Who was Judas, the guy who went along for the ride? How could someone walk up close and personal with Jesus for three years and sell Him out? I sit pondering this, and I can easily see myself doing the same thing. It scares me, yet this fear drives me right into the presence of God! I am 60 now and I have to admit, I am thankful for my anxious nature. I know that sounds crazy, but the fear I have felt as a child which I carried into adulthood has been the catalyst that keeps me seeking and finding God. I have come to the place where I understand Peter in John 6:68-69, “Lord, to whom would (I) go? You have the words that give eternal life. (I) believe and (I) know You are the Holy One of God.” I think this is what Judas missed out on.
Judas remained indifferent to Jesus.
A man who had the opportunity of a lifetime chose betrayal for something carnal. His focus was never just on Jesus. He hung out with Him, but his heart loved the world’s offerings more. He was double-minded. Think about it, Judas saw all the miracles. He heard Jesus’ teachings, like how the narrow road leads to eternal life; see Matthew 7:13-14. And yet, Judas sold Jesus out.
Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?”
One can confidently say that doing all the right things and hearing all the right things cannot change the human heart. Allow God to speak to you with these scriptures, John 3:16, Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, and 1 Timothy 4:16. You must receive your salvation through Jesus and learn to listen to His voice by obeying the Holy Spirit. Is your mindset being transformed from carnal thinking to godly thinking?
From the outside, Judas looked the part as a believer. He was active in ministry and because he was a part of the Twelve, he was given spiritual gifts; see Luke 9:1-2. While it’s good to be active in ministry, these spiritual actions don’t guarantee having a spiritual life in Christ. You can do spiritual things without being spiritual.
Here’s a litmus test: What are you active in at church? Is it things YOU are comfortable with or what YOU like doing? There is a good chance you are not doing these things because God has called you to do them, rather it’s about you. The Holy Spirit is not present. When the Triune God gets involved, you will find yourself doing things you never thought possible and He will give you joy while you obey! God will place you in situations to humble you and test you and to grow you spiritually. Study Deuteronomy 8 to understand this.
Judas embraced a deadly outcome. He let Satan into his heart. How, you might ask? Judas took conscious steps to allow this to happen. He stole from the money bag; see John 12:6. He kept it a secret. He made a deal with the chief priests to betray Jesus; see Matthew 26:14-16. He kept it a secret. He went about acting like a disciple. He let Jesus wash his feet: see John 13:1-5. He never confessed his known sins. It’s a deadly trap that Satan uses to trip you and I up today. ‘Stay quiet, as long as no one knows, you aren’t doing anything wrong.‘
“Satan doesn’t gain a foothold in the lives of people who are walking in the light of Jesus. He only gains access when we open the door.” (Colin Smith)
What are you keeping quiet?
We all have skeletons in the closet of our hearts. We all have guilt, shame, fears, etc. We can’t help it, it is what it is. We are sinners, and we want to keep it quiet! So, we learn how to hide. And Satan uses this to dissuade any and all from realizing the life line that God offers each of us. To those who grab a hold of Jesus and never let go, God takes you off the road that leads to eternal death and gives you eternal life!
Matthew 24:12-13, “Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures ot the end will be saved.”
Judas learned a hard reality. When you get close to Jesus, one of two things will happen: 1. You become a wholly devoted follower of Jesus Christ, or 2. You end up alienated from Him. There is no middle ground. Unfortunately, Satan is deceiving way to many people that there is a third option, remain lukewarm. You can have your cake and eat it too. In other words, you can walk in faith with God AND live by the ways of the world too. What does the Bible say about being lukewarm for Him; see Revelation 3:15-19. How does one become lukewarm?
So, how nice of a guy are you (or girl)? God knows your heart and what goes on in your mind. Were you once learning and growing in God, active in your faith, but lately you have waned? What kind of a wake up call do you need? Would you be brave enough to ask those around you to give you a litmus test on your faith? It truly is a matter of life and death. Don’t be like Judas.
(I studied commentary on Judas and insight has come from thegospelcoalition.org)
Carol J German 