To Whom Should You Be Loyal?

“Our country: . . . May she always be right; but our country, right or wrong.”​—Stephen Decatur, U.S. naval officer, 1779-1820.

UNQUESTIONING loyalty to one’s country is seen by many as their paramount obligation. Others would rephrase Stephen Decatur’s words, ‘My religion, may she always be right; but my religion, right or wrong.’

Realistically, the country or religion that demands our loyalty is often determined by the place of our birth, but the decision about whom we should be loyal to is too important to leave in the hands of chance. However, questioning the loyalties with which one is raised takes courage and creates challenges.

A Test of Loyalties

A woman who grew up in Zambia says: “I was religiously inclined from a young age. Daily prayer in the family shrine room, observance of religious days, and regular attendance at the temple were part of my upbringing.  My religion and worship were closely intertwined with my culture, community, and family.”

Yet, when she was in her late teens, she started studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses and shortly thereafter decided to change her religion. Was this an act of disloyalty?

Zlatko was raised in Bosnia, and for a time he fought in the conflict that engulfed his home country. He too started studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses. Now he refuses to take up arms against anyone. Is he being disloyal?

The way you answer those questions depends on your viewpoint. The woman mentioned earlier says: “In my community, changing one’s religion carried with it an unforgivable stigma; it was considered an act of disloyalty, a betrayal of one’s family and community.” Likewise, Zlatko’s former military associates viewed as traitors any who refused to fight on their side. But both that woman and Zlatko feel that a higher form of loyalty​—loyalty to God—​motivates their actions. More important, how does God view those who want to be loyal to him?

True Loyalty​—An Expression of Love

King David said to Jehovah God: “With someone loyal you will act in loyalty.” (2 Samuel 22:26) The Hebrew word translated “loyalty” here conveys the idea of kindness that lovingly attaches itself to an object until its purpose in connection with that object is realized. With an attitude like that of a mother with a suckling child, Jehovah lovingly attaches himself to those who are loyal to him. To his loyal servants in ancient Israel, Jehovah said: “Can a wife forget her suckling so that she should not pity the son of her belly? Even these women can forget, yet I myself shall not forget you.” (Isaiah 49:15) Those who are willing to put loyalty to God above all else are assured of his loving care.

Loyalty to Jehovah is based on love. It motivates a person to love what Jehovah loves and hate the wicked things that Jehovah hates. (Psalm 97:10) Since Jehovah’s dominant quality is love, loyalty to God helps to prevent a person from acting in an unloving way toward others. (1 John 4:8) So if out of loyalty to God a person changes his religious beliefs, it does not mean that he no longer loves his family.

Loyalty to God​—A Beneficial Force

The woman mentioned earlier explains her actions this way: “Through my study of the Bible, I came to know Jehovah as the true God, and I developed a personal relationship with him. Jehovah is unlike any of the gods that I previously worshiped; he is perfectly balanced in love, justice, wisdom, and power. Since Jehovah requires exclusive devotion, I had to leave the other gods behind.

“My parents repeatedly told me that they were highly displeased with me and that I was letting them down. I found this very difficult, since my parents’ approval means a lot to me. But as I progressively grew in knowledge of Bible truth, the choice became an obvious one for me. I could not turn my back on Jehovah.

“Choosing to be loyal to Jehovah rather than to religious traditions does not mean that I am being disloyal to my family. I endeavor to show them by my words and actions that I understand how they feel. But if I am not loyal to Jehovah, then I may prevent my family from coming to know him, and that would be a real act of disloyalty.”

 Likewise, a person is not a traitor when loyalty to God demands that he remain politically neutral and refrain from taking up arms against others. This is how Zlatko explains his actions: “Although I was raised a nominal Christian, I married someone who was not. When the war broke out, both sides demanded my loyalty. I was forced to choose which side to fight on. I fought in the war for three and a half years. My wife and I eventually fled to Croatia, where we met Jehovah’s Witnesses.

