What Happened To Demas? – Part 1
for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 2 Timothy 4:10
Paul writes one of the saddest verses in Scripture: ‘Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world.’ The runner has stumbled. The lights have gone out in the life of a believer. Why? 1) Did he resent his minority status as a Christian? It’s been said that there wasn’t just one, but two Martin Luther’s in church history. And they both received the same revelation of justification by faith as the way to salvation. But the first wrote it down and hid it in a monastery wall because he feared the authorities. The second nailed it to the door of Wittenberg All Saints Church and started the Reformation. Christ promised that our message would be a powerful one, but not always a popular one: ‘Do not fear, little flock…’ (Luke 12:32). Wear your minority status as a badge of honor! 2) Was he cut down by the doctrinal sword? We have the message people need to hear, but don’t always want to listen to. Even some Christians don’t want to hear it. ‘Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it”?…From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more’ (John 6:60,66). You say, ‘But if we’re too strict with people we’ll lose them.’ If we’re legalistic we will, but if we’re scriptural, we’ll build men and women of God, who shine like lights in a dark world. Jesus said, ‘You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free’ (John 8:32). Sometimes, before the truth sets people free, it puts them through the wringer! But we must preach it nonetheless.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me to remain faithful no matter how hard things get. In Your strength, Jesus, Amen
While reading this some questions came to my mind. Scriptually it says that homosexual behaviour is perverse. Lots of news articles contain stories of people being downright hateful towards that community. Didn’t Jesus come to “love” us, teach us how to love, and warn us not to judge others? Is it important for *me* to make a stand and tell someone that his/her lifestyle is against God’s Word? Am I letting God down because I do not feel like it is appropriate to tell a gay person not to be gay? For so long I feared gay people because I felt like their behavour went against God and that was so totally forbidden, but I’ve come to a place where I think I should just love them and trust that Jesus died for All our sins. I do not think that any conversation I would have would change someone’s sexual orientation. It seems like all the judgements against gay people just give Christianity a bad reputation. People don’t go where they don’t feel welcome. I’d like to hear other people’s views on this.