Loyal living

I urge you, my friends: watch out for those who cause divisions and upset people’s faith and go against the teaching which you have received. Keep away from them! For those who do such things are not serving Christ our Lord, but their own appetites. By their fine words and flattering speech they deceive innocent people. Everyone has heard of your loyalty to the gospel, and for this reason I am happy about you. I want you to be wise about what is good, but innocent in what is evil. (verses 17- 19)

Read Romans 16:17-27

We have received the teaching of the faith from our mentors in the faith. We have been taught the truth that there is one God, that he created everything, that we are fallen creatures whom God has saved through the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, that we have been called into God’s family by the power of the Holy Spirit. This teaching is precious and it requires loyalty.

The opportunity to declare our loyalty to our God comes as we confess the creed together in his presence. May you, with all your brothers and sisters in the Christian faith around the globe, and even with those around the throne of God in heaven, give praise to your God in those shared words which sum up the belief upon which we all live our lives. Live loyally today.

Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I thank you for giving me faith in your Son, Jesus. Give me courage and vision to live my whole life in loyalty to him. Amen.

by Adrian Kitson, in ‘Renewed Hope for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2000)

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