Betrayal

by Pastor William C. Mack |  July 19, 2021

Have you ever been betrayed? Not just disliked by someone or having someone ignore you because of your faith. The dictionary defines the word “betray” as: “to break faith with. To lead astray.”

I, recently, had someone close to me who betrayed me. (NO.....it was not a physical family member!  ) He was “closer than a brother” to me because we shared the same faith, fought the same battles, defended each other, prayed for each other, and wept when the other was sad or hurting. He helped Patty (my wife) and me through several really tough times and I looked up to him as a sparkling example of true Christianity…..until he “stabbed me in the back”.

As a really important topic came up within our church association, he vociferously and fervently defended my spiritual point of view. I was so very proud of him! Within a month, however, for whatever reason, he called to tell me I was “wrong” and that he had “decided that the other side was correct.” No Scripture references were given and one, skewed reference to 16th-century writing was offered that, for the life of me, I could not see as pertinent! I felt betrayed. That betrayal came to a head as two out of three vocations of mine, one by one, were taken from me.

Stunned, I confronted him but amongst others he was quiet and in private he continued to “dig in” with rationalization; all to my heartache. I felt like a family member had died. (I’ve seen quite a few passes away at this point in my life, BTW.)

Could Jesus understand what I was going through? The word “betray” and derivations of it, are used 46 times in the Bible! The Savior knew what betrayal was like. Judas, who walked with Him, talked with Him, stood up for Him, etc., sold out his friendship with Christ for 30 pieces of silver to the Jews. Judas even led the way to the Garden of Gethsemane, identifying the Lord for the soldiers with a kiss! It must have really hurt. Jesus can relate when those whom we love and trust betray us. But His love was so strong that He died for Judas, too, and for all those who “broke faith” with us.

So, when we are betrayed, like Jesus, we can cry and pray and try to get the betrayer to “see the light”. I remember one member of a church of mine who convinced me that “all was right” in his marriage. It was not. On the side he was having sex with another woman; eventually moving in with her. I confronted him and he said some pretty bad things. Years later he called me; saying, “I’m so sorry for betraying you pastor. Can you forgive me?” I assured him I could and Jesus did. The Redeemer is our constant source of faithfulness and truth. He is the Rock to which we try to bring our betrayers back in this life. May God continue to grant it, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.