The Sin of Judas

The Luster of Gold leads to dimness in the soul

Many do not understand what the sin of Judas was. We are told in the Bible that Judas held the money bag for Jesus and his disciples. He was in charge of the purse. Seeing that Judas was given this duty and important responsibility, we can draw some conclusions

1. Judas most likely had a knowledge of money - making it and keeping it.

2. Would it not be a possibility that he was known as a trustworthy and honest man if he was given the responsibility of holding the money for the group? I would think so.

3. It would seem a moot issue that Jesus himself gave Judas this charge.

We know that one passage in the bible includes a portion about Judas and money. When Mary brought the alabaster box for Jesus's burial, Judas commented "This could have been sold and the money given to the poor", but was Judases concern for the poor genuine? Or was Judases true concern the money which he would be entrusted with should the master agree with him about selling the ointment?

John 12, 3-8

3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odor of the ointment.

4 Then saith one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, which should betray him,

5 Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?

6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.

7 Then said Jesus, Let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this.

8 For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.

In verse 6, we see that Judas said this not because he cared for the poor, but rather

1. He was a thief

2. He had the bag *of money*

3. He had control of what was put in that bag *of money*

The strongest evidence of Judases love for money is gathered from the betrayal story in the Bible. Judas met with the chief priests and made a covenant that in exchange money, he would reveal to them where Jesus was staying in order that they could seize him.

Mark 10 and 11

10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.

11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.

Matthew 26;15

And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

What would compel a disciple who had witnessed the love, compassion, miracles, as well as the great ministry of the messiah to betray him for any amount of money? One word friends, GREED.

I am of the personal opinion that Judas was most likely torn between his love of money and his desire to do the will of God as we can readily see from the following scriptural account:

Matthew 27;3

3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders

4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

In the end, Judases lust for money not only led him to betray Jesus, but it also cost him his very life.

And isn't it just like that today? The considerable power of greed will ultimately end in US betraying OUR master and cost us our very lives. Do not flinch at this thought my friends, Jesus is betrayed because of the greed of his children everyday.

There is nothing in scripture that tells us from the get-go that Judas was like this in the beginning, when Jesus chose him as one of the twelve.

I take from this that it is very possible that Judas may have started out well and somewhere along the way allowed greed a place in his heart and from there grew the seed that would flourish into the full blown account of betrayal we read about that took place in the garden of Gethsemane.

Judas, a foreshadow of things to come

If there's any truth to the old adage, "history repeats itself", then the story of Judases greed that culminated in the betrayal of Christ would be one such case.

Today we have those who claim to be Christ's disciples, and though they may have started out well, they are now being driven by Greed and the love of money that has taken up residence in their hearts. Their eyes WERE on the prize, that prize being a crown of righteousness laid up for those who endure to the end, but somewhere along the way their focus shifted from Christ to money and there was the seed that pushed them toward the sin of greed.

Just as Judas betrayed our Lord in the garden with a kiss for thirty pieces of silver, we have those in the Christian Church who betray the Lord at random because in their heart, they care more for money than they do about pleasing God and Christ. These very people should be forsaking all ties that would take the place of Christ in their lives and return to him - their first love while it has not cost them their lives as of yet.

The key sin of Judas? He betrayed the Christ because of his love of money.

What do we have a world full of in these days we live in?

Well we have brother going against brother, all because of the love of money.

We have lawyers being retained by people from all walks of life who are looking for the slightest injustice to be done to them so that they might sue and recover big bucks.

We have spouses hiring hit men to knock of their spouse because they've grown tired of them and can collect on a big life insurance policy.

We have police, judges and political officials gladly accepting financial bribes from those who can benefit from having them in their pocket.

1 Timothy 6;10

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Get out of God's way! Stop enabling the ones you love!

Do you have someone in your life who seems to always teeter on the edge of trouble? Someone you love very much, yet you seem to be at a loss as far as "helping them" is concerned?

Are they continuously caught in a trap of their own making? Are you finding yourself following behind them, attempting to clean up their messes and wondering how their mess became your own?

If you can relate to the above, then this article may save you future pain and heartache.

This writing applies to anyone who's loved one is trapped by an out of control lifestyle.

Enabling ends up hurting those we enable much more than it does us. We are thinking we're helping those we love when what we're really becoming to them is a crutch. A sorry stand in for a life of making responsible decisions and taking positive actions. They become addicted to our help. In the end they cannot function without us propping them up. If we attempt at any time to withdraw our enabling behaviors, they will squall like babies and then we truly find we have a mess on our hands.