“From our study of the Bible, we came to appreciate that Jehovah is the primary one to whom we should be loyal and that he wants us to love our neighbor no matter which religion or race he belongs to. Now my wife and I are united in our worship of Jehovah, and I have learned that I can’t be loyal to God and fight my neighbor.”

Loyalty Molded by Accurate Knowledge

Since Jehovah is our Creator, loyalty to him rightly takes precedence over all other claims to our loyalty. (Revelation 4:11) However, to prevent loyalty to God from mutating into a fanatic and destructive force, it must be molded by accurate knowledge. The Bible exhorts us: “Be made new in the force actuating your mind, and . . . put on the new personality which was created according to God’s will in true . . . loyalty.” (Ephesians 4:23, 24) The famous man who wrote those inspired words had the courage to question the loyalties with which he was raised. His examination led to a beneficial transformation.

Yes, Saul faced a test of loyalties, as have many in our time. Saul was raised in the strict traditions of his family, and he became outstandingly loyal to the religion of his birth. Loyalty to his cause even motivated him to commit acts of violence against those who did not agree with his viewpoint. Saul was noted for invading the homes of Christians and dragging them away for punishment and even death.​—Acts 22:3-5; Philippians 3:4-6.

Yet, once Saul gained accurate knowledge of the Bible, he did what many of his peers viewed as unthinkable. He changed his religion. Saul, who later became known as the apostle Paul, chose to be loyal to God rather than to tradition. Loyalty to God based on accurate knowledge motivated Saul to be tolerant, loving, and encouraging, in contrast with his former destructive, fanatic behavior.

Why Be Loyal?

Allowing our loyalties to be molded by God’s standards brings obvious benefits. For example, a 1999 report from the Australian Institute of Family Studies stated that among the fundamentals for long-lasting and satisfying marriages are “trust and fidelity . . . [and] a sense of spirituality.” The same study  found that “stable and satisfying marriages” contribute to men and women being happier, healthier, and living longer and that stable marriages give children a better chance of enjoying a happy life.

In today’s uncertain world, loyalty is like a lifeline that attaches a struggling swimmer to a rescue vessel. If the “swimmer” has no loyalties, he will find himself tossed about as by waves and wind. But if his loyalty is misplaced, it is as if his lifeline were attached to a sinking ship. Like Saul, he could find himself dragged into a destructive course of action. However, loyalty to Jehovah, based on accurate knowledge, is a lifeline that gives us stability and leads to our salvation.​—Ephesians 4:13-15.

Jehovah makes this promise to those who are loyal to him: “Jehovah is a lover of justice, and he will not leave his loyal ones. To time indefinite they will certainly be guarded.” (Psalm 37:28) Soon, all those loyal to Jehovah will be ushered into a paradise earth, where they will enjoy freedom from sorrow and pain and will delight in lasting relationships free from religious and political divisions.​—Revelation 7:9, 14; 21:3, 4.

Even now, millions of individuals across the globe have discovered that true happiness comes only from their loyalty to Jehovah. Why not let Jehovah’s Witnesses help you to examine your view on loyalty in the light of Bible truth? The Bible tells us: “Keep testing whether you are in the faith, keep proving what you yourselves are.”​—2 Corinthians 13:5.

It takes courage to question our faith and why we are loyal to it, but the rewards can be well worth the effort when the result brings us closer to Jehovah God. The woman quoted earlier expresses the feelings of many people when she says: “I have learned that being loyal to Jehovah and to his standards helps us to be balanced in our dealings with our families and to become better members of the community. No matter how difficult the tests are, if we are loyal to Jehovah, he will always prove loyal to us.”

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Accurate knowledge moved Saul to change the object of his loyalty

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Why not examine your loyalties in the light of Bible truth?

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Churchill, upper left: U.S. National Archives photo; Joseph Göbbels, far right: Library of Congress