Paul reminding the Jews in Rome that your supreme ruler is God Almighty and you have to loyal to Him. At the same time Paul tells them that you are also under the civil authority and its leaders. You have to be loyal to them too. Roman power was ruled over Jerusalem at this time. The Jews thought that they don’t have to listen or pay taxes to these foreign rulers.
Paul is reminding them that all the civil authority and powers are appointed by God. God is the one who ordained them in that position. Since they were appointed by God you have to be loyal to them.
Jesus Christ also recognized the civil authority. In Mark chapter12: 15-17 we see the Pharisees and the Herodian people were trying to trap Jesus and they asked Him a question is it against our law to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor should we pay them or not. Jesus said in verse: 17 “well then pay to the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and pay to God what belongs to God”.
Here Jesus clearly telling the people who try to trap Him that you have to be loyal to the civil authority, respect them and pay taxes to whom it deserves.
What does it mean to be loyal to God? In Deuteronomy chapter 6: 5 it says “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul with all your strength”. This is the first and great commandment to follow and this is the true loyalty.
As a Christian our supreme loyalty is to God. Loyalty is always related to relationship. A genuine relationship always demands something from us. I believe loyalty is a choice and it must start from our own heart itself. When God enter with us in a covenant relationship He will be always loyal to us. He has promised that in Mathew 28: 20 “And I will be with you always to the end of the age”.
Loyalty also brings reward in our life. There are many examples we can see that God is rewarding to the people who are loyal to them.
In the book of Job we can see that He went through so much pain and sufferings in His life. He lost everything He had but He was loyal to God all the times. In Job chapter 42: 12, it says “Lord blessed the last part of Job’s life even more than he had blessed the first”.
Also in the life of Daniel, Daniel was rejected by his brothers and finally he was sold to another country. While he was at the king’s palace he had to make a choice in his life. In Daniel chapter 6, king Darius, supervisors and governors asked the king to issue and order that for thirty days no one to be permitted to request anything from any God or form any human being, except from your Majesty. Anyone who violates this order is to be thrown into a pit filled with lions. Daniel refused to bow down before the king. Daniel prayed to his living God but he was thrown into the pit filled with lions. In Daniel chapter 6:20, we can see that king Darius went up to the lions pit and called out. “Daniel servant of the living God was the God you serve so loyally able to save you from the lions”.
Yes God saved Daniel’s life from that lion’s pit. God not only saved Daniel’s life, but also blessed his life. Let us be loyal and thankful to God in our life.
The title of this particular passage (Rom 13:1-7) can be duties toward state authorities. In this passage Apostle Paul reminding the Jews in Rome that your supreme ruler is God Almighty and you have to loyal to Him. At the same time Paul tells them that you are also under the civil authority and its leaders. You have to be loyal to them too. Roman power was ruled over Jerusalem at this time. The Jews thought that they don’t have to listen or pay taxes to these foreign rulers.
Paul is reminding them that all the civil authority and powers are appointed by God. God is the one who ordained them in that position. Since they were appointed by God you have to be loyal to them.
Jesus Christ also recognized the civil authority. In Mark chapter12: 15-17 we see the Pharisees and the Herodian people were trying to trap Jesus and they asked Him a question is it against our law to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor should we pay them or not. Jesus said in verse: 17 “well then pay to the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and pay to God what belongs to God”.
Here Jesus clearly telling the people who try to trap Him that you have to be loyal to the civil authority, respect them and pay taxes to whom it deserves.
What does it mean to be loyal to God? In Deuteronomy chapter 6: 5 it says “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul with all your strength”. This is the first and great commandment to follow and this is the true loyalty.
As a Christian our supreme loyalty is to God. Loyalty is always related to relationship. A genuine relationship always demands something from us. I believe loyalty is a choice and it must start from our own heart itself. When God enter with us in a covenant relationship He will be always loyal to us. He has promised that in Mathew 28: 20 “And I will be with you always to the end of the age”.
Loyalty also brings reward in our life. There are many examples we can see that God is rewarding to the people who are loyal to them.
In the book of Job we can see that He went through so much pain and sufferings in His life. He lost everything He had but He was loyal to God all the times. In Job chapter 42: 12, it says “Lord blessed the last part of Job’s life even more than he had blessed the first”.
Also in the life of Daniel, Daniel was rejected by his brothers and finally he was sold to another country. While he was at the king’s palace he had to make a choice in his life. In Daniel chapter 6, king Darius, supervisors and governors asked the king to issue and order that for thirty days no one to be permitted to request anything from any God or form any human being, except from your Majesty. Anyone who violates this order is to be thrown into a pit filled with lions. Daniel refused to bow down before the king. Daniel prayed to his living God but he was thrown into the pit filled with lions. In Daniel chapter 6:20, we can see that king Darius went up to the lions pit and called out. “Daniel servant of the living God was the God you serve so loyally able to save you from the lions”.
Yes God saved Daniel’s life from that lion’s pit. God not only saved Daniel’s life, but also blessed his life. Let us be loyal and thankful to God in our life.
PRAYER
Almighty God, grant us
thy gift of loyalty. For our home give us love and obedience; for our country
sacrifice and service, for our church, reverence and devotion; and in
everything make us true to thee;through thy son our savior Jesus Christ. Amen
Soldiers and sailors prayer book. 1944.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:
Loyalty and devotion lead to bravery, bravery leads to the spirit of self-sacrifice and the spirit of self-sacrifice creates trust in the power of love - Morihei Ueshiba
Loyalty and devotion lead to bravery, bravery leads to the spirit of self-sacrifice and the spirit of self-sacrifice creates trust in the power of love - Morihei Ueshiba