As time goes by I meet more and more people who have little or no control over the most important areas of their lives. This chaos that many live under seems to know no boundaries. At one point in my life, I was a chronic enabler of many.. I was one of those people that others looked to in order to depend on. But you see, I lost "myself" due to my constant catering to and problem solving all in the name of "others" that was going on. Many times in my past, before God straightened me out, I would complain about my life and many times was heard to say "I don't have a life".

Have any of you made a statement like that?

Looking back on those times, it was true. I did not have a life. But one thing I always failed to see was whose fault it was that I didn't. It was my own, that's what I had to realize, and in time I did.

By the time I had come to this realization, I would be totally burned out from the hours spent worrying or doing for others. Precious time that I could not get back. But do not think that those I was doing for lost a night of sleep over me. They would, in the end and much to my distress, still be living the destructive and dangerous lives they had for many years. My actions and help did not change them, did not help them, if anything it had made them worse.

I would pray for people who were trapped by the nets of their own making and nothing - not even prayer seemed to help them. I struggled to look at myself and learn if there was something I was leaving out, something I'd neglected doing for or saying to them.

It was then that I heard as plainly as I can explain to you now..

"What aren't you doing for them"? The answer? NOTHING

I had been available to them in every way imaginable. If he or she needed money, I was their bank. If they needed a baby sitter while they went out to paint the town red and maybe even get into a little mischief, I was their nanny. If I had important plans, they were all gone at the drop of a hat if I was called on to "help out" those who could never manage to help themselves. There was no limit to my helping.

Gradually I got worn down and discouraged. I could not say NO to them when they called on me for my help. Like so many others who are enablers, I was blinded by my love and concern for them. I had never once stopped for a second to realize that by my helping, I was prolonging that inevitable area of their lives that they had to get fixed.

The part where they must take responsibility for their own actions and their own life.

I couldn't see that no matter what I was able to do for them, that in the end, they would have to face responsibility and make choices themselves without me near them, without me giving them advice, handouts,etc.

One very important will that God has for all of our lives is that of being a responsible and mature adult. And I had been blocking God's will for the ones I was constantly enabling. This leads me to relate a very painful fact of life-----it's your life, God gave you only one, and it's far too short for us to scramble around "enabling" those who have chosen to lead a destructive lifestyle. Life is too short on this earth for you to be concentrating every fiber of energy you have on those who haven't hit rock bottom yet.

What is rock bottom? It is the place that all of us will arrive at if we continue to buck against what is Godly and Holy.

It is being in the "gutter" without anyone to call out to and to help us except God himself. The prodigal son went there to this place I speak of and was the better for having arrived there. I have been there. If one continues in sin, they will understand what Rock Bottom is. But only if they are absent of the enabler in their life.

We often feel "sorry"" for those we are enabling. I was one of these. I know what I am talking about. I thought on this : If I was leading a destructive life - a life in which I shirked responsibilities and did nothing to help myself but relied on everyone else to take care of me, would I expect to gain the sympathies of others? NO Would I expect it ? NEVER

Get out of God's way

It was during an especially painful run in with a friend who had gotten himself in financial trouble that I finally realized the truth. The more we bail people out of their problems and tragic situations, the longer it takes for them to change.

If you had the choice between a get out of jail free card or a two year jail term, which one would you choose?

The truth is that if you want to play, *lead a destructive and dangerous lifestyle* then you have to pay. Consequences are harsh, yet how many are not willing to pay the consequences for their selfish and destructive actions?

People who are still leading destructively selfish lifestyles are only continuing in them because they are not allowed to hit rock bottom. They have not had to face the consequences of their actions. They have not had to face to consequences of the sad life they have led. They are not allowed to get down in the muck and mire and face what they and their life has become due to their own wrong and selfish choices. Others are never forced to stop due to their alternative options plan (the enabler in their life). In essence, they are still being given the option of that get out of jail free card by someone - And who offers it? Their "enabler" does every time they choose to bail them out of their latest "mess".

Love

It is simply because we do love them that we must choose to stop enabling them, We must allow them to grow up and be responsible for their own lives and actions.

Chronic enabling only lengthens the time that the destructive person stays in his current messy situation.

If and when you decide to stop aiding in their prolonged agony by enabling them, your loved one will swear that you never loved them. They will say you are the most selfish person on earth. A little ironic isn't it? You and I, the very ones who have been unselfish and catering to their every whim and THEY now characterize US as selfish. Don't be astonished at this. All they've been used to is how you've catered to their desires and needs. They have known nothing else from you. They have known no other side of you other than this one they've been used to for so long. It is just like a little child who wants something, you hold it back from him and he throws a tantrum.

