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The Contrast Between John And Judas, March 21
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not
life.
1 John 5:12
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During the years of his close association with Christ, he [John] was often
warned and cautioned by the Saviour; and these reproofs he accepted. As the
character of the Divine One was manifested to him, John saw his own deficiencies,
and was humbled by the revelation. Day by day, in contrast with his own violent
spirit, he beheld the tenderness and forbearance of Jesus, and heard His lessons
of humility and patience. Day by day his heart was drawn out to Christ, until he
lost sight of self in love for his Master. The power and tenderness, the majesty
and meekness, the strength and patience, that he saw in the daily life of the Son of
God, filled his soul with admiration. He yielded his resentful, ambitious temper to
the molding power of Christ, and divine love wrought in him a transformation of
character.
In striking contrast to the sanctification worked out in the life of John is the
experience of his fellow disciple, Judas. Like his associate, Judas professed to
be a disciple of Christ, but he possessed only a form of godliness. He was not
insensible to the beauty of the character of Christ; and often, as he listened to the
Saviour’s words, conviction came to him, but he would not humble his heart or
confess his sins....
John warred earnestly against his faults; but Judas violated his conscience and
yielded to temptation, fastening upon himself more securely his habits of evil.
The practice of the truths that Christ taught was at variance with his desires and
purposes, and he could not bring himself to yield his ideas in order to receive
wisdom from heaven. Instead of walking in the light, he chose to walk in darkness.
Evil desires, covetousness, revengeful passions, dark and sullen thoughts, were
cherished until Satan gained full control of him.
John and Judas are representatives of those who profess to be Christ’s follow-
ers. Both these disciples had the same opportunities to study and follow the divine
Pattern.... Each possessed serious defects of character; and each had access to the
divine grace that transforms character. But while one in humility was learning
of Jesus, the other revealed that he was not a doer of the word, but a hearer only.
One, daily dying to self and overcoming sin, was sanctified through the truth; the
other, resisting the transforming power of grace and indulging selfish desires, was
brought into bondage to Satan....
There may be marked defects in the character of an individual, yet when
he becomes a true disciple of Christ, the power of divine grace transforms and
sanctifies him.—
The Acts of the Apostles, 557-559
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