The Loyalty Factor
By John Gavazzoni

I've become thoroughly convinced that what transpires within and among Godness, i.e., within and among the Father-Mother-Son (with His complementary Bride) Personhood-complex that constitutes the God family, which is implied by "the communion of the Holy Spirit," is at the heart of the life of the universe, while keeping in mind the God-ordained temporal contrariety with its effect of futility to which the whole, all things, are subjected.

What's going on within the ages---the above contrarian-fueled futility notwithstanding---traces to how Deity gets along within Itself/Their Self. What I'm struck with of late, on this subject, is the loyalty factor in Father God's relationship with His only/uniquely begotten Son, and how that works out within me in re: to Christ as my life. In the Greek of the New Testament, the factor of loyalty is clearly implied by the words for faith and believe.

"The Spirit of Him who raised Christ from the dead," also referred to by Paul as Jesus being raised from the dead "by the Glory of the Father," dwells in Christ, who dwells in me as my life. The Father has absolute faith in His Son, regarding which Jesus admonished, "have the faith of God." Within that faith is a loyalty factor. God is completely loyal to His Son, utterly committed to His Son to Whom He has committed the whole of His eonian purpose.

Father is sure of the Son being successful, for He (Father) is sure of Himself, sure of the Divine Nature He shares with His Son. Our Father has not, and does not, nor will not, divide His faithful loyalty among other parties. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus does not "hedge His bet," if I may so crudely speak. Every ounce of Divine desire looks to the Son of God for fulfillment. To this end, the Son, according to Hebrews is the "Inheritor of all things."

For the Father, it's all or nothing. He's got no one else waiting in the wings, no one else to turn to for the fulfillment of His heart's desire, for "the pleasure of God shall prosper in His (the Son's) hands." With the Father, the Son of God "will see the travail of His soul, and be satisfied."

We should expect to have the same dynamic at work in our faith as believers. Among all the marks of spiritual maturity, there will be that factor of loyalty to Christ being operative. Of late, I find myself being stripped of being conscious of precious little that would indicate, behaviorily, that regeneration is at work in my existential life, other than this---I dare say---stubborn loyalty to Christ.

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Much of what tries to pass itself off as desperately-needed emphasis for spiritual growth and health, lacks alignment with the Father's focus. Those who peddle such stuff are out of step with God, dreaming up imperatives and doctrinal and devotional distinctives that belong at the far edge of Divine emphases rather than at the center.

Have we considered the fullest meaning of the truth that God has raised up Jesus above all the heavens, and that all authority in heaven and earth has been given to Him, until every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord to the Glory of God, the Father. This will be carried out by God's loyalty to His Son working within a (truly, and properly centered) believing community.