At
first we don’t see a lie here. What Judas said was absolutely true. He
had sinned by betraying an innocent man. Worse yet, Judas knew that he
had handed over the Son of God! It was true what Jesus had said: at the
point, it would have been better if he had never been born.
The
fact that Judas went out and hanged himself gives us evidence that he
fell victim to one of Satan’s lies. When Judas realized the weight of
his sin, Satan was there to lie to him and tell him that he was
unsavable.
No doubt Satan
has done the same to you. He points out some sin or sins that you have
indeed done. He convinces you that it is much worse than what so-and-so
has done. He might even quote portions of the law as found in Scripture,
but only partially (he can only preach law). Then he tells you that you
are so stained with sin that even Jesus’ blood can’t wash you clean. He
didn’t save you. How dare you even show you face among the godly people
at church?
To combat this lie, remember Peter. Around the same
time that Judas was preparing to kill himself, Peter was busy lying
about his relationship with his Savior three times. When Jesus looked at
him, the full weight of the law came down on him and Peter rightly
realized that he deserved death just as much as Judas did. Then, instead
of committing suicide, Peter laid his sins on Jesus.
That made
all the difference. That saved Peter. Let us also defy this lie of Satan
and lay our sins on Jesus because He willingly suffered and died for
the sins of the world. He has announced this truth to the whole world,
and He has personally announced your forgiveness at your baptism and
does so daily in His word. This assurance of salvation will destroy any
lie from Satan this Lenten season and always. |
