The Desire of Ages--76--Judas

[Richard Myers]

Yes, dear Brother! We are to learn the lesson Christ has given us in regards to allowing such into important positions in the church. We are to not baptize nor ordain those who are not truly converted. It is why we have so many problems in the church. Rebellion does not come from a converted heart.

It is sad to see so many unconverted in the church. It is sad to see that Judas recognized his guilt after he could do nothing about it. When the heart is hardened to a certain point, there is no recovery possible. It was that way with Lucifer in heaven, and we ought to learn the truth that continued resistance to the Holy Spirit leads to such a hard heart. Daily we are deciding where we will end up.

   Judas did not, however, believe that Christ would permit Himself to be arrested. In betraying Him, it was his purpose to teach Him a lesson. He intended to play a part that would make the Saviour careful thenceforth to treat him with due respect. But Judas knew not that he was giving Christ up to death. How often, as the Saviour taught in parables, the scribes and Pharisees had been carried away with His striking illustrations! How often they had pronounced judgment against themselves! Often when the truth was brought home to their hearts, they had been filled with rage, and had taken up stones to cast at Him; but again and again He had made His escape. Since He had escaped so many snares, thought Judas, He certainly would not now allow Himself to be taken.

     Judas thought himself so very clever. He refused to submit to the Spirit's still small voice. He was interested in self, not in Christ. When he saw what he had done, it was too late to save Jesus and too late to save himself.

     "I have sinned," again cried Judas, "in that I have betrayed the innocent blood." But the high priest, regaining his self-possession, answered with scorn, "What is that to us? see thou to that." Matthew 27:4. The priests had been willing to make Judas their tool; but they despised his baseness. When he turned to them with confession, they spurned him.
     Judas now cast himself at the feet of Jesus, acknowledging Him to be the Son of God, and entreating Him to deliver Himself. The Saviour did not reproach His betrayer. He knew that Judas did not repent; his confession was forced from his guilty soul by an awful sense of condemnation and a looking for of judgment, but he felt no deep, heartbreaking grief that he had betrayed the spotless Son of God, and denied the Holy One of Israel. Yet Jesus spoke no word of condemnation. He looked pityingly upon Judas, and said, For this hour came I into the world.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon and Brother Richard!

May we realize that every day we are developing something that becomes fixed--and that is character. Judas' character, when he first met Jesus, was still pliable and moldable. But the exceedingly great light revealed in Christ's character did not lead Judas to true repentance and reformation. How is it with us? The great light and privileges with us do not necessarily mean that we are forming righteous characters. God gives each of us freedom of will to choose if we will learn of Christ and surrender the WHOLE heart to Jesus, thus bringing us to true conversation whereby we affectionately obey all we know of God's law in an experience with all of the fruits of the Spirit being seen in our lives without one missing. This is a supernatural experience. We need it renewed every day, and maintained by living faith surrender moment-by-moment. Judas' character is exposed to us as a warning of what can happen when the heart is never yielded to Christ fully, and sin is still cherished and practiced in the life. Through one sin cherished, the power of the gospel can be completely neutralized. Let us cry out to Jesus to transform our hearts and give us the desire and strength to cooperate with Him in forming characters for heaven!

 "Judas was highly regarded by the disciples, and had great influence over them. He himself had a high opinion of his own qualifications, and looked upon his brethren as greatly inferior to him in judgment and ability. They did not see their opportunities, he thought, and take advantage of circumstances. The church would never prosper with such shortsighted men as leaders. Peter was impetuous; he would move without consideration. John, who was treasuring up the truths that fell from Christ's lips, was looked upon by Judas as a poor financier. Matthew, whose training had taught him accuracy in all things, was very particular in regard to honesty, and he was ever contemplating the words of Christ, and became so absorbed in them that, as Judas thought, he could not be trusted to do sharp, far-seeing business. Thus Judas summed up all the disciples, and flattered himself that the church would often be brought into perplexity and embarrassment if it were not for his ability as a manager. Judas regarded himself as the capable one, who could not be overreached. In his own estimation he was an honor to the cause, and as such he always represented himself." {The Desire of Ages, page 717, paragraph 1}

Amazing that Judas thought himself "the best disciple." But he lost his soul, because he did not learn meekness in the school of Christ. May we learn in humility our defects of character and seek in Christ for the transformation that His grace alone can effect. But Christ's grace will avail us nothing if we do not behold Him, yield to Him, and renounce every sin that the Holy Spirit has revealed to our hearts and minds. What an incredible work God is willing to do in us if we will realize He has something vastly better for us than we would choose for ourselves! If only Judas had believed what Jesus said over how he felt and thought he knew better. Let us realize our continual need of Jesus to do any good thing!   

