Loyalty and integrity
This article is on the discussion site
Loyalty and integrity are two qualities desirable in a worshiper of Jehovah. Both are well spoken of in the scriptures. God Himself is spoken of as having the quality of loyalty.
(Psalm 145:17) 17 Jehovah is righteous in all his ways And loyal in all his works.
Integrity doesn’t apply to Jehovah in the sense that He could be considered as not having it, because he is the standard by which integrity is measured. The definition of integrity is moral soundness, not only that, but completeness in it; unbroken, totality. That describes Jehovah.
While loyalty is desirable, integrity is preferable. Someone who has the quality of loyalty doesn’t necessarily have the quality of integrity. Loyalties can be divided, mistakenly applied, given without thought of integrity, whereas integrity always entails loyalty. Sometimes this can be a source of mixed feelings. The worshipers of Jehovah in the time of John the Baptizer might have felt that going to him to be baptized in symbol of their repentance was being disloyal to the priestly system then in place. Their integrity to Jehovah, and their loyalty to the system He had installed to direct His people, might have been at odds with each other. Integrity won out with those who did go to John. When John pointed out Jesus as God’s means of salvation……….
(John 1:29) 29 The next day he beheld Jesus coming toward him, and he said: “See, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world
(John 1:35-37) 35 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and as he looked at Jesus walking he said: “See, the Lamb of God!” 37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
Once again their loyalties vs. integrity to Jehovah were tested. Some remained with John out of misguided loyalty, and some followed Jesus, knowing that God’s provision for salvation was the more important factor in their worship.
What about you? Why are you here looking at this site? Is it because your integrity is having a war with your loyalty? Are you struggling with your sense of loyalty to what you perceive as God’s organization, while your integrity to Jehovah is being stretched by the policies and sometimes self-serving teachings of that organization. Do the hypocrisy, class distinctions, and double standards that exist, war with what you know the Bible itself teaches about Jehovah and the actions He expects from His servants? Have you been forestalling any actions on your part because of thinking that Jehovah will straighten it out in due time?
If you look at the examples provided in the Bible, Jehovah always gave His people the information necessary to worship Him in an approved manor. He always gave them reminders. He always told them the results of following the teachings of men. It isn’t any different now. Within the pages of publications published and distributed by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, there is enough truth as stated in the Bible, and the correct understanding of it, that the leadership is without excuse in their mismanagement of Jehovah’s name among the nations. They’ve claimed an exclusive relationship with Jehovah, and whether or not their claim is valid, Jehovah will hold them to the standard required of such a relationship. That requirement also is placed on anyone that would worship Him and claim a relationship based on the sacrifice of His son. That is why integrity and loyalty battle at this time. Each individual has to determine his or her place in Jehovah’s arrangement, inside or outside of His approval. Either the principals that the Bible teaches apply to everyone, all of the time, or they don’t.
If it’s come to the point that your personal integrity is being challenged by circumstances in your worship, it could be that Jehovah is telling you that it is time to separate yourself from among them, you have to decide that for yourself. What about the others? Well, if Jehovah is telling that to you, personally, He will also tell them. It isn’t your responsibility to tell anyone else, unless Jehovah makes it known to you that that is what you are to do. Presumptuousness isn’t something that Jehovah rewards at any level, whether it is at the leadership level of the organization, or at the personal level of individual worshipers. Long, prayerful, consideration of your course is necessary. No matter what you choose, it won’t be easy. There are many things to consider. You are the one that has to decide whether your integrity is at stake, or your loyalty.
After you make your decision, you have to live with it, also not an easy thing to do. If you decide to stay, you have to constantly battle with those things that made you uncomfortable to begin with, and wrangle with your conscience over whether you are doing the right thing. If you leave, that isn’t easy either; you have to make plans for a new way of living in your relationship with Jehovah. Just what do you do? All of your past behaviors have been pre-determined for you to a point; how you worship, how you study, how you preach, how you dress, what you should believe, where to look for proper guidance. All of those are things you thought you had decided on already, now you find you have to address them again from a different point of view, no one to tell you what is right in your worship, except Jehovah, in the Bible. It’s a heady experience, but it is a humbling one too.
SIDGI STAFF MEMBER
The developing field called Experimental Existential Psychology, or XXP, explores how people find meaning and purpose in their lives. Researchers say the topic can now be examined under the cold light of science.
