“They went out from us, but they did not
really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained
with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us” (1 John 2:19)
In the story of Esther, we have Mordecai who remained
faithful and stood by her even when her life was in danger. Paul in writing to Timothy tells of a different
story. (2Tim. 4:10)
There was a young man by the name of Demas who had at one
time been one of Paul’s “fellow workers” in the gospel ministry along with
Mark, Luke, and others (Philemon 1:24). During Paul’s first imprisonment in
Rome, Demas was also in Rome (Colossians 4:14).
We are not given the details, but something happened. Demas deserted
Paul and abandoned the ministry. Paul wrote: “Demas, because he loved this
world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica” (2 Timothy 4:10).
The Greek verb used in the original implies that Demas had
not merely left Paul but had left him “in the lurch”; that is, Demas had
abandoned Paul in a time of need. The apostle was in prison, facing a death
sentence, and that’s when Demas chose to cut ties and run. Undoubtedly, Paul
was deeply let down by Demas. It’s never easy to see a friend and associate in
whom you’ve placed your trust forsake you during hardship.
The separation caused by Demas’ desertion of Paul was not
merely physical but spiritual. Demas left Rome because he fell in love with the
world. In other words, Demas chose the world rather than Jesus.
Demas like so many today was saying by his actions, I tried
Jesus, but he was not for me.” Some
might even say Demas was never born-again.
First John 2:15 is clear about the spiritual state of those who love the
world: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the
world, love for the Father is not in them.” Nowhere in the Bible do we read of
the restoration of Demas.
The tragedy of Demas is still being lived out today by those
who choose the temporary benefits of this world over the eternal riches of
heaven. Today there are still those who seem to receive the Word but then “the
worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it
unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22). Past service is no guarantee of future
faithfulness; we must depend on the Lord, our Strength (Psalm 28:8). We must be
born again (John 3:3); otherwise, we have no foundation of faith. It is that foundation that allows us to stand
with fellow believers when they are facing adversity.
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