Fear the Lord your God, serve him only and take your oaths in his name. Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land.

DEUTERONOMY 6:13–15

The devil led [Jesus] up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, ‘I will give you all their authority and splendour; it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. If you worship me, it will all be yours.’

Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”’

LUKE 4:5–8

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When the devil fails to get Jesus to turn a stone into bread, he shifts tactics. If Jesus won’t misuse his power for personal gain, perhaps he can be enticed to worship the devil in exchange for worldly power and a shortcut that avoids the way of the cross.

The devil’s claim to have authority over the kingdoms of the world is dubious. While Scripture refers to him as the ‘prince of this world’ (John 12:31), his power, indeed his very existence, is conditional and always subject to God’s authority (Job 1:12; Hebrews 2:14–18). Strikingly, Jesus later declares that, in contrast to Pilate’s dominion, his kingdom is not from this world. Still, the devil’s temptation is real and dangerous.

History offers many cautionary tales of individuals who pledged allegiance to the wrong side, often with catastrophic consequences. Mark Antony abandoned the principles of the Roman Republic in pursuit of power and wealth, aligning himself with Julius Caesar. His ambition ultimately contributed to the collapse of the Republic and the rise of imperial rule. Similarly, in early 20th-century Russia, Tsarina Alexandra placed her trust in Grigori Rasputin, hoping he could heal her son. Her desperation gave Rasputin undue influence over the Russian court, destabilising the monarchy and accelerating its fall.

In our everyday lives, such allegiances may seem less stark and consequential, but they can still be spiritually harmful. In work, we can align ourselves with unethical leaders in pursuit of career advancement. In social settings, we might stay loyal to toxic friends because of their popularity or influence. Even in churches, some continue to support leaders known to be corrupt or hypocritical, clinging to the perceived benefits of proximity to power.

But this is not the way of Jesus. Faced with the devil’s offer, he draws strength from Scripture, quoting Deuteronomy 6:13: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.’

It is not the love of power that will change the world, but the power of love. But that way is more costly. The work that Jesus goes on to do is rooted in his worship and service of God, his father. Political power or worldly popularity cannot deflect Jesus because his allegiance is clear and unwavering (John 13:1–5; 18:28–37).

As followers of Jesus, we are called to walk the same path. In the week ahead, let’s resist the temptation to give our allegiance to anyone or anything driven by worldly ambition or empty pride (Philippians 2:3). Instead, may our work and actions flow from worship and service to God, as citizens of his eternal kingdom.

Paul Woolley
CEO, LICC

How might you pledge allegiance to God alone, refusing to align with unethical leaders for perceived benefits from their power?