April 15, 2016
I Pledge Allegiance …
“I pledge allegiance to the flag, of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
This friend’s is the great pledge we make as citizens of the United States of America. Our kids learn it early in life through repeating it over and over in school. It is something all schools take the time to teach and train them to recite. In fact it is one of the earliest things a child will memorize and recite. I would even venture to say each one of us could repeat it word for word even though we have been out of school for 5, 10, 15 or even more years.
Just to remind us but a pledge is simply a solemn promise, and allegiance is that which refers to our loyalty or devotion. So in 1892 when that Baptist preacher Francis Bellamy would pen these words he had in mind the great United States and each one of us making a solemn promise of devotion and loyalty.
But, friends do we not truly owe our allegiance to the God of Heaven?
“I have made the earth, And created man on it. I—My hands—stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded.”
Isaiah 45:12
I tell each of us here at 8th and Lee church of Christ and Christians worldwide, that the time has come for us to get a new agenda in our lives and have our own “Pledge of Allegiance.”
“I Pledge allegiance, to the Lord and the God of my salvation, and to the church for which He died, One Lord, One faith, One baptism, One God and Father of all…”
I tell you the truth and lie not that when we truly began to have total allegiance to God then the things of this world will not be such a distraction to our daily lives. Consider If you will..
“who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.”
Galatians 1:4-5
The truth is satan is the god of this world for most people and they have pledged allegiance to him whether they know it or not.
“whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.”
II Corinthians 4:4
So what is it or who is it that has your allegiance?
For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
I Timothy 6:7
