THE WORST BETRAYAL IS WHEN IT COMES FROM A LOVED ONE!

Et tu Brutus – “You too Brutus!”

“I do not know the man!” Simon Peter’s denial of his Lord, Jesus Christ!

The propensity of a bad action becomes more significant when it comes from a loved one or a friend. In the Book of Obadiah 1:11 “Even thou was one of them.” Brotherly kindness was due from Edom to Israel in the time of need, but instead thereof, the men of Esau made common cause with Israel’s foes. Special stress in the sentence before us is laid upon the word “thou; as when Caesar cried out “Et tu Brutus,” when he found out that his most trusted friend was one of his assassins.

When we sin, who are the chosen favorites of heaven, we sin with an emphasis; ours is a crying offense, because we are so peculiarly indulged. If an angel should lay his hand upon us when we are doing evil, he need not use any other rebuke than the question, “What thou? What does thou here?” Much forgiven, much delivered, much instructed, much enriched, much blessed, shall we dare to put forth our hand unto evil? God forbid!

A few minutes of confession may be beneficial to us this day. Have we never been as the wicked? When hard things were spoken concerning the ways of God, were we bashfully silent; and so on–lookers, we were one of them. When world-lings were bartering in the market, and driving hard bargains, were we not as one of them? When they were pursuing vanity with a hunter’s foot, were we not as greedy for gain as they were. Could any difference be discerned between us and them? Is there any difference?

Here we come to close quarters. Let us be honest with our souls, and make sure that we are new creatures in Christ Jesus; but when this is sure, we must walk jealously, lest any should again be able to say, “Even thou were one of them.” We do not desire to share their eternal doom, why then we should be like one of them? Let us come not into their secret, lest we come into their ruin. Let us side with the afflicted people of God, and not with the world.

We are not different than Simon Peter!

We read in Mark 14:72 “And when he thought thereon, he wept.” It has been thought by some that as long as Simon Peter lived, the fountain of his tears began to flow whenever he remembered his denying his Lord. It is not unlikely that it was so, for his sin was very great, and grace in him had afterwards a perfect work. This same experience is common to all the redeemed family according to the degree in which the Spirit of God has removed the natural heart of stone.

We, like Peter, remember our boastful promise: “Though all men shall forsake Thee, yet will not I.” We eat our own words with the bitter herbs of repentance. When we think of what we vowed we would be, and what we have been, we may weep whole showers of grief. Peter thought on his denying his Lord. The place in which he did it, the little cause which led him into such heinous sin, the oaths and blasphemies with which he sought to confirm his falsehood, and the dreadful hardness of heart which drove him to do it again and yet again. Can we, when we are reminded of our sins, and their exceeding sinfulness, remain stolid and stubborn? Will we not make our house a Bochim, and cry unto the Lord for renewed assurances of pardoning love? May we never take a dry-eyed look at sin, lest ere long we have a tongue parched in the flames of hell!

Peter also thought on his Master’s look of love. The Lord followed up the cock’s warning voice with an admonitory look of sorrow, pity, and love. That glance was never out of Peter’s mind so long as he lived. It was far more effectual than ten thousand sermons would have been without the Spirit. The penitent apostle would be sure to weep when he recollected the Savior’s full forgiveness, which restored him to his former place. To think that we have offended so kind and good a Lord is more than sufficient reason for being constant weepers. Lord, smite out rocky hearts, and make the water flow!

We have more hope than we can imagine!

In John 6:37 “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” No limit is set to the duration of this promise. It does not merely say, “I will not cast out a sinner at his first coming,” but, “I will in no wise cast out.” The original reads, “I will not, not cast out,” or “I will never, never cast out.” The text means, that Christ will not at first reject a believer; and that as He will not at first, so He will not to the last.

But suppose the believer sins after coming? “If any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” But suppose that the believer backslides? “I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for Mine anger is turned away from them. But believers may fall under temptation! “God is faithful, who will not suffer us to be tempted about that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” But the believer may fall into sin as David did! Yes, but He will “Purge them with hyssop, and they shall be clean; He will wash them and they shall be whiter than snow”; “From all their iniquities will I cleanse them.”

“Once in Christ, in Christ for ever,

Nothing from His love can sever.”

“I give unto My sheep,” saith He, “eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” What sayest thou to this, O trembling feeble mind? Is not this a precious mercy, that  coming to Christ, thou dost not come to One who will treat thee well for a little while, then send thee about thy business, but He will receive thee and make thee His bride, and thou shalt be His for ever! Receive no longer the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the spirit of adoption whereby thou shalt cry, Abba, Father! Oh! The grace of these words “I will in no wise cast out.”