Articles
Judas
In the four gospels we only have a limited number of verses that mention Judas. His story teaches us that the more we sin the more we become desensitized to it and that we need to consider our decisions before they turn into actions. Sin is very tricky; it convinces us that sins come in varying degrees, that one sin is more forgivable than another. This is a big way that temptations weasel their way into our hearts and create desire for sin.
Take Judas as an example: he had a temptation for money, so he started taking it from the coin purse. The more he took the bigger his desire for money grew and his desire for God diminished. As his love of God diminished, he sought more opportunities for desire which led him to betray Jesus. This led to the death of the Savior, and his soul's death as it was separated from God. Sin without God always leads to death because sin always leads to the death of our souls.
The snowballing effect of sin and its consequences is why we must be careful of how and when we act. We must consider how we will affect others and ourselves not only in the moment but moving forward as well. Our eternal souls are far more precious than temporary moments. Judas should have realized this, especially after the crucifixion of Jesus. Wrought with guilt, Judas sought to take his actions back, but as the Pharisees showed him they could not. Sadly, Judas took his own life as a result. Judas should have set his sights higher as Jesus always did. Jesus trusted his Father and knew that if there was any hope in changing Judas’ heart it was going to be love and God’s example of it. If we have any hope in conquering sin in our lives, it is not by using force or destruction but with love and the example of Jesus.
By Jesus’s example we know that God will always provide a way to being saved. God always seeks the lost and values our hearts because He knows them. To Him every heart is known and precious because He created every single one. God realizes that sin in this world is going to tempt us, but if our hearts and souls are set on God and His will, then we cannot fail. Zeal for God does not come from titles or checklists, but it does from our obedient hearts. What is your heart saying?
Inspired by: John 6:70-71, John 12:1-8, John 13:21-30, Mathew 10:1-15, Matthew 26:14-16, Matthew 27:3-10, James 1:14-15, Luke 7:36-50, John 3:16-21, Titus 2:11-12, Hebrews 10:24-25
