Knowing the end of the story today, are you a Faithful or are you a Traitor?
There is an interesting reality competition on NBC called The Traitors. It’s a series that brings together a group of people, who are sent on missions to win as much money as they can towards a $250,000 pot. But there is a catch! There are Traitors amidst the Faithfuls—and the Traitors must be weeded out!
The Profiles of a Faithful and a Traitor
If you are familiar with the Parable of the Sower, you will remember that a farmer scattered seeds. “Some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew and choked the plants. Still other seed feel on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown” (Matthew 13:4-8).
Jesus explained the parable to his disciples. He said, “When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful” (vv.19-23).
Jesus’ explanation of the first part of the parable talks about the multi-faceted profile of a traitor. First, there is the evil one—the devil, the ultimate traitor, who simply grabs those who do not have discernment for God’s Word. Second, the traitor whose joyful reception of God’s Word is short-lived. It didn’t take long to walk away. Third, the traitor who allowed God’s Word to die because of the world’s deceit and lies. What a total loss and shame, especially for those who “have tasted and seen that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8). Hebrews is clear: “It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age and who have fallen away, to be brought back to repentance. To their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace… Land that produces thistles and thorns is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned” (6:4-6, 8).
Another Seed
But we should not forget that Jesus did talk about another seed. He said, “But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown” (Matthew 13:23). This is the faithful one, the one who can proudly declare these words from Psalm 119:
“Your word is a lamp for my feet,
a light on my path…
Your statutes are wonderful;
therefore I obey them.
The unfolding of your words gives light;
it gives understanding to the simple.
I open my mouth and pant,
longing for your commands” (vv.105, 129-131).
Let the faithful not be deceived!
Two women, who both profess faith in Jesus Christ, colluded to strip another believer of what was discussed and promised. When later confronted about what happened to the promises, one said, “I changed my mind.” The other decided to stay quiet and went along with the lie.
Let the faithful not be deceived! “God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows,” the Apostle Paul warned the Galatian church (6:7). In this chapter, Paul was teaching about a faithful caught in sin and what needed to be done. He said, “You who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted” (v.1). He continued, “Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction” (v.8).
In one episode of The Traitors, Peter, a Faithful hot on the tracks of a traitor, was offered the chance to join the Traitors. He turned down the recruitment and chose to remain a Faithful, even if he knew that his time would be coming to an end sooner than later. He could not be tempted to participate in slinging lies to banish and “murder” his own friends!
In the same way, the faithful believers of Jesus Christ are being asked to continue cultivating their faithfulness no matter what. It is not enough to continue professing our faithfulness in words. We are told that even if we are at an advantage, we should not use our position to backstab our fellow believers. This serves only as an introduction to the slippery slope of becoming a traitor of the faith. Paul was never negligent in his reminder to the Church. He wanted successful followers of Jesus to be “blameless and pure, ‘children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation’” (Philippians 2:15).
Yes, the cultural landscape is looking bleaker each day, with many even rooting for a brutal end to the Faithfuls of Jesus. Treachery is seeping into the Church, with traditional theological perspectives mixing with progressive and inclusive teachings. The call for love to abound is more about loving those outside of the faith, couched in compassion and accepting what is abominable to God. Paul’s prayer, the call to love, is to “abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that [we] may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:9).
God Will Banish the Traitors in the End
It is often difficult for us to wait for an ending. Will the Faithfuls win? Or will the Traitors triumph?
First, we need to remain strong in the faith by devoting ourselves to doing what we say we believe…and behaving as we ought to. Sometimes it’s hard to work out our faith, but we are encouraged “to obey not just in the presence of others, but much more in private—continuing to work out our salvation with fear and trembling…” (Philippians 2:12-13, paraphrased).
Here’s Jude’s call to perseverance: “’In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.’ These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit” (vv.18-19). The Traitors will not cease with their deceit, targeting the Faithfuls and hoping to stumble them and eliminate them from the race set by Jesus.
But we should take heart and look forward to hearing our Master say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:23). Chapter 19 of Revelation opens with these words—and we can partake in glorious worship:
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
for true and just are his judgments…
Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
both great and small!
Hallelujah!
For our Lord God almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear” (2, 5-8).
Surely, a song of triumph will gladden the hearts of the Faithfuls! John himself saw the heavens open and before him was “a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful…” (v.11). Did you notice that Jesus Himself is called “Faithful”? He gives us the same title as we follow Him. In the end, “the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple [in the city] … Nothing impure will ever enter it, not will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (21:22, 27).
Knowing the end of the story today, are you a Faithful or are you a Traitor?
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/vladans
Luisa Collopy is an author, speaker and a women’s Bible study teacher. She also produces Mula sa Puso (From the Heart) in Tagalog (her heart language), released on FEBC Philippines stations. Luisa loves spending time with her family over meals and karaoke!
