Betrayed With A Kiss

"Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?"—Luke 22:48.

The kisses of an enemy are deceitful." Let me be on my guard when the world puts on a loving face, for it will, if possible, betray me as it did my Master, with a kiss. Whenever a man is about to stab religion, he usually professes very great reverence for it. Let me beware of the sleek-faced hypocrisy which is armour-bearer to heresy and infidelity. Knowing the deceivableness of unrighteousness, let me be wise as a serpent to detect and avoid the designs of the enemy. The young man, void of understanding, was led astray by the kiss of the strange woman: may my soul be so graciously instructed all this day, that "the much fair speech" of the world may have no effect upon me. Holy Spirit, let me not, a poor frail son of man, be betrayed with a kiss!
But what if I should be guilty of the same accursed sin as Judas, that son of perdition? I have been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus; I am a member of His visible Church; I sit at the communion table: all these are so many kisses of my lips. Am I sincere in them? If not, I am a base traitor. Do I live in the world as carelessly as others do, and yet make a profession of being a follower of Jesus? Then I must expose religion to ridicule, and lead men to speak evil of the holy name by which I am called. Surely if I act thus inconsistently I am a Judas, and it were better for me that I had never been born. Dare I hope that I am clear in this matter? Then, O Lord, keep me so. O Lord, make me sincere and true. Preserve me from every false way. Never let me betray my Saviour. I do love Thee, Jesus, and though I often grieve Thee, yet I would desire to abide faithful even unto death. O God, forbid that I should be a high-soaring professor, and then fall at last into the lake of fire, because I betrayed my Master with a kiss.

The Laughter of Fools Who Reject God

“Let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy to gloom.”

James 4:9b

The humble individual will come to see that sin is not a laughing matter.

Humor has always had a place in popular culture. But in recent decades a more worldly side to humor has emerged. Situation comedies dominate the list of top-rated TV shows, but many are far from what’s really best for people to view. The shows’ contents so often pander to the immoral and tend to put down scriptural values. Meanwhile, the world also runs headlong after activities that stress fun and self-indulgence. Most people just want to enjoy life and not take anything too seriously.
God’s Word acknowledges that there is a proper time and place for joy and laughter: “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance” (Eccles. 3:4). The psalmist tells of one appropriate time for laughter and happiness: “When the Lord brought back the captive ones of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with joyful shouting” (Ps. 126:1–2).
But the Lord requires that anyone who would have a relationship with Him must begin on a sober, serious, humble note. In today’s Scripture, James urges sinners to exchange worldly laughter and frivolity for godly mourning and gloom over their sin. The laughter spoken of here is the kind that indicates a leisurely indulging in human desires and pleasures. It pictures people who give no serious thought to God, to life, death, sin, judgment, or God’s demands for holiness. Without mincing words, it is the laughter of fools who reject God, not that of the humble who pursue Him.
James’s message is that saving faith and proper humility consist of a serious, heartfelt separation from the folly of worldliness as well as a genuine sorrow over sin. If these characteristics are present in your life, it is fairly safe evidence that you are one of the humble (see 1 John 2:15–17).


Suggestions for Prayer: Seek forgiveness for any thoughts and actions that have kept you from a serious attitude in your walk with God.
MacArthur, John F., Strength for Today, (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books) 1997.

Cleansing Our Hands and Hearts

“Cleanse your hands … and purify your hearts.”

James 4:8

Clean hands and a pure heart will always characterize the humble.

Hands represent our behavior, the pattern of our outward actions. Scripture uses that symbol when it encourages people to abandon their sinful behavior: “So when you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you, yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are full of bloodshed” (Isa. 1:15).
Today’s verse uses “hands” in reference to the Jewish ceremonial requirements. The priests were required to wash their hands before they entered the presence of God in the tabernacle and temple (Ex. 30:19–21). Therefore, a call to have clean hands was not just a strange figure of speech for James’s audience. As Jews, they would know that a person needed to go through a cleansing process and have a clean life if he wanted to be close to the Lord.
This cleansing process, however, includes more than correcting the outward behavior and lifestyle represented by the hands. The inward dimension of the heart must also be involved, which is why James 4:8 says, “Purify your hearts.” The heart is what’s inside a person—his thoughts, motives, and desires—the essence of his being. The apostle James is telling anyone who would be genuinely humble and want to be right with God that he must deal with his real self, the heart that is so corrupted and deceived by sin. The humble sinner will hear and obey words such as Ezekiel’s: “Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed, and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!” (Ezek. 18:31).
Clean hands and a pure heart are essential traits for anyone who would be counted among the humble. If you have not submitted yourself to God, you won’t have these traits, and you need to heed James’s commands. If you are one of the humble, you will want to maintain a close relationship with the Lord. For you, therefore, it is crucial to remember what the apostle John promises in 1 John 1:9—“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”



Suggestions for Prayer: Pray that all your thoughts and actions today would be pure and pleasing to the Lord.
For Further Study: Read Isaiah 55. What does it say about the transformed heart and life? ² Commit verses 6–7 to memory.
MacArthur, John F., Strength for Today, (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books) 1997.

Besetting Sins

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.
[Heb. 12:4]

Many of the great heroes of the faith of the old covenant have been set before us. The greatest hero of the old covenant is the One mentioned in Hebrews 12:1–3. His name is Jesus. He was born in the old world and lived under the law. He looked forward to the finished work of the Messiah and the reward of the coming kingdom, just as did Noah and Abraham and Malachi. More than any other prophet, he “endured opposition from sinful men,” because he was perfect. His life was a standing offense to sinners. The author of Hebrews climaxes his survey of the old covenant saints by telling us to consider Jesus and to imitate his faith (Heb. 12:3).
Literally, the Greek in Hebrews 12:4 can be translated: “Not unto blood have you resisted, striving against sin.” What does this phrase mean? One common interpretation is that these believers had not yet shed their blood as martyrs. The persecution they had experienced was not as great as the fire of trial still to become. This interpretation seems to make sense in terms of the context, but there are two problems. First, the author says that the blood comes from striving against sin, not from persecution. Second, from the time of Stephen onwards, Jewish Christians had indeed shed their blood for the faith.
It seems more likely that “resisting unto blood” has to do with striving against sin and temptation. Each of us has habitual “besetting sins” we find it hard to imagine living without. Such sins are idols. We shall strive against such sins throughout life on earth, but they are the individual sin-challenges that God puts before each of us. Working on your besetting sin is the particular project God has given you.
Ultimately, however, the sin spoken of here is the sin of not following through in our trust in God. Jesus resisted unto blood in the garden of Gethsemane. Gethsemane means “orchard of the oil press,” and blood was pressed out of Jesus as he strove against the temptation to avoid the cross. He resisted that temptation and put all his trust in the Father. We are called to do the same.

Coram Deo

What is the sin that you personally just can’t seem to put behind you? Jesus resisted temptation to the point of blood. If we are united with his victory, we can claim his strength and presence when we strive against sin—especially those most difficult sins. Ask God to show you your besetting sin(s), and today claim Jesus’ blood and striving as your help in the fight.
Sproul, R.C., Before the Face of God: A Daily Guide for Living from Ephesians, Hebrews, and James, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books) 2000, c1994.