Demas, a missionary aflame with love for the Lord, walked faithfully alongside Paul on his journeys. His eyes witnessed the awe-inspiring power of God manifested through Paul’s hands, the miracles, signs, and wonders that painted the canvas of their mission with indelible strokes. Yet, as Paul neared the end of his earthly journey, his account of Demas painted a different picture, one etched with disappointment and a heavy heart.
Paul the apostle, spoke of Demas in 2 Timothy 4:10, “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia”
What a tragedy! Demas forsook the great work of the Lord and loved the world in his time. This betrayal of his first love, of the very purpose that once ignited his spirit, leaves us with questions swirling in the wake of his downfall. Was it the weariness of waiting on the Lord’s timing, or the gnawing frustration of time slipping away with seemingly little worldly achievement? Perhaps his definition of success shifted, warped by the materialism of the world, blinding him to the true treasures he walked away from: the joy of serving God and doing the good works he was ordained to do.
We can be encouraged not to abandon the Lord by reading what the Apostle John wrote in 1 John 2:15-17, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
This passage reveals a sobering truth: we may fall prey to the alluring embrace of the world and its captivating offerings if we do not keep the word of the Lord in us. This “world” encompasses not only tangible possessions but also intangible desires that ensnare our senses. The lust of the flesh and the eyes, along with the pride of life, can become insidious forces that pull us away from true fulfillment.
Demas, once a loyal companion of Paul, a witness to his miracles and teachings, tragically strayed from the path of faith. The world, with its enticements, cast a net over his heart, severing his love for the Father. He turned away from the man who had preached, healed, and turned countless souls towards the Lord, succumbing to the allure of worldly pleasures. This shift, from dedicated disciple to a man lost in the world’s embrace, stands as a tragic reminder of how we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling.
Another example was Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples of Jesus Christ, who betrayed Him. Judas was called by the Lord. He walked beside the Lord for three years. He lived with Him. He saw the great healing and miracles performed by the Lord Jesus. But Satan entered him (Luke 22:3) and he loved money more than the Lord. He lost his inheritance and died miserably.
Let’s take heed to what the Lord Jesus said in Mark 8:34-38, “…Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 37 Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
What shall it profit a man or woman if he/she gains the whole world at the expense of losing his/her soul in the process? What is more important than our soul? Judas gained thirty pieces of silver to betray the Lord and he lost his soul.
There is a dreadfulness of the Lord that showed in Mark 8 verse 38. The Lord Jesus said, “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”
That is, when He returns, Jesus said, I will deny you if you have denied Me on earth! Whao! What a dreadfulness of the Lord!
In another scripture, the Holy Spirit said in Hebrews 10:38, “Now the just shall live by faith;
But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”
My eyes were filled with tears when I read that underlined sentence. That is the dreadfulness of the Lord. If anyone draws back to a sinful lifestyle and forsakes the Lord, the Spirit says, My soul has no pleasure in him or her. Whao! That is scary. It is similar to what the Lord Jesus said in Mark 8:38.
This is a great warning from the Lord. It affirms the saying that once saved is not forever saved. There is a walk of faith that we must walk. Continuing in the Lord is a must.
“But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:39
We will not draw back to eternal punishment! We believe You, Lord! We will walk with You in faith! We will not love this present world. We will not yield to our flesh. We will walk worthy of the Lord! We are not of those that draw back to eternal condemnation! We will not deny You, Lord.
We will walk not by sight, but by the dictates of Your words. We will not love this world and its things because the Father’s love is in us. In our lives, we will not deny Christ!
Don’t love the world and its sinful pleasure. Don’t love the world and its lust thereof.
Walk circumspectly with the Lord. Keep your fellowship with the Lord. Don’t stray away.
What is that thing you have been believing God for? Hebrews 10:35-36 says. “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.”
The Hebrew boys said even if the Lord did not show up, they would not bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image. Whao! Job said, “Though He slays me, yet will I trust Him.” Job 13:15.
Men of old moved God with their radical faith in God. But we have a better covenant than them. We have the Holy Spirit in us. We can boldly say, we have a better sure deal.
We will not love the world and its sinful lifestyle. Stay committed to the Lord in studying the word, in prayers, in doing the work that the Lord has committed into your hands.
Click below to read some other posts on:
Love Not
No One Like You
Dead the Noise
Not Transactional
Forget Not
Who Do You Worship
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