Loyalty

Good Morning,

Romans 13:7 “Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.”

Some people truly deserve to be treated with honor; it is DUE THEM.

Your family, your church, the college that trained you: these are people and institutions that have been important in our lives, and we owe them some honor and loyalty.  I strive to never come between anyone and their parents, their college, their own church, or their spouse (even if I have not always received the same treatment from other leaders).

A sickening smallness encompasses the man who is so insecure that he has to destroy others in hopes of finding his own loyal followers. One of the great things I noticed while attending Bible college was that Dr. Hyles had no problem with people talking about where they had attended school. Some teachers had attended Tennesee Temple, Bob Jones University, Princeton, or other places. They were also welcome to talk about great people from other churches and colleges that had influenced them.  

Another amazing characteristic about the ministry of Brother Hyles was his ability to knit hearts of college students with their home pastors.  After a few years under his ministry, I was far closer to my home pastor than I was when I began college.  

On the other hand, I have been around people in college ministries who asked their staff not to talk about where teachers attended college, and not to bring up people who influenced them. That insecurity is pitiful.

I have always been somewhat amazed by someone who was led to Christ in a church, was taught Sunday school throughout their life in that same church,  attended a Christian school at that church, surrendered to the ministry at a conferences at their church, and some even traveled to foreign countries at the expense of that churches members, only to have them step back and pretend their home church was not in existence.


Someone very small with big insecurity issues probably got a hold of this person and convinced them that their roots were not worth hanging onto. I can tell you that from the first pastor that influenced me, Al Porticalian, to the first place I attended Bible college with Pastor Blue , and then graduating some years later from Hyles-Anderson College, I am proud of my heritage! I am unashamed of those who loved me and helped me, and I am very happy to give honor to whom honor is due. I cannot forget the secular coaches and teachers who taught me, or even neighbors who helped develop me into the person I am today. 

In the Scripture, we are asked to honor many others. Peter mentions three of them: “Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.” (1 Peter 2:17)

We are to treat all men honorably; they matter and are loved by God, and they are a part of the world and society in which we live.  Be honorable toward all.  Peter continues to say that we are to give special honor to our Christian brethren. Lastly, he urges us to honor the political leaders. 

Paul writes that we are to honor our parents:

Ephesians 6:2 “Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)”

Moses wrote that we are to honor the elderly people in our world. 

Leviticus 19:32 “Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD.” 

We are to honor the pastors who labor in the Word of God to help us stay right in our beliefs.  

1 Timothy 5:17 “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” 

Loyalty is fast disappearing from our culture.  The lack of loyalty is certainly eroding the foundation of a good nation and decent humanity.   My natural father was not a Christian, but he was a good influence in many ways. I often use illustrations about him in writing or sermons because of the debt I owe him. Every American owes a debt of loyalty to those who founded our nation.  Our founders could have sat in luxury in a socialistic nation or lived comfortably under a monarch, but they spent their lives and fortunes to try to give the world a free land.  We owe them! I refuse to listen to losers who never built a hot dog stand criticize the great people who built our nation.  Our leaders today, from both parties, get rich, compromise, and sell out for their own good.   I will not sit idly by while self-sacrificing people died for us to have a chance at freedom. 

May we cut off the slanderous talk and embrace the good of those whom God has placed in our lives. “Give honor to whom honor is due.” This principle certainly applies to the military who offered their lives freely on the altar of American freedom. May we honor the living as well as the memory of the dead. 

Pastor