[Dorine]

  "Judas now cast himself at the feet of Jesus, acknowledging Him to be the Son of God, and entreating Him to deliver Himself. The Saviour did not reproach His betrayer. He knew that Judas did not repent; his confession was forced from his guilty soul by an awful sense of condemnation and a looking for of judgment, but he felt no deep, heartbreaking grief that he had betrayed the spotless Son of God, and denied the Holy One of Israel. Yet Jesus spoke no word of condemnation. He looked pityingly upon Judas, and said, For this hour came I into the world."

Even confession doesn't prove that one is right with God. Only confession from a heart that is truly sorrowful for the agony our sin put Christ through is acceptable to God. The story of Judas is a warning to any who allow pride and deceit to control their thoughts and actions. The end is not pretty. But Jesus never left Judas or threw him out. He tenderly gave him every opportunity to repent.  There's an important lesson in this for us. We are prone to give up way too soon on those who have been given chance after chance but show no change. Jesus loved Judas to the end and never gave up on him. Should we do any different?

[Beacon]

"The Saviour did not repulse Judas. He gave him a place among the twelve. He trusted him to do the work of an evangelist. He endowed him with power to heal the sick and to cast out devils. But Judas did not come to the point of surrendering himself fully to Christ. He did not give up his worldly ambition or his love of money. While he accepted the position of a minister of Christ, he did not bring himself under the divine molding. He felt that he could retain his own judgment and opinions, and he cultivated a disposition to criticize and accuse."

I once heard a preacher say that... "The reason there are soo many powerless Christians is because they have one hand in Heaven connected to Jesus, but they are not fully committed and other hand is still connected to the things of this earth. Without a doubt history proves that unless we are willing to surrender ALL to Jesus we will ultimately fail into Satan's Trap. What will our choice be??

The Bible says....No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Matthew 6:24

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon!!

It's your choice and my choice when it comes to the close of our probation and our eternal destiny. Christ chooses us, Satan votes against us, and we are the tie-breaking vote. Judas is an example of what will happen to those who do not yield completely to the appeal of love from God in Christ by the tender ministry of the Holy Spirit. Only as we yield all we have and are to Christ can our character be transformed, our sins be blotted out by the atoning blood of Jesus, and our lives be made living witnesses of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. Judas did not come to the point of yielding fully to Christ, and finally refused to believe in God's love for Him. Let us never forget how God reaches us: "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?" (Romans 2:4). We need to behold the loveless of Jesus, and believe in what He reveals to us, so that our whole lives may be restored into His image.

"But Judas was not yet wholly hardened. Even after he had twice pledged himself to betray the Saviour, there was opportunity for repentance. At the Passover supper Jesus proved His divinity by revealing the traitor's purpose. He tenderly included Judas in the ministry to the disciples. But the last appeal of love was unheeded. Then the case of Judas was decided, and the feet that Jesus had washed went forth to the betrayer's work." {The Desire of Ages, page 720, paragraph 3}

Each time we yield wholly to Christ, the heart is softened and we become more like Christ in character; each time we resist, we come closer to blaspheming the Holy Spirit and choosing to be lost, thus breaking the heart of Christ and closing to ourselves the door of eternal joy with God and the redeemed. May we realize that each choice we make today matters, and that we need Jesus abiding in our heart, producing in and through us all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing, for without Him we can do no good thing.   

[Beacon]

"Judas had natural strong love for money; but he had not always been corrupt enough to do such a deed as this. He had fostered the evil spirit of avarice until it had become the ruling motive of his life. The love of mammon overbalanced his love for Christ. Through becoming the slave of one vice he gave himself to Satan, to be driven to any lengths in sin."

Jesus said...." In Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and hold on to worldly wealth."

