Here is an audio – a sermon entitled, “Sin’s Darkness, God’s Light.” The subject is sin, shame and how far sin can take any of us. But the subject is also hope. Hope provided by God in the form of a remedy for our sin problem, Jesus Christ.
Judas Iscariot. He’s likely the first name that comes to mind for Christians.
He betrayed the Savior with a kiss. Called Him, “Rabbi” (teacher) while doing so.
Matthew 26:47-50 “And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he: take him. And straightway he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, Rabbi; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, do that for which thou art come. Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.”
Up in verse 24 of that same chapter in Matthew, 26, the Bible declares, “The Son of man goeth, even as it is written of him: but woe unto that man through whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had not been born.”
Consider another passage in 2 Peter 2:20-22 “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the last state is become worse with them than the first. For it were better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered unto them. It has happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog turning to his own vomit again, and the sow that had washed to wallowing in the mire.”
God views people who abandon Him – those who betray Him – the same way we view our pet dogs who vomit, then eat it. The very thing that makes us sick, SIN, is the thing people return to when they lose their faith and devotion to God.
Whenever we embrace selfish behavior we may not think about the damage we do to the spiritual side of our life – the side that will live forever – somewhere. But by focusing on this life and whatever pleasures are to be had here, we grow increasingly more selfish, more sinful and in time, if we don’t correct our course, we’ll become more depraved. God the Creator confirms it in Romans 1.
While there’s plenty of devastation in this life when people leave God, the worst is yet to come. When Judgment dawns and we all must give an account of our lives, God will be forced to reject those who have given themselves to sin and self. He can’t behave otherwise because He is holy and righteous. At the crucifixion, God was unable to remain in communion with His Only Son because in that moment Jesus bore the sins of all the world in order to become our Savior. God’s righteousness wouldn’t allow Him to make an exception for His Only Son. What makes us think He’ll make an exception for us? It’s impossible. God cannot coexist with sin. Yours. Mine. Or the sins Christ bore on the cross, which weren’t even His own!
2 Corinthians 5:10 “For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”
But there’s heavenly help for all of us if we’re willing to deny ourselves and follow Jesus Christ. So said Jesus Himself.
Matthew 16:24 “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
Lost faith. Abandoned devotion to God. They have dire consequences in this life, but more importantly in the life to come – the life without end. Sadly, any of us are capable of living so totally for ourselves, and leaving God completely out of our life that we can grow increasingly vile and profane. Until God gives us up. He allows us to make up our own mind and go our own way if we’re fully determined to abandon and betray Him. It’s the saddest depiction in all of scripture. Humanity that turns away from obeying God to disobeying Him in order to serve self. God says it were better to have never been born than to be guilty to betraying Him, the Creator of all the universe.