Holiness = Loyalty to Jesus Christ.

I am going to end our study of the doctrine of holiness where all things that are biblical find their rightful end, and that is in Jesus Christ.  Jesus said "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me." (John 5:39) and He also stated "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself." (Luke 24:27)  So we see that all of Scripture is fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ, He is the main Character of Holy Scripture.

I want us to look at the subject of loyalty and devotion. While do study for school work (TNARS) I came across this story of the devotion/loyalty of the mighty men of valor that joined themselves to King David. The story goes like this:  And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. David was then in the stronghold and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. And David said longingly, "Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!" Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink it. He poured it out to the LORD and said, "Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives? Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three might men did.  2 Samuel 23:13-17

This is an amazing story. A few verses earlier it was listed the deeds that the mighty men of valor had accomplished for David. This was listed as one of those deeds. What loyalty! What devotion! David did not command these men to go to Bethlehem and get him a drink from the well there, which was in the hands of the Philistines, they only heard David mention longingly- he could have only been expressing his desire for complete victory over the Philistines so that Bethlehem was no longer in their control, but under his control, but these loyalty men heard it and at the risk of their own lives, fought their way through to the well and got water for their king. That is an expression of devotion, loyalty to David. David, however would not drink the water, he understands that God was the One behind all the mighty acts of the men of valor, hr understood and poured the water out in devotion and loyalty to the LORD.

I, and other men of the church I attend have been teaching from a book on biblical theology by Michael Lawrence and one of the principles he spoke about in one of the chapters I taught  was that in order not to allegorizing stories from the Old Testament and to learn lessons from them for us today is to take what the story presents (in this case) the type of Christ which is King David, and take it and look to it fulfilment in Jesus Christ and then apply it to our lives today.

This story is pretty straight forward it is a story about loyalty and devotion. But when we take that to Jesus Christ what do we get? We have staring us in the face - the question - how loyal are we to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ has done more and is doing more for us than King David did for the mighty men of valor, are we devoted to Christ? These men risked their lives by confronting their enemies, what do we do when our enemies; Satan and demons, the world, and our indwelling sin confronts us, do we in our determination to be loyal, to be devoted to Christ, put on the armor of God and fight even at the risk of our lives? Are we loyal to the One who died for us? Are we devoted to stand in loyalty to Jesus Christ no matter what?

Jesus tells us the Scriptures are about Him. He has died to give us eternal life - where is our loyalty?

If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Colossians 3:1-2

And because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written. "Let the one who boast, boast in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 1:30-31

Christ is our holiness (sanctification)  why? because: Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14  Because without it we cant see God. If He is your holiness, you would desire to be loyalty to Him.

He is our redemption, wisdom as well, if He is all these things for us - what is our loyalty? where is our devotion for Christ?

We must be loyal, we must be devoted to Jesus Christ, we must become mighty men of valor not for David, but for King Jesus. We must give all to Him, even our very lives. Christ is all.!!

Father, bless us in our loyalty to our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, humble our hard hearts unto service to Jesus Christ.  In His name, Amen

Next study: The Psalms