Read the words below carefully, slowly and let them sink in deeply

All to Jesus I surrender,
All to him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust him,
In his presence daily live.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Humbly at his feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken,
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that thou art mine.

All to Jesus I surrender,
Lord, I give myself to thee,
Fill me with thy love and power,
Let thy blessing fall on me.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Now I feel the sacred flame.
Oh, the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to his name!

Refrain:
I surrender all,
I surrender all,
All to thee, my blessed Savior,
I surrender all.

"I Surrender All" is a Christian hymn, with words written by American art teacher and musician Judson W. Van DeVenter, who subsequently became a music minister and evangelist. It was put to music by Winfield S. Weeden, and published in 1896.


Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon! Only in complete, continual surrender to Jesus will be fulfilled our life purpose and destiny!

Character is developed day by day, but there come turning points in which key decisions are made in the heart. As Judas heard what Christ was really offering--a spiritual rather than a temporal kingdom--he did not really want what Christ had to offer. How is it with us? If our grandest ambitions and loftiest aims are disappointed by Christ because we see He has a different plan for us, are we open to His spiritual kingdom over what even well-meaning people may expect of us? It was not just Judas who expected a temporal kingdom. This hope was largely shared by the entire Jewish nation, and the 12 disciples were far too often struggling and jostling to try to be first in such a kingdom (that would never actually exist in the way they thought it would). Oh, may we learn today the IMPORTANCE of taking Jesus AT HIS WORD and letting His Word distill our desires and purposes to be in surrendered harmony with His alone. Only in complete surrender (something Judas never fully did) will we experience all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing in our lives. Only as we accept the spiritual kingdom Christ offers to set up in our hearts will we be able to truly understand His lessons. May we learn of Christ today is my prayer for us all!

"Christ's discourse in the synagogue concerning the bread of life was the turning point in the history of Judas. He heard the words, 'Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.' John 6:53. He saw that Christ was offering spiritual rather than worldly good. He regarded himself as farsighted, and thought he could see that Jesus would have no honor, and that He could bestow no high position upon His followers. He determined not to unite himself so closely to Christ but that he could draw away. He would watch. And he did watch." {The Desire of Ages, page 719, paragraph 1}

The way in which Judas watched was not to see the spiritual kingdom Christ was offering, but to see the reasons why Christ was not really the Messiah that he was looking for. And Judas began to find more and more evidence to support his false theology and selfish desires, for Satan was seeking to communicate his own deceptive attributes to Judas. But in contrast to this we see what true watching is all about: "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41). This watching is that we would see the real character of Jesus, and, being changed by Him, be imbued with the power of the Holy Spirit to resist the temptations that will come to us. Day by day we are either watching unto prayer to resist temptation, or we are watching for opportunities to manifest our own will and way. May we so learn of Christ that this becomes our experience, in contrast to what Judas would choose:

"All true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart work with Christ. And if we consent, He will so identify Himself with our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into conformity to His will, that when obeying Him we shall be but carrying out our own impulses. The will, refined and sanctified, will find its highest delight in doing His service. When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us." {The Desire of Ages, page 668, paragraph 3}

The reason sin did not become hateful to Judas was that He did not experientially know Christ's character by surrender of Himself to Jesus; Judas did not allow communion with God to transform him. I pray that we will let God change us and that we will gladly cooperate with that transformation by the decision day by day to behold the Lamb of God in this sweet "thoughtful hour" upon the life of Christ!!!

[Richard Myers]

Amen Pastor Sean. We need to understand how important character formation is. Many think of religion as being about salvation. But, God allowed Jesus come to this dark spot in the universe to transform us, not just to save us. We cannot be saved without being transformed. Judas, did not want to be transformed. He did not see that he was evil by nature. So it is today with many, they do not understand they are evil by nature and need to be born again. How very sad that this would be a great problem in God's church today. But Jesus speaks to a Laodicean people saying, "you believe you are rich and increased with goods and in need of nothing, but know not that you are miserable and wretched, poor, blind, and naked."