Managing their own lives

What you can't see right now is what will become of them after they've stepped up to the task of managing their own life. It's always tough to think of ourselves while a loved one is going through pain, We feel like we are not worthy to say NO to anyone except ourselves. I know this was true for me. I felt I was expendable when it came down to doing for me or for others.

It is essential that you stop enabling those who refuse to take responsibility for their own lives, God cannot do for them while you have your hands in matters that can only be fixed through him.. Along with the troubled person's quality choices.

The father in the prodigal son did not go out looking for his Son. He stayed home, and when the son came to himself he returned and he returned better than he was before he left his father. He had to go through pain and loss before he came to himself.

Our children grow up, become responsible and mature adults and leave us to begin their own lives, this is often a sad time but it is also a blessing and a fact of life. In the same way, those we love MUST grow up, become mature adults, responsible for their choices and actions and accept the circumstances of both.

The fork in the road: 911 and beyond

I believe those of us who live in America have passed that fork in the road.

In fact, I believe that we are currently traveling along a path that will end in suffering and lamentations we can scarcely imagine. I believe that steps have already been taken that will ultimately end in a disruption of our lives as we have known them thus far. How do I reckon this? I have had my eyes open for the last 4 years and the following are some of my observations:

The first were the elections of 2000. There were many African Americans and others who did not get to vote or did not get their votes counted in the Presidential elections that year. Never before had we witnessed such an event. At least not in our nation. We had all heard of other nations having their elections toyed with, yet in America we had not experienced this. This was one of the first times that I sat up and began to take notice that our good old America had changed, and not for the better. After the elections were over, I regained some of my composure but still pondered on what a travesty had taken place. I then observed 9/11.

After the tragic events, I did not hear much in the way of repentance and trust in God. I suppose it was not fashionable to speak of the spiritual and deep things of God at that time, but this is wrong thinking, for that was the perfect opportunity to speak the truth. Had the pastors and preachers on Television started preaching on the repentance of one and all in our country, who knows where it would have led. At that time we all would have greatly benefited from strong repentance messages, but we were way too busy listening to others with vengeance on their minds and rallying alongside them. No time for timely repentance messages. Exhorting others to repent was not given top priority. The same news reporters who dared not bring up God's name were now busy asking every preacher they could drag onto their news programs and other shows "Why would GOD allow this tragedy to happen"?

The real question was and continues to be:

"Why were a group of fanatical terrorists so angry with America that they would board planes and slam them into the World Trade Centers"? Did God force those terrorists to board the planes and create this chaos and havoc? No, he did not, no more than he can force anyone to do anything. So then, the real question is WHO did this and WHY did they do it? The terrorists who perpetrated these crimes were not angry at God for anything, they were obviously angry at AMERICA and more specifically, the financial institutions of America. The World Trade Centers were the financial hubs of America.

The Trade Centers were the center for commerce in America. Why would a group of terrorists want to destroy America's financial Institutions and the thousands of innocent civilians working there? This was a question that I was wondering myself. I am not absolutely sure of anything, but I do know we should all have enough sense to understand this much about the matter.

Downward Spiral Ever since the elections of 2000 and 9/11

This country has been in a downward spiral that it has not yet recovered from. When we have opportunity to repent of our sins and the sins that our country has committed against other nations, we will hear none of it. We remain headstrong despite how low we continually fall into the abyss. What crimes have we committed against other nations you may ask. I will tell you, the crimes of INVADING and OCCUPYING Iraq. I heard many times that there were weapons in Iraq that would cause a possible mushroom cloud to come upon us if we did not invade. Well, we now know that there were no weapons. Many innocent lives have been lost there because of this invasion not to mention the disruption of vital services to those who have to live in that country.

We must understand that we are to think on these things and have compassion upon those who are currently having this done to them. If we say that we are Christ's people, yet we do not have our hearts broken over what is going on over there, we are not fooling anyone. The truth of the matter is if we have not compassion and love for everyone in this world, we are not his. We had better set up and take note of what we consider justice and righteousness. It matters to God and it should matter to us. Before 9/11 and After 9/11 we were busy living life which for most of us means, tending to our jobs and indulging in whatever hobbies that are near and dear to us. There is most surely a lesson to be learned from 9/11 and it's aftermath for every one of us no matter how near or far we are from New York City. It is just this, in simple terms, America did not have 9/11 perpetrated upon it for no reason. I have heard that they did these things because they hate our freedom we enjoy in the U.S. I don't buy that for a moment. There are those out there who long for America's destruction and there is a reason for their madness. I am currently trying to understand what has caused this great hatred, but I already know one thing for sure, when a nation turns their back on God, anything will and most usually does happen to them. I am currently trying to get the message out that because we invaded Iraq, we will most likely be invaded sometime in the future. What you give out you get back. I truly believe this. This is bible. Any nation that invades another nation for no reason will pay for it in spades. Mark it down, it will happen.

