The dangers of superficiality

When evening had come, He [Jesus] sat down with the twelve. Now as they were eating, He said, “Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” 

And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, “Lord, is it I?” 

He answered and said, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me. The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” 

Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, “Rabbi, is it I?” He said to him, “You have said it.” Matthew 26, 20-25 (NKJV)

When we think of Judas Iscariot, immediately we think traitor, betrayer. And rightfully so.

But what happened to Judas Iscariot could have happened to anybody.

The sinful nature of man is capable of so many things, even the worst of things.

After Jesus was condemned to be put to death, Judas regretted his act. He said: “I have sinned, for I have betrayed innocent blood” (Matthew 27,4)

‘What was he thinking was going to happen?’ someone may wonder. But that is the foolishness of sin.

As children of God, when we allow the sinful nature of our humanity to rule instead of walking in the Spirit, living by our new God-given nature of the new creation, we are endangering ourselves.

It is a deception to think that ignoring God, neglecting time with God, rejecting His Word and living in disobedience will leave us intact. It helps nobody rather it gives the opportunity to the devil to have his way.

Judas Iscariot was chosen by Jesus to be among the twelve apostles. Jesus did not make a mistake. The Twelve were not perfect men. Each one of them had their own perceptive and flaws. When Jesus was with them, they did not fully comprehend who Jesus was and what He was up to. Their idea of the Messiah was a king who would overthrow the roman rule and establish Israel as a sovereign nation once again. Yet, Jesus was to establish an eternal kingdom that crosses over nations. But they were just ignorant.

I believe what got Judas into trouble was superficiality.

Superficiality speaks of lack of depth, halfway in, carelessness, indifference and, at worst, insincerity.

One minister of the Gospel pointed out how the apostles addressed Jesus after hearing that one of them was going to betray Jesus: “Being deeply grieved and extremely distressed, each one of them began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?” (Matthew 26,22 AMP) but later Judas later answered: “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” (Verse 25)

To Judas, Jesus was ‘Rabbi’ meaning Teacher. And even this appellation may not have been genuine. Jesus once had said that the teachers of the law and Pharisees “love to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others” (Matthew 23,7). Maybe Judas was just acting religious or even thought that Jesus was like any other teacher of the law; it was all religion.

It is Judas who went to the chief priests and asked what they were willing to offer him if he delivers Jesus to them. It is clear that Judas loved money. Even John 12,6 testifies that he was a thief: “But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.” (John 12,4-6)

Basically, Judas Iscariot was living a double life, sort of.

“And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another” Matthew 24,10 NKJV

There are things that can change the state of people’s hearts. One of them is unforgiveness.

When Jesus teaches us to forgive others, it is for our good. And for the good of all.

Yes, humanly speaking, forgiveness is difficult. But we would rather say: “Father, it’s hard to forgive, help me” than say: “I will never forgive”. There are terrible effects of unforgiveness and these are usually unforeseen, one thing leading to another, from bad to worst: hardness of heart, bitterness, envy, jealousy, sickness, sadness, hate, murder, alienation from the life of God, etc.

When we come to the realization that this sinful nature is capable of so much and that it is in all of us as human beings, and that God forgives all sins yet His standard is even higher than any human standard, we won’t get surprised by people’s sins and forgiveness will become easy because we recognize that we too have been forgiven much.

There is nothing good in the sinful nature of man. The morality of man tries to tame it but ultimately only the cross of Jesus Christ can crucify it.

The call to transformation for believers is more than necessary, it’s vital! If we’ve been born again, embracing the life of God is the only thing that will keep us from fulfilling the desires of the flesh (the sinful nature). Not by power, not by might but by the Spirit of God.

Further reading: Galatians 5,16-26

“I will heal their backsliding,

I will love them freely,

For My anger has turned away from him.

I will be like the dew to Israel;

He shall grow like the lily,

And lengthen his roots like Lebanon.

His branches shall spread;

His beauty shall be like an olive tree,

And his fragrance like Lebanon.” Hosea 14,4-6 (NKJV)