     Judas had joined the disciples when multitudes were following Christ. The Saviour's teaching moved their hearts as they hung entranced upon His words, spoken in the synagogue, by the seaside, upon the mount. Judas saw the sick, the lame, the blind, flock to Jesus from the towns and cities. He saw the dying laid at His feet. He witnessed the Saviour's mighty works in healing the sick, casting out devils, and raising the dead. He felt in his own person the evidence of Christ's power. He recognized the teaching of Christ as superior to all that he had ever heard. He loved the Great Teacher, and desired to be with Him. He felt a desire to be changed in character and life, and he hoped to experience this through connecting himself with Jesus. The Saviour did not repulse Judas. He gave him a place among the twelve. He trusted him to do the work of an evangelist. He endowed him with power to heal the sick and to cast out devils. But Judas did not come to the point of surrendering himself fully to Christ. He did not give up his worldly ambition or his love of money. While he accepted the position of a minister of Christ, he did not bring himself under the divine molding. He felt that he could retain his own judgment and opinions, and he cultivated a disposition to criticize and accuse. 


Judas thought that his judgment and opinions were better than those of Christ. He did not see himself as an evil man. He did not want to give up self. As we read he did not die wholly to self. God demands the whole heart, not part of it.

As brother Beacon has shared from the song, We must surrender all to Christ. And, when we do, what do we get? We receive a new heart along with love, joy, and peace that passes all understanding... Even while in the middle of the storm.

[Dorine]

"Judas had joined the disciples when multitudes were following Christ. The Saviour's teaching moved their hearts as they hung entranced upon His words, spoken in the synagogue, by the seaside, upon the mount. Judas saw the sick, the lame, the blind, flock to Jesus from the towns and cities. He saw the dying laid at His feet. He witnessed the Saviour's mighty works in healing the sick, casting out devils, and raising the dead. He felt in his own person the evidence of Christ's power. He recognized the teaching of Christ as superior to all that he had ever heard. He loved the Great Teacher, and desired to be with Him. He felt a desire to be changed in character and life, and he hoped to experience this through connecting himself with Jesus. The Saviour did not repulse Judas. He gave him a place among the twelve. He trusted him to do the work of an evangelist. He endowed him with power to heal the sick and to cast out devils. But Judas did not come to the point of surrendering himself fully to Christ. He did not give up his worldly ambition or his love of money. While he accepted the position of a minister of Christ, he did not bring himself under the divine molding. He felt that he could retain his own judgment and opinions, and he cultivated a disposition to criticize and accuse."

Desire if not acted upon will do no good. There must be a complete surrender of the whole heart to Christ. That is the only way He is able to make the changes that are needed in our character. There are many in the same situation as Judas today; believing that desire alone is all that is needed. Anything else they view as works. We see in the life of Judas where that eventually leads to. So, so sad. Today as I review my own life I seek to know God and His will for my life today. I give Him my whole heart and pray that I will not forget Him as I move through this day.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Sister Dorine!!

There are many who are hoping and desiring to be Christians, but, like Judas, they never come to the point of yielding themselves FULLY to Christ so that they may receive from Him a new mind, a new heart and a life imbued with all of the fruits of the Spirit so that not one is missing. Apart from such a complete surrender, our own will and plans will ever seek to strive for the mastery, even as Lucifer had plans for how to take God's throne and be like the Most High. Ever since the fall of the human race, self is ever seeking its own way. The only way to find relief from this insatiable lust for "my way" is to come and learn at the feet of Jesus, experience true repentance, and become like the One who left heaven to seek and save the lost. Judas' "repentance" in the end of his betrayal was not true repentance, but rather a selfish desire to seek to relieve the terrible burden of guilt he felt for what he had done--but that is not the same as yielding fully to Christ with a desire and willingness to be truly converted. The "repentance" of Judas in many ways mirrors the demise of Saul and Balaam, both men who had great light, but went in the downward path and did not turn to God to be transformed in character. Oh, may we learn that we have a CONTINUAL NEED of Jesus to do any good thing!!