It is called reaping what you sow. If you would like to read my earlier articles, If God is to bless America, We must have a call to repentance and Lamentations for America , please do so.

Here are some ideas as to why America finds itself on the brink of it's destruction, caused by the power of it's own hand.

We have turned our backs to God and our faces are no more beholding his Glory.

This happened before 9/11. Our faces were beholding our own glory. And we in our majesty believed our visage was wonderful and a sight to behold. Sin always ends up this way. Our minds were consumed with our wants, needs and desires. We were oblivious to other parts of the world and the struggles they were continually facing. For that matter, our hearts were oblivious to our next door neighbor's lack and the struggles they might be going through. Compassion being almost non-existent toward others, we forget that while we enjoy our life, there are always others who are not enjoying theirs because they lack the basic necessities of life.

To care for others and to place other's lack as a focal point in our own lives is the true hallmark of being a Christian, but have we done this? Are we currently doing this? Jesus Christ fed the 5000. Why did he do this? Because he had compassion upon that multitude of people. It hurt him to see those people hungry and without food. Our stubbornness and disregard has caused us to be engrossed with a perpetual lullaby. We are currently in a state of carelessness and idleness.

We have been put to sleep by our own delusions, devices and desires.

We believe that everything in our lives will get better and better. Never can we fathom a worse case scenario for the nation we live in. Although I am one voice, I will use it to give the call to one and all that America will see misery and lamentations if she does not repent.

I do not want this to happen and God does not want this to happen, but if we as the people of this great nation do not repent of our sins, it surely will become a reality that we will have to live through.

Remember this: Though the flood came, God protected Noah and his family. But there would have been no protection had Noah not listened, made a choice, and acted upon what God told him to do. This brings me to my final point in this small article. You have to be listening in order for God to talk to you . Then you must CHOOSE what you do with the information that God supplies you with. Then you must ACT upon that knowledge that has been given to you.

These are 3 steps but they are all crucial. Not one can be left out if you are to have discernment that is needed in these days we now live in. If you choose to disregard a warning that God gives, you are signing yourself up to suffer in one or more areas in this life. His truth is the one sure thing we can count on in this life. It is the solid rock that we must be bound to. As the days grow darker we should grasp onto his truth in addition to the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter and the friend who sticks closer to us than the dearest brother we could ever find on this earth.

Building A Nation by Blood and Force

Habakkuk 2:12 Woe to him that builds a town with blood and establishes a city by iniquity!

We are currently engaged in rebuilding the nation of Iraq by shedding blood and by using force.

We go into a country that has not attacked us, start dropping bombs and allowing others to be tortured, yet we expect that nation to roll over for this and accept it?

Where is the outrage in our own nation over this? Where is the outrage of the Christians in regards to these policies we have introduced?

The astonishing truth is that many do not have a problem with our actions in Iraq.

If this is spreading democracy, I am not for it. How much longer will the masses be duped by the ridiculous explanation that we are there to spread "freedom and democracy"?

Would any of you tolerate or accept this type of "freedom" and "democracy" being perpetrated upon you in your own country? They speak of freedom, but the freedom they speak of is shedding innocent blood and getting away with it. But let me assure you that God sees all and will reward accordingly. The time is rapidly approaching in which the number of casualties of this war will exceed numbers we could scarce imagine. And yet those in control of setting policy and making decisions are not speaking out. Their tongues remain silent when the American public demands an answer from them.

Here is a bit of truth for those who want to hear it:

Those who have never known the hell and atrocities of war are all too eager to send another man or woman's son into it. And stop and think about what type of war is being waged.

Is this a war in which we are defending OUR liberties and OUR freedoms for our country? Let's take a look.

Saddam Hussein NEVER committed a crime against the United States. The nation of Iraq did nothing to us personally. We first went into Afghanistan and then somehow found our way into Iraq.

Do you not see something wrong with this? Who wanted to go into Iraq and for what purpose? I was watching television when it was announced that we would go into Iraq, two words came into my mind and heart, they were WHAT and WHY.

Enough of the atrocities, enough of utilizing our military for purposes that are going nowhere and that kill innocent people. Those who say "We are there now, so we must stay, we must win and make this thing work", I want to ask one question.

