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Without Excuse, October 7
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.
1 Timothy 6:10
.
How tenderly the Saviour dealt with him who was to be His betrayer! In His
teaching, Jesus dwelt upon principles of benevolence that struck at the very root
of covetousness. He presented before Judas the heinous character of greed, and
many a time the disciple realized that his character had been portrayed, and his
sin pointed out; but he would not confess and forsake his unrighteousness. He
was self-sufficient, and instead of resisting temptation, he continued to follow his
fraudulent practices.... Jesus dealt him no sharp rebuke for his covetousness, but
with divine patience bore with this erring man, even while giving him evidence
that He read his heart as an open book. He presented before him the highest
incentives for right doing; and in rejecting the light of Heaven, Judas would be
without excuse
Satan is playing the game of life for every soul. He knows that practical
sympathy is a test of the purity and unselfishness of the heart, and he will make
every possible effort to close our hearts to the needs of others.... He will bring in
many things to prevent the expression of love and sympathy. It is thus that he
ruined Judas. Judas was constantly planning to benefit self. In this he represents
a large class of professed Christians of today. Therefore we need to study his
case. We are as near to Christ as he was. Yet if, as with Judas, association with
Christ does not make us one with Him, if it does not cultivate within our hearts
a sincere sympathy for those for whom Christ gave His life, we are in the same
danger as was Judas....
We need to guard against the first deviation from righteousness; for one
transgression, one neglect to manifest the spirit of Christ, opens the way for
another and still another, until the mind is overmastered by the principles of the
enemy. If cultivated, the spirit of selfishness becomes a devouring passion which
nothing but the power of Christ can subdue
[287]
11
Ibid., 295
.
12
Testimonies for the Church 6:264, 265
.
298