Why Follow?
Good Morning,
While living in our world, we ought always to guard what we hear as well as what sources we allow to have our ear. We must also consider and think through what we heard before we repeat it. Most of us have heard something on the radio or television and thought, “That is stupid.” With a little outside knowledge, logically, we realize how ridiculous the statement was. Most of us have also found ourselves repeating something and later realizing how faulty our thinking was. Such is the case with loyalty.
Someone mocked folks who were so loyal, they would follow another “over a cliff.” That, of course, is an illustration of the wrong kind of loyalty. Older folks would remember Jim Jones and his leading a group of followers to kool-aid suicide in Guyana. All of us would agree that his followers had a stupid and illogical kind of loyalty. That kind of loyalty was nothing close to the loyalty of a Bible-believing church; and anyone I know also knows that that kind of thinking is wrong. Let us consider seriously the statement. Think with me of the most loyal person in your church. Then ask yourself if you believe that man would go with the pastor to pick up prostitutes or get drunk. You know that person would not do such a deed. Would that person be loyal enough to help out with a big day? Surely he would. Is that person loyal enough to tithe or attend a prayer meeting? Absolutely. Someone who is loyal enough to follow the leader to good things is wonderful. Loyalty to do wrong is stupid, and no one ought to entertain the idea that his church friends are stupid. I do not believe I could get one man in our church to go have a drink with me, unless he was a man who already drinks alcohol. I believe this could be said of most good, Bible-preaching churches. Whoever suggested to you that the opposite is true is wrong and most likely has seriously flawed motives.
Allow me to suggest why Satan would start such foolish rumors. Among many other reasons, an attack on loyalty is a vote for anarchy. I will follow my national President until he violates our nation’s laws. I will follow state laws, even if I disagree with many of them; I will abide by them (at least until they violate the Bible or a law that carries more authority).
In a place of business, I believe in honoring the wishes of the boss until those wishes violate moral or civil laws. Though I never served in our military, I am sure the same would be true in our military. Subordinates should honor and follow the leader until he violates a higher law or authority.
The attack on loyalty is a vote for anarchy and lawlessness — tyranny will follow. When everyone tosses out leadership, the one with the biggest gun, the biggest mouth, or the biggest fighter makes the rules — that is tyranny.
Let me give you some church doctrine. Churches that see many folks saved and baptized are almost always led by a strong pastor. That would include any denomination. Another church philosophy pushes for board-run or elder-run churches. These churches rarely win souls or baptize converts. They may be orderly, organized, and perhaps, seem trouble-free in the eyes of men, but they miss the very purpose for the church.
The Satanic motive behind this ideal is peace over purpose; souls of men, or order without use.
Check out the amazing businesses around us, and you will almost always find one strong leader over the successful ones. Compare those successful businesses to the success of a “government job.” (We have all heard the jokes about those.) If the government ever gets productive, it will be because some situation allows a good leader to take the reins as might happen in our military. In the long run, boards and multi-headed organizations are rarely useful.
Regarding church (at least in my experience), the ideas and knowledge of the group are vital; input from our members has always been of the highest importance to me. But once the ideas are on the table and direction is set, someone needs to be given leadership to run the job, whether it be the coach, the music director, or the pastor.
If loyalty is removed and every leader is forced to submit to the constant opinions of everyone who walks by, not only will his leadership be shackled but also his productivity — that would be true in business, sports or the military.
Paul makes the importance of spiritual leadership very clear:
2 Thessalonians 3:7 “For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;”
Paul said that the people in that church OUGHT TO FOLLOW; not to follow aimlessly, but rather because the leader behaves himself in an orderly manner — that is why the folks can follow their leader. Personal behavior earns the right to leadership. Paul brings that same instruction to the Corinthian church:
1 Corinthians 11:1 “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
If a leader does not follow Christ, then no one should follow him! The leader’s loyalty to Christ is the very foundation of any follower’s trust or loyalty.
Likewise, the book of Hebrews follows the same reasoning when it comes to following someone. Righteous living is ALWAYS the basis for loyalty.
Hebrews 13:7 “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.”
The urging is to “remember” the things taught by spiritual leaders, but the prerequisite is clear... “considering the end of their conversation.” We can take our time to watch and see how their ideas unfold. We should consider the end or the result of their instruction. It is that way in coaching. Who follows a coach’s instructions and never wins a game? (If that were the case, surely, that coach will quickly lose his job.)
The scandal in the DOJ and FBI centers on people who had a cause greater than their loyalty to their duty. Any decent Christian knows that “right” is our focus and loyalty in marriage or church, politics or employment, is to be subordinate to what is right.
Pastor