John Steward of Jesus
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Emotional loyalty

October 16, 1980

The man whose ultimate emotional loyalty and commitment is to his God (the heavenly realm) is a man who looks within himself and to his God for final authority, and is therefore not a good prospect for manipulation and control.

The man whose ultimate emotional attachment is to an earthly organization (church, state, etc.) looks for a living authority on this earth to represent that ultimate good, and is therefore subject to manipulation or control by a man who claims to represent on this earth that organization.  If he acknowledges a pope or king to be a legitimate representative or spokesman, then he submits to the pope or king as his unquestioned authority.

This distinction relates to the fundamental truths of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, to the prophetic function of each man in interpreting Scripture, to the appeal of each American to his Constitution, to the fundamental distinction between East and West, to the liberating Word of the Christian Gospel, and many similar fundamental areas of life.

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