Who's More Loyal?

Loyalty is important.  Very important.  Loyalty to your spouse.  Loyalty to your family. Loyalty to your church; your pastor and fellow believers. And loyalty to the Lord Jesus Christ and His greater church.  But we have cause possibly to question someone’s loyalty in the book of Acts.  But "who's more loyal?" we feel we need to ask the question.


In the Acts of the Apostles we see in chapter fifteen verses thirty-six through forty-one where Paul suggests "Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do."


Now Barnabas wanted to take with them his nephew John Mark; but now we have a problem. Because Paul "thought not good to take him with them," because he had left off walking with them for a time and returned to Jerusalem. (Acts 13:13) And it tells us...


And the contention was so sharp between them,
 that they departed asunder one from the other:


Barnabas took his nephew Mark and sailed to Cyprus.
And Paul then hooked up with Silas
because the church recommended him.
They followed Paul’s original plan,
"confirming the churches."


So again, "who's more loyal?" Barnabas who incidentally helped Paul greatly when the church was afraid of him early on after his conversion. Always the friend willing to stand up for the underdog. Not willing to see anyone passed by or dismissed. John Mark wanted to return to the work and Barnabas was of a strong mind to allow it.


"Who’s more loyal?" Paul who was so powerfully called of God and empowered.  He suffered so much already for the cause of Christ. Remember Paul was a man. Although his letters the work of the Spirit of God and infallible nevertheless Paul the man was not.  I’m not saying Paul was wrong, I wouldn't dare tread where the Spirit is silent.


"Who’s more loyal?" I personally don't think it's a question of loyalty to one another.  It's a question of loyalty to the Lord and one’s own conscience as directed by the Spirit. Not the "to thine own self be true" mentality but the "Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." of Romans 14:15


Now granted we are talking about the Acts of the Apostles here, and not a question of loyalty between believers or toward a pastor or a group of believers, but the same principles that applied to them also apply to us. Hebrews 13:17 says "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account," And that is an imperative statement I believe. Obey. But if it is a question of obeying one’s own conscience or obeying those God has placed over you, and you can't compromise your convictions and conscience, perhaps it's time for a chat. Perhaps you need to give your pastor or elders a call.  You need to be clear on what your conscience is on any hindrance to obedience.


We have an interesting note in 1 Cor. 16:12 regarding pastor Appollos in regards to his superior the Apostle Paul. Paul said "I greatly desired him to come unto you with the brethren: but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he will come when he shall have convenient time."


Paul didn't rail on him, or question his loyalty, he simply said; he will come when he can.


Perhaps if we can give each other a little more flexibility in our convictions there would be less contentions and more cooperation.  The Spirit of God used Barnabas and Mark, and He used Paul and Silas, and God later brought Paul and John Mark into tender favor once again.


Stay loyal to the Lord, stay loyal to your conscience, and communicate appropriately.


"He must increase, WE must decrease!"