Thinking about
Jesus’ life and ministry, it is tempting to berate the Jews and
Gentiles who only followed Him because He provided a free meal or
healed the sick. But I wonder if our motives are much better
sometimes. We seek Him for peace, for physical or emotional healing,
for provision for our basic needs, but salvation is far down on our
list, if it makes the list at all. Just consider the people and
things that populate our prayer lists.
Warren
Wiersbe writes, “They wanted immediate relief from their troubles
at no cost to themselves. Life was difficult, and they were excited
to find somebody who could so easily meet their needs... Like many
people today, they had a ‘commercial attitude’ toward Jesus and
wanted Him to meet their personal needs, but they didn’t
want Him to deal with their sins and change their hearts!”
(Jesus in the Present Tense,
33).
I suspect there
are many within the church who fall into the same category. They want
to feel better, experience community with people similar to
themselves, and raise their children in a good, moral atmosphere, but
not to be convicted of their sins and asked to turn full control of
their lives over to God. Wiersbe goes on to say, “When it comes to
making a decision about Jesus Christ, we have three choices: (1)
believe in Him and be saved, as did eleven of the apostles; (2)
reject Him but pretend to be saved, as did Judas; or (3) reject Him
openly and walk away, as did the multitude. In His parable about the
wheat and tares (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43), Jesus made it clear that
there are counterfeit Christians like Judas mixed in with the
authentic children of God, but at the end of the age they will be
exposed and condemned” (44).
It is unclear
from the Gospels whether the other disciples knew Judas was an
impostor. John reflects back to point out Judas’s motives early in
Jesus’ ministry, but it seems that only Jesus knew the truth: “For
Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and
who it was who would betray Him” (John 6:64 ESV). If the disciples
were in the dark Christians, and even pastors, today may be just as
deceived about the true condition of any person’s heart. While
there may be indicators, only God truly knows the heart (Psalm 44:21,
Proverbs 24:12). I would suggest that some individuals don’t even
know their own motives, for “the heart is deceitful above all
things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jeremiah
17:9).
At
the same time, it is likely that those who fear or doubt their
salvation are more likely true believers than those who have no
doubts. C.S. Lewis writes to a correspondent, “The moment one asks
oneself ‘Do I believe?’ all belief seems to go. I think this is
because one is trying to turn round and look at
something which is there to be used and work from—trying
to take out one’s eyes instead of keeping them in the right place
and seeing with
them... you know better than I how very unreliable introspection is.
I should be much more alarmed about your progress if you wrote
claiming to be overflowing with Faith, Hope and Charity” (Yours,
Jack, p. 144-145). One who makes
such claims, along with those who are completely unconcerned with the
state of their faith, are in far more danger than those who have
doubts and fears.
Hebrews 6:11-12
says, “And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness
to have the full assurance of hope until the end, so that you may not
be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience
inherit the promises.” The NIV puts it, “We want each of you to
show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope
sure.” It’s not that the good works mentioned in verse 10 are
themselves the assurance, but that they are an indicator of where our
hope truly lies.
“Work
out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who
works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure”
(Philippians 2:12b-13). John Piper says of this passage, “God it
the decisive worker here. He wills and he works for his good
pleasure. But believing this does not make Christians passive. It
makes them hopeful and energetic and courageous” (Future
Grace, p. 291).
Jesus is the
“founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2), “the
beginning and the end” (Revelation 22:13), the One who draws people
to Himself (John 6:44), and the One who will never lose one of His
sheep (John 10:28-29). If that is the case, then believers can have
faith and hope in Him and can rest in His care. Those who “fall
away” are those who were never really His children to begin with.
They may have put up a good front and deceived many, perhaps even
themselves, but at some level they never trusted in Jesus as both
Savior and Lord. They may have expected His salvation, but they never
let Him be Lord of their lives.
“...nothing is covered that
will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known... Fear not,
therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who
acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowledge before My Father
who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:26, 31-32).