"Judas now cast himself at the feet of Jesus, acknowledging Him to be the Son of God, and entreating Him to deliver Himself. The Saviour did not reproach His betrayer. He knew that Judas did not repent; his confession was forced from his guilty soul by an awful sense of condemnation and a looking for of judgment, but he felt no deep, heartbreaking grief that he had betrayed the spotless Son of God, and denied the Holy One of Israel. Yet Jesus spoke no word of condemnation. He looked pityingly upon Judas, and said, For this hour came I into the world." {The Desire of Ages, page 722, paragraph 2}

Yet Christ loves even the rejecters of His grace. As persecution comes upon God's people in various forms, we love and pity those who are so deceived and entrapped in the devil's snares, but we do not become cruel towards them. We pray for them like Jesus did upon Calvary, even if many by their impenitence will not yield to Christ's saving grace. Oh, let us not tamper with sin, for we see in the life history of Judas that one sin (covetousness, in his case--the desire for money), finally came to control Him. Behold, now is the day of salvation! Let us look to Christ and live that we may be His witnesses of the blessed true happiness that comes from continual surrender to Christ in contrast to the misery and destruction that is in the path of sin, guilt and shame.

[Richard Myers]

Amen dear sister! Wanting to have a new character is what Jesus wants for us. But, today many have been taught that they do not need a new character to obtain heaven. So many believe they are abiding in Christ when in fact, they are not. We may desire to be Christians, but if we are not reflecting the character of our God, then we do not have salvation, nor are we abiding in Christ and He and us. Self Must Die and our hearts must be fully given to Jesus, if we desire to obtain heaven and avert hell.

[Richard Myers]

Amen Pastor Sean. If we want to glorify God, we must make a full heart surrender to Christ. Judas did not appreciate the plain truth that Jesus spoke. He did not want to hear about persecution. He wanted to sit on a royal throne with Christ in this world. But, God tells us that we are to pick up our cross and follow him. The most weighty trust and the highest honor God can bestow upon His people, is to make us partakers in the sufferings of Christ. We are to understand that we are to glory in our tribulation, for tribulation will work for our good and God's glory as we abide in Christ. He has told us we will not be tempted beyond what we can bear, but we will be tempted. God wants Witnesses on this Earth that the whole world might understand there is a God in heaven who has power to deliver from sin. Let us this one day give our whole heart to Christ that we might reflect His character to a world soon to perish.

[Beacon]

"When Mary anointed the Saviour's feet, Judas manifested his covetous disposition. At the reproof from Jesus his very spirit seemed turned to gall. Wounded pride and desire for revenge broke down the barriers, and the greed so long indulged held him in control. This will be the experience of everyone who persists in tampering with sin. The elements of depravity that are not resisted and overcome, respond to Satan's temptation, and the soul is led captive at his will."

"But Judas was not yet wholly hardened. Even after he had twice pledged himself to betray the Saviour, there was opportunity for repentance. At the Passover supper Jesus proved His divinity by revealing the traitor's purpose. He tenderly included Judas in the ministry to the disciples. But the last appeal of love was unheeded. Then the case of Judas was decided, and the feet that Jesus had washed went forth to the betrayer's work."

What tender long suffering mercy was shown to Judas. Jesus longed for him to see the direction his life was taking him. He did not want Judas to lose out on eternal life and today Jesus is showing each one of us the same love and long suffering. Will we learn from this story and confess our great need of the saving grace of Jesus while there is yet time to do so?

Matthew 6:24 (AMP )   “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord].

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

The case of Judas is very similar to many people in our world today, and also many who are in the church. They are in a course of sin that keeps getting stronger the more they go in the wrong direction, but they are not beyond the possibility of repentance! Oh, let us do as Jesus did and give every soul EVERY reason to come to repentance and faith in Him! As Jesus washed Judas' feet, He gave Him the final appeal. May we never consider a soul unreachable--even if that soul will not yield to Christ. Let us look upon souls the way Jesus did, and give people the freedom to see the loveliness of Jesus which has power to melt and subdue hearts!!

"But Judas was not yet wholly hardened. Even after he had twice pledged himself to betray the Saviour, there was opportunity for repentance. At the Passover supper Jesus proved His divinity by revealing the traitor's purpose. He tenderly included Judas in the ministry to the disciples. But the last appeal of love was unheeded. Then the case of Judas was decided, and the feet that Jesus had washed went forth to the betrayer's work." {The Desire of Ages, page 720, paragraph 3} 

Many today are making their final decision, but they may not realize that is what they are doing. By every sin we crucify Christ afresh and make it harder to yield to Him the next time. Let us not tamper with sin but turn from it. May this Sabbath day be a day of rest from sin and rejoicing in choosing to walk in harmony with Christ in true conversion, whereby He give us a new heart and imbues us with all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing! Only abiding in Christ are we able to truly obey the Ten Commandments!

