Judas was one of the twelve disciples who were chosen to be coworkers with Christ. He was intrusted with the little fund made up from the contributions of the believers, but he had not been fitted for the position of trust which he occupied. Covetousness had not been cleansed from his heart, but was cherished and cultivated. By his unsanctified, subtle reasoning, he magnified his position to one of great importance. His avarice grew as it was indulged, until it was fast becoming the most prominent feature of his character.
(ST May 20, 1897, 1)
The evils of covetousness and avarice, injustice and fraud, were plainly dwelt upon by the Saviour. And, altho the name of Judas was not called, nor direct application made to him, yet he felt himself guilty of these things. But he did not separate himself from sins so hateful, and purify his soul by obeying the words of Jesus. Instead of this, he took offense at the word spoken to correct the growing evils of the attributes of Satan.
(ST May 20, 1897, 2)
The principles that should govern the heart made new were constantly the theme of the teachings of Christ. But they were not received by Judas. The lessons which the other disciples received and acted upon provoked Judas. Under the impulse of Satan, he acted directly contrary to the principles that Christ was endeavoring to inculcate as to what constitutes Christian character. A power was working from the heart that had been left unclean, unholy, and unsanctified. Tho Judas professed to be a disciple of Christ, this inward principle was constantly at work, and from time to time overmastered him, causing him to give expression to the propensity that was corrupting the whole man. The very principle of the Gospel enjoining mercy to the poor, was made an excuse for his covetousness. On the plea of waste, he made objection when Mary anointed the feet of her Master with the precious ointment.
(ST May 20, 1897, 3)
Christ was in sympathy with suffering humanity. His efforts were always put forth to uplift and restore, never to weaken, to oppress, or destroy. The truly converted man will in heart and life make manifest the outworking of the divine life. The weak and unfortunate will ever awaken in his heart feelings of tender pity and Christlike compassion. There will be no hardness of heart, no harsh, coarse spirit. The water of life, as an inner spring, will be ever uprising to bless all within the sphere of his influence. By such, gifts and offerings are brought to God with a willing heart, a ready mind. They perform acts of mercy and benevolence, not because they are compelled to do so, but because they are partakers of the divine nature, partakers of the character of Christ.
(ST May 20, 1897, 4)
Had Judas had that true life of which Christ is the substance and the source, he would have fed upon that which is conducive to growth in Christ, the bread of life. Cherishing in his heart the life of Christ, feeding on the bread which came down from heaven, he would have had the power of assimilation to Christ. He would have appropriated the nutriment of the living bread,—would have received into his own nature the spirit and life of the words of Christ, and thus would have become one with him. He would have become, in character, all that he professed to be.
(ST May 20, 1897, 5)
True life is progressive; wherever there is life, there is growth. Had Judas been a doer of the words of Christ, had Christ been abiding in his heart by faith, this growth would first have been manifested in a downward course,—in lowly, humble acquaintance with himself and with God. He would have been learning the lessons that Christ gave to his disciples when he asked them, “What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?” The subject of the conversation had been who should be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. It was a matter that should never have come into their conversation, for its tendency was to arouse selfish feelings, selfish expressions, and eclipse the love of Christ in the soul.
(ST May 20, 1897, 6)
Taking a little child, and setting him in the midst of them, Christ said: “Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted [from your own natural, selfish characters], and become as little children [free from guile, hypocrisy, and all selfishness and unkindness], ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depths of the sea.” What a lesson is this, not only for the disciples and Judas, but also for all who believe on Christ today!
(ST May 20, 1897, 7)
Judas heard all this, but he thought, as many think today, that such teaching was uncalled for. But if this were so, why did Christ dwell upon such themes? He further added: “Woe unto the world because of offenses! for it must needs be that offenses come; but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh! Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.”
(ST May 20, 1897, 8)
Here Christ would teach us that the character-building needs close and careful attention. This is the work that Judas’ keen perception might have discerned if he had received the lessons which Christ sought to teach him. His objectionable traits of character would then have disappeared, and he would have become meek and lowly of heart, like his Master.
(ST May 20, 1897, 9)
And this work is something that we as well as Judas must do. Those who have hereditary tendencies to evil, those who are putting forth thorn branches to wound all with whom they come in contact, should see that the offending members are cut away. Painful as this work may be of separating the evil from our character, it must be done. Selfishness and covetousness, which is idolatry; the harsh and unkind spirit, that, manifested in word or deed, will wound and destroy souls, must be taken out of the life, or the entire man will become offensive to himself and to God. His hard-heartedness will cause him to neglect the very ones who need his help.
(ST May 20, 1897, 10)
“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently; being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away; but the Word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you.”
(ST May 20, 1897, 11)
This is the bread which came down from heaven, even the Word of God. And this Word, received and appropriated by the living agents, will produce that faith which works by love, and purifies the soul. It will cut away the hereditary tendencies to evil, and the wrong traits of character that have been strengthened by cultivation. However dearly we may prize these, it is better to separate them from our life practise now than to have their predominating power defiling and corrupting the whole man. And not only this, they destroy our influence for good, and, instead of being a savor of life unto life, we become a savor of death unto death.
(ST May 20, 1897, 12)
“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, as new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby; if so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” Judas might have been all this. Blessed as he was with abundant opportunities of eating of the bread of life, he might have formed a firm, Christlike character.
(ST May 20, 1897, 13)
“Wherefore also it is contained in the Scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner-stone, elect, precious; and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious; but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the Word, being disobedient; whereunto also they were appointed.”
(ST May 20, 1897, 14)
God has given his only-begotten Son to our world as our sin-bearer, that he might take away our iniquities. Through his divine merits, every son and daughter of Adam who will believe on him as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, will be presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. Those who return to their loyalty to God are precious in his sight; for Christ died to redeem these souls from the bondage of sin; he died to secure the eternal happiness of fallen man.
(ST May 20, 1897, 15)
And “he that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” Our Redeemer has risen from the dead. He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. And now he ever liveth to dispense his blessings in rich currents of grace and power as the circumstances of his believing children may require. And to the sinner his voice is heard in loving invitation: “Incline your ear, and come unto me; hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.”“As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.”
(ST May 20, 1897, 16)