How can you take a wrong and make it appear right?

You cannot, the only way you can make a wrong right is by being honest and confessing that what has currently been done was in error.

What about the Families that have lost loved ones over this war? We need to be asking those who plunged us into it, but I doubt there will be an answer. See my links at the bottom of this page for web sites as well that you should check out for families of the military.

A wrong cannot be made to appear right, for it is not possible to call white black and black white. Those who do these things are only engaging in their own fruitless wishful thinking or else are engaged in the most sickening of deceptions upon those who believe them.

But we do not hear anything about our being wrong or making an error in judgment in regards to going into Iraq. We constantly hear how there are positive thing goings on in Iraq and many tell us that we are not hearing the good news. I fail to understand how the good we have done could justify the atrocities that those live with every day in such a bloody war zone. It is as if those who decided to start and keep up this war are in a constant sleep or dreamland. But the decisions that have been made have placed countless others in for the nightmare of their lives.

We went on and on about the torture chambers in Iraq, then what do we do? We go and prove to the world that we are torturers as well.

Read the current news article,"A Soldier's Heart"

Here are a few issues that I feel must be raised, I believe they are worthy to be addressed:

Stop loss policy

This policy is nothing more than an attempt at slavery.

Notice I said "attempt", because it will not last. This attempt at slavery will fail God willing. Here is a news story: Soldiers fails to halt 'stop-loss' rule Those soldiers who have served their time over the years should not have shackles put on them afterward. But this current war we are engaged in is calling for more bodies and more blood even if those bodies have already served their time in the heat of combat. Every time I hear the question asked, "Why are we still there" I hear an answer like "We must complete reconstruction". How can there be satisfactory reconstruction in a war zone? I have yet to get an answer on this. The situation is now such that all attempts at reconstruction can be thwarted at the drop of a hat. Bombs going off at sites that are under reconstruction is a chaotic effort to say the least.

Not to mention that the Governor of Baghdad was recently assassinated:Baghdad Governor Assassinated

How can there be fair and safe elections if the Governor cannot manage to be kept safe?

The top General of the Army reserves has stated that the reserve is rapidly degenerating into a "broken force".

In the midst of this madness, we hear that our Secretary of Defense is not even signing condolence letters by hand to the families of our military.

Here is an article to read: A lot of people are paying now for Bush excesses

Shedding Innocent Blood:

One of the seven deadly sins spoken of in the Bible is "Hands that spill innocent blood".

Numbers 35:33

So ye shall not pollute the land wherein ye are: for blood it defileth the land: and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it.

How many more have to sacrifice their lives in order for the blood letting to cease? What will it take before this war in Iraq is examined through eyes that WANT to see the truth of the impossible situation that has become the "War in Iraq"?

What will happen to America because of what we have done in another country and allowed to take place there?

In the bible, we can always look back and see what becomes of a nation that goes against the principles that God has set forth. To a country that does what we have done to another, this means that we will get what we have given. We invaded and took over another country and have subjected them to atrocities that we would never want to be subjected to. With this knowledge, it is a good GUESS that we will someday have the same done to us. This is the old adage that you get what you give or you reap what you sow.

In other words:

We go into a country, spill innocent blood,

Another country will come unto us and spill our innocent blood.

The only ones who would take issue with this are those who are so steeped in pride that they refuse to see the truth.

Was Jesus a war monger?

No, he was not. I challenge you to find one passage in the Bible that states otherwise. You will not find it.

For even when Jesus was approached in the Garden of Gethsemene by those who sought to take him and kill him, Peter drew his sword and Jesus instructed him to put it away. Even when Jesus had done no wrong and there was an apparent NEED to protect the innocent *Jesus*, our master said: "Put up your sword".

John 18:

10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. 11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?

When the Samaritans did not receive Jesus, James and John had an idea: Notice how Jesus rebuked them for it:

Luke 9

54 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?

55 But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

When any country goes against what God has set forth as truth in his word, that country has begun to weaken itself through it's own actions.

Galatians 6

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

The Injustices:

We have veterans that have had to suffer with their benefits being cut, where is the outrage about this?

There are numerous soldiers who are injured for life and do not have adequate checks to live on and nothing is done about this.
Our military trusted that those who have the rule over them would not send them into harms way unless absolutely necessary. Has this war in Iraq been proven to be ABSOLUTELY necessary to our military or to us as American citizens?

Below are some web sites that are managed by families of the military, I advise you to check them out for yourselves.

Military Families Speak Out

Bring Them Home Now

Veterans For Peace