Loyalty is a rare commodity these days.  While our country has always prided its self in being made up of immigrants, we have lost the meaning of what the term ‘immigrant’ truly means.  Our history has been to accept the ‘stranger’ vis-à-vis the ‘immigrant’ into our society and culture.  But, we have made a big mistake in allowing many people to call themselves by the name of a country from whence they came – such as Cuban-American or African- American or Mexican-American and the list goes on.  Now, some will point out that a lot of people were brought here against their will.  It was called slavery.  That said, the question of slavery was settled long ago regarding a particular race of people.  And, all have become citizens.  Unfortunately, the status of citizenship has also lost its meaning.

In recent days, we have witnessed riots in California and other places where an effort is being made to rid our country of criminal elements called ‘undocumented’ people.  This too is a widely misunderstood term.  So many terms and so many misuses, how can anyone grasp the severity of the problem?  The true meaning of ‘immigrant’ is ‘a person who comes to a country where not a native, usually to establish permanent residence.’  This term has a root meaning of ‘migrate’, which means ‘to go from one country, region or place to another.’ One might suggest that these definitions fits all the millions of people who have come here within the last four to five years (actually much longer).  The problem, however, is that we also pride ourselves (at least we used to) in being a nation of laws.  Citizenship has been governed by the laws of the nation since 1790 when a pathway to citizenship was established.  Birthright citizenship was established in 1868.  While the laws have morphed over time, we still have laws that govern how one enters the country and how one becomes a citizen – all of which are being ignored.

Whether one has come here to establish a permanent residence under lawful means or unlawful means (the most popular these days), few have come with the idea of becoming loyal to the USA.  In the above mentioned riots against the effort to rid the criminal element, many people are carrying flags from countries other than the USA.  Clearly, there is no loyalty and certainly no oath of allegiance to the flag of the USA.  A truly sad reality is that many people who are legal citizens by birth are protesting and carrying flags from different countries.  Loyal citizens? 

The Apostle Paul speaks of citizenship in his letter Philippians 3:20.  He is speaking of those who have become “enemies of the cross of Christ”; after once having received the message of the Gospel, they turned away.  Paul goes on, however, to say of true believers:

But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Peter speaks of it this way: (I Peter 2:10)

Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Becoming a ‘citizen of heaven’ is based on God’s Law – also known as God’s Word.  Receiving ‘mercy’, which allows one to become a citizen of heaven, is taught in God’s Law.  It invites anyone who is lost and wanting to ‘migrate’ to a different status in life to pledge allegiance and become loyal to God’s Law.  Perhaps the most striking example of loyalty is found in the Old Testament in the Book of Ruth.  It is about a young woman, Ruth, who marries the son of a woman, Naomi, who is a worshiper of God.   Naomi’s husband dies and then Ruth’s husband dies.  Naomi is returning to her country of origin, Israel, and tells Ruth to return to her own country and home.  Ruth makes the following declaration:

Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God.

She understood the meaning of loyalty.  As believers, we use the New Testament term FAITH to speak of our loyalty to God.  Are you a ‘loyal’ , that is, a faithful citizen of heaven?  Are you obedient to God’s Law?  If so, then you are a follower of Jesus Christ and he is Lord of your life.

Pastor David