(2 Ti 3:4) Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Good morning, Reader! I pray you are being blessed by this series! Please leave me a comment, whether you’re in agreement or not. Today’s word was an eyeopener for me. I always thought the a traitor was a person who betrayed his country, like Benedict Arnold. But as I studied this word, I discovered there was a tad more to it!
Luk 6:16 And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.
(Act 7:52) Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
The same Greek word was used in today’s verse as well as the other two above:
G4273
προδότης
prodotēs
prod-ot’-ace
From G4272 (in the sense of giving forward into another’s [the enemy’s] hands); a surrender: – betrayer, traitor.
Total KJV occurrences: 3
Did you happen to notice that these two verses refer to Jesus’ betrayal? It causes me to think that the third occurrence of this same Greek word in 2 Timothy 3:4 could be referring to betrayers of Christ as well. If so, how much more have we seen the great falling away in Christianity than today? According to the Pew Research Center:
Currently, 43% of U.S. adults identify with Protestantism, down from 51% in 2009.
The 43% of those who identify with Protestantism (any religion that is not Catholic) does not mean that they are born again believers. It’s easy to do a Google search to find out just how many born again Christians there really are – and who is to know if they are truly born again or just saying they are because their parents were.
(Luk 18:8) I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
There are a lot of “Christians” out their in name only. They don’t read their Bibles, they don’t pray, nor do they practice the basic tenets of the faith. They have become as traitors to the very faith on which this country was founded. Our Constitution was built on this faith and Scripture is strewn throughout many of our government buildings and monuments. Granted our country was not without sin or error. But its foundation was solid until 1963.
There are many betrayers (traitors) of the faith. Satan is at the root of them all. Christ called Peter out on it when Peter didn’t want to admit that Jesus would be killed:
(Mat 16:23) But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
Jesus wasn’t saying that Peter was Satan but that Peter was speaking with the “spirit of Satan” – Peter wanted to stop the fact that Jesus would die. But the Scriptures had to be fulfilled so Christ could bear our sins on the cross. Scripture will also be fulfilled when Jesus comes again.
Religious people can be compared to traitors just as Judas Iscariot. They don’t point to salvation through Jesus Christ – instead they’re more interested in filling their pews and getting monetary gain. Isn’t this betraying the cause of Christ? Are we born again Christians any different? Are we also traitors of the cause of Christ? The decline of Christianity in America doesn’t lie on the shoulders of the unsaved. It rests on the shoulders of every born again believer because we are not actively telling others about Christ’s payment for their sin and His plan of salvation.
Search your heart, reader! Have you slacked off and, therefore, betrayed Jesus and His gospel? Or are you someone who was led to this blog in search of some answers. If you happen to be reading this and are not saved, it is no coincidence. God has placed you here for such a time as this so that you may be saved. Please click here and the link will open up in a separate tab to You Can Be Born Again and Know It!