Loyalty

2 Timothy 1:13-18 outlines a great message for those who are striving to be loyal to their faith in Jesus Christ. What I mean by "loyal" is that they are striving to maintain their passion for Christ and to deepen their relationship daily with Him. Consider these verses:

13 Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
14 Guard, through the Holy Spirit who lives in us, that good thing entrusted to you.
15 This you know: all those in Asia have turned away from me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.
16 May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains.
17 On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he diligently searched for me and found me.
18 May the Lord grant that he obtain mercy from the Lord on that day. And you know how much he ministered at Ephesus.

First, we must hold to sound teaching. Whether it's a man in a suit that preaches to you each Sunday or it's somebody on TV, if what they are teaching is not biblical then it's not sound. There are lots of this out there so be careful.

Second, if you are a follower of Christ then you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you. He will guide you into truth but you must listen to His voice. If you try to make the rules then you're making a big mistake.

Finally, consider the example of others. Paul praises Onesiphorous who stood by him and served as an excellent example of what a believer should be. It's these kinds of people that we need to surround ourselves with every day.