[Dorine]

Happy Sabbath and God's blessings to all. My posting has been sparse lately. I pulled a muscle in my upper back while gardening. It makes computer work and reading especially painful. This will be short.

"Judas had naturally a strong love for money; but he had not always been corrupt enough to do such a deed as this. He had fostered the evil spirit of avarice until it had become the ruling motive of his life. The love of mammon overbalanced his love for Christ. Through becoming the slave of one vice he gave himself to Satan, to be driven to any lengths in sin."

This is a startling statement. Just ONE vice not repented of and look what happened to Judas. It starts in babyhood. One bad trait that might look cute to some parents and overlooked could be the ruination of that child.

[Richard Myers]

This is true dear sister. We are told in the chapter The Voice In the Wilderness that what is developed in childhood has a most powerful effect on the person.  "In childhood and youth the character is most impressible. The power of self-control should then be acquired. By the fireside and at the family board influences are exerted whose results are as enduring as eternity. More than any natural endowment, the habits established in early years decide whether a man will be victorious or vanquished in the battle of life. Youth is the sowing time. It determines the character of the harvest, for this life and for the life to come."

But, God's grace can and has changed sinners into saints. Praise God for His grace. What we read here is it is not good to play with sin. We are developing a character of obedience or disobedience. One way or the other we are growing in a particular direction. If we refuse to give up a sin, then it will ruin us. Just one particular sin will grow weaker or stronger. It is our choice. Judas had opportunity, but grace was rejected too often. What was the rich young ruler's vice? He said he had kept all the commandments, but there was one thing that he refused to give up and it ruined him. So, yes, the character of our children will have a great effect on their final outcome, but God's grace can turn the greatest sinners into a saint!

Judas wanted to change, but did not avail himself of his opportunity.

He felt a desire to be changed in character and life, and he hoped to experience this through connecting himself with Jesus. The Saviour did not repulse Judas. He gave him a place among the twelve. He trusted him to do the work of an evangelist. He endowed him with power to heal the sick and to cast out devils. But Judas did not come to the point of surrendering himself fully to Christ. He did not give up his worldly ambition or his love of money. While he accepted the position of a minister of Christ, he did not bring himself under the divine molding. He felt that he could retain his own judgment and opinions, and he cultivated a disposition to criticize and accuse. 

Notice his problem. It was pride. "He felt that he could retain his own judgment and opinions." Even if one does not know he has pride in his heart, unless he is converted and gives it up, he is in a lost state. Some think that because they do not know they have pride in their heart they are converted. Not so. Pride is selfishness and it is not in the heart of those who are filled with the Holy Spirit.

If we will keep our eyes on Jesus, we will know if we have pride in our hearts. We then have a true standard by which we judge ourselves. Beholding His love, we shall be changed into His image day by day (2 Cor. 3:18).

[Beacon]

"Even after he had twice pledged himself to betray the Saviour, there was opportunity for repentance. At the Passover supper Jesus proved His divinity by revealing the traitor's purpose. He tenderly included Judas in the ministry to the disciples. But the last appeal of love was unheeded. Then the case of Judas was decided, and the feet that Jesus had washed went forth to the betrayer's work."

What tender long suffering mercy was shown to Judas. Jesus longed for him to see the direction his life was taking him. He did not want Judas to lose out on eternal life and today Jesus is showing each one of us the same love and long suffering. Will we learn from this story and confess our great need of the saving grace of Jesus while there is yet time to do so?

Matthew 6:24 (AMP )   “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." [money, possessions, fame, status, or whatever is valued more than the Lord.].

[Richard Myers]

It is interesting and of importance that we understand why Jesus allowed Judas to become one of the 12 disciples. Of course Jesus did all He could to help Judas, but that is not why He allowed Judas to stay when he came. Jesus knew that if He had refused Judas, it would have created great problems with the other disciples because they could not see the evil in Judas. We need to learn the right lesson from the history revealed in the life of Judas.

