God’s Love For Us Is Loyal
David W Palmer
Paul’s description of love in 1 Cor. 13 is the perfect portrayal of the love with which God loves us. Today we see God’s loyalty to us.
(1 Corinthians 13:4–7 TLB) “Love is … {7} If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.”
Love is “loyal … no matter what the cost.”
This is a very helpful translation of this passage. It implies a loyalty and love so intense that it will defend, protect, and stand up for the one loved—even when they have sinned or are wrong. (This meaning fits perfectly with the original Greek language from which it was translated.)
(Isaiah 54:17 NKJV) “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD.
This passage shows us how much God’s love jumps in to stand up for us. Even when the enemy uses his weapons of deception and accusation against us, God steps between him and us, and declares: “Their righteousness is from me!” Who can argue with that?
We don’t have to justify ourselves. If we have confessed our sins to our loving God, received his forgiveness and gift of righteousness, we need to do nothing more. His justification is absolute and complete; his forgive-and-forget policy in Jesus means that he will not act as though we are guilty. In truth, he is our justifier who has given us his very own right standing: “their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord” (KJV)—end of story!
(Romans 14:4 NKJV) “Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.”
God treats all people equally in the way he lovingly responds to faith and forgiveness. However, he is also not a respecter of persons in the way he will stand up for the innocence of someone he has justified. If anyone accuses or judges one of them, he will step in to uphold and defend their justification. So whether it’s the devil, demonic people, or even one of us doing the accusing and condemning, God will ensure that no weapon contrary to his justification will prosper, and his servant “will be made to stand.”
I believe that God is so determined in this, that even when he knows of some improvement that his servant needs—and would normally be working on it himself—if someone begins to take over his role as judge, he will immediately change his role to justifier; he will defend his servant, make them stand, and fight against the one proudly trying to take over the role of judging.
(James 4:6 NKJV) But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”
Today’s passages are of great comfort to us, but they are also a very serious warning:
They comfort us because we can see God’s fierce loyalty for those whom he has justified, saying, “Their righteousness is of me.” That’s final; it’s his decision, and he will defend it fiercely. If you have received his love, forgiveness, and gift of right standing with him, he will defend you against all accusers and would-be judges. (Yes, all of them.) What’s more, he will treat you with loyalty that covers even your present shortcomings; it’s solely his responsibility to deal with you about them, and it is up to his discretion about how he does it. (Of course, we understand that he may do it through his appropriate spokes persons: be it parent, leader, pastor, police, etc.).
On the other hand, these same passages are a serious warning to us all not to judge anyone or accuse them. God is listening. When we run outside our lane by speaking accusations (unless God is prompting us to announce judgments on his behalf), we sound to him just like the accuser (Satan). And he will respond to us as he does the accuser; he will step in to be the justifier of the accused person, and “make them stand.” You, on the other hand, have stepped outside of his loyal covering love for you; and you will suffer the consequences: your weapon will not prosper, and you will be condemned. Remember, God is no respecter of persons.
Today, I encourage you to see yourself as God sees you:
Remember, it cost God immeasurably to put himself in the position to be this loyal to you. Receive it gratefully. And if you have run outside your lane in accusing or judging others: “admit it, quit it, receive forgiveness for it, and then forget it.” God will resume justifying you and making you stand. Thank you Jesus for your loyal love.