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Lives of John and Judas Contrasted, September 11
Examples of Sanctified Lives
The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the
will of God abideth for ever.
1 John 2:17
John and his fellow disciples were in a school in which Christ was
teacher.... John treasured every lesson and constantly sought to bring his
life into harmony with the Divine Pattern. The lessons of Jesus, setting
forth meekness, humility, and love as essential to growth in grace and a
fitness for his work, were of the highest value to John....
An instructive lesson may be drawn from the striking contrast be-
tween the character of John and that of Judas. John was a living illus-
tration of sanctification. On the other hand, Judas possessed a form
of godliness, while his character was more satanic than divine. He
professed to be a disciple of Christ, but in words and in works denied
Him.
Judas had the same precious opportunities as had John to study and
to imitate the Pattern. He listened to the lessons of Christ, and his
character might have been transformed by divine grace. But while John
was earnestly warring against his own faults and seeking to assimilate to
Christ, Judas was violating his conscience, yielding to temptation, and
fastening upon himself habits of dishonesty that would transform him
into the image of Satan.
These two disciples represent the Christian world. All profess to be
Christ’s followers; but while one class walk in humility and meekness,
learning of Jesus, the other show that they are not doers of the Word, but
hearers only. One class are sanctified through the truth; the other know
nothing of the transforming power of divine grace. The former are daily
dying to self, and are overcoming sin. The latter are indulging their own
lusts, and becoming the servants of Satan.
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