We know the Bible teaches that there will be evil church members. Some were baptized and were buried alive, self did not die, and others fall away after being converted. The lesson I see is that we ought to only baptize those who are truly converted, so there will not be "decoys" in the church. More importantly, we ought not place unconverted church members in positions of influence in the church. What happens when we do?  Learn from the lessons we are to learn from the history of Judas.

From that time he expressed doubts that confused the disciples. He introduced controversies and misleading sentiments, repeating the arguments urged by the scribes and Pharisees against the claims of Christ. All the little and large troubles and crosses, the difficulties and the apparent hindrances to the advancement of the gospel, Judas interpreted as evidences against its truthfulness. He would introduce texts of Scripture that had no connection with the truths Christ was presenting. These texts, separated from their connection, perplexed the disciples, and increased the discouragement that was constantly pressing upon them. Yet all this was done by Judas in such a way as to make it appear that he was conscientious. And while the disciples were searching for evidence to confirm the words of the Great Teacher, Judas would lead them almost imperceptibly on another track. Thus in a very religious, and apparently wise, way he was presenting matters in a different light from that in which Jesus had given them, and attaching to His words a meaning that He had not conveyed. His suggestions were constantly exciting an ambitious desire for temporal preferment, and thus turning the disciples from the important things they should have considered. The dissension as to which of them should be greatest was generally excited by Judas.

On one hand we see what will happen when an evil unconverted one is given influence in the church. On the other hand, we see that Jesus allowed such a situation. So it will be in our day. It may be that when we awaken to find one who is causing such problems in the church that many are not able to discern wheat from tares and if the evil were removed, it would cause wheat to be rooted up. We must pray to God for wisdom to know what to do. We do not possess such wisdom apart from
Christ.

And notice that it was the gospel message that Satan always attempts to pervert. Why? Because it is the gospel message that transforms sinners into saints.

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Richard!

While the gospel has power to transform sinners into saints, all are given free opportunity to see that Christ is offering a spiritual kingdom, not one in which self may be allowed to live for its fallen, self-seeking purposes. Judas reached a turning point when he realized what Christ was offering, and it would be well for us to realize where Christ is taking us day by day if we are fully surrendered to Him and abiding in Him moment-by-moment. Christ is preparing us for a selfless heaven where God's will is what we delight to do, and He is teaching us here, day by day, not to take the path that may seem easier to us in our fallenness, but the path that His providence marks out by His word and the Holy Spirit's leading. Let us shun the example of Judas by beholding the loveliness of Jesus' character and allow His lessons to take us into an ever-deeper appreciation of what His grace can do for and through us!

"Christ's discourse in the synagogue concerning the bread of life was the turning point in the history of Judas. He heard the words, 'Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you.' John 6:53. He saw that Christ was offering spiritual rather than worldly good. He regarded himself as farsighted, and thought he could see that Jesus would have no honor, and that He could bestow no high position upon His followers. He determined not to unite himself so closely to Christ but that he could draw away. He would watch. And he did watch." {The Desire of Ages, page 719, paragraph 1}

We are to watch and pray, but Judas was watching for an opportunity to do things his way. Let us allow God to purify our hearts by faith working by love so that the traits Judas manifested will not be allowed to crowd out the precious presence of Jesus in and through our hearts and minds. When Christ is in us the hope of glory, all of the fruits of the Spirit will be seen in our lives--not one will be missing!

[Beacon]

"He felt a desire to be changed in character and life, and he hoped to experience this through connecting himself with Jesus.The Saviour did not repulse Judas. He gave him a place among the twelve. He trusted him to do the work of an evangelist. He endowed him with power to heal the sick and to cast out devils.

But Judas did not come to the point of surrendering himself fully to Christ.

He did not give up his worldly ambition or his love of money. While he accepted the position of a minister of Christ, he did not bring himself under the divine molding. He felt that he could retain his own judgment and opinions, and he cultivated a disposition to criticize and accuse."

Jesus said in.... Matthew 6:24
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

How different our daily lives, personally and corporately, would be if we were willing to stop straddling the fence and commit our lives to Jesus 100% every day. Will you join me today at the foot of the Cross ?