Several research reports provide evidence of the limits of multitasking. Neuroscientists, psychologists and management professors suggest many would be wise to curb their multitasking behavior when working in an office, studying or driving a car.
Flying (20%) Aerophobia
9) Loneliness (15%) Monophobia
10) Dogs (10%) Cynophobia
11) Driving/riding in a car (10%) Ochophobia
12) Dark (10%) Nyctophobia
— Charles J. Givens, Super-Self (Simon & Schuster,
1993), p. 288.
c. Such fears are often the result of misinformation
d. “FEAR is False Education Appearing Real” (Denis Waitley)
2. Fear that makes problems seem greater than they really are
a. “Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is.” (German proverb)
b. “Fear makes man believe the worst” (unknown)
c. With exaggerated fears of the problems we face, we think
them overwhelming
3. Fear that prevents us from enjoying the blessings we have
a. “He who fears death cannot enjoy life.” (Spanish proverb)
b. “Who lives in fear will never be a free man.” (Horace,
65-8 B.C.)
c. Certainly one who fears cannot be at peace and know true
joy
4. Fear that hinders our ability to be of service to God
a. “Fear is the sand in the machinery of life.” (E. Stanley
Jones)
b. Fear of people, fear of failure, often hinder Christians in
their service; e.g., personal evangelism
5. Fear that motivates us to disobey God
a. Certain fears often prompt us to do things which are
displeasing to God
b. For example, in a poll of teenagers, among other things
they feared:
1) Failing in School - 44%
2) Loneliness - 33%
3) Not Having a Boyfriend/Girlfriend - 30%
4) Rejection - 28%
c. Such fears have often led young people to cheat, get in
with the wrong crowd, give in to improper sexual advances
d. Similar fears have prompted many adults to lie, cheat on
the job, commit adultery, enter unscriptural marriages,
etc.
e. Fear of rejection, fear of persecution, etc., has led some
Christians to denounce their faith in God
[Unless we can overcome the wrong kind of fear, the devil will have
many weapons in his arsenal to use against us. If we are going to be
victorious over him and also overcome the world, then we will have to
understand how…]
II. FAITH IN JESUS HELPS US TO OVERCOME FEAR
A. JESUS TAUGHT THAT FEAR IS INDICATIVE OF LITTLE FAITH…
1. When His disciples were fearful of the storm at sea - Mt 8:
23-27
2. When Peter faltered as he went to Jesus walking on the water
- Mt 14:25-33
3. As Jesus taught them not to have fearful anxiety concerning
the necessities of life - Lk 12:27-32
— As someone put it: “Fear is simply unbelief parading in
disguise.”
B. JESUS ADDRESSED OUR WORST FEARS…
1. The fear of what we might face in this life
a. Jesus promised, “I am with you always, even to the end of
the age.” - Mt 28:20
b. With such a promise, we can take courage, as Joshua was
encouraged to do - cf. Josh 1:9
c. With the Lord at our side, what can man do? - cf. He 13:5-6
d. The worst that can happen is death, and Jesus addressed
that…
2. The fear of death
a. His own victory over death frees us from the fear of death
- cf. He 2:14-15
b. Thus Paul could face death with great confidence, even
anticipation - Ph 1:21-23
3. The fear of what comes after death
a. Jesus comforted His disciples with the promise of lies
ahead - cf. Jn 14:1-3
b. Thus Paul could look forward to what he would receive
- 2 Ti 4:6-8 (note that it was because he had “kept the
faith”!)
— When we’ve overcome these fears through faith in Jesus, other
fears will seem petty!
CONCLUSION
1. Where there is faith, fear cannot abide…
a. “Feed your faith, and your fears will starve to death.”
b. “Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. No one was there.”
c. “Fear and faith cannot keep house together; when one enters, the
other departs.”
— Vern McLellan, The Complete Book of Practical Proverbs and Wacky
Wit (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1996)
2. Here is how Harry Emerson Fosdick contrasted fear and faith:
“Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers;
fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals;
fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable_and, most of all,
fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while faith rejoices
in its God.”
3. If anyone gives us reason to have faith in God, it is Jesus…
a. Through His signs and wonders, which God worked in Him
b. Through His own resurrection from the dead, proclaiming Him to be
the Son of God
c. Through the words of His inspired apostles, whose overwhelming
testimony gives us reasons to believe in who Jesus was and what
Jesus taught
So if we wish to overcome fear, faith in Jesus Christ is the victory!