THE
TRAGEDY OF DEMAS’ DECLINE!
Philemon
24
24
Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers.
Col
4:14
14
Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.
2
Tim 4:10
10
For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world,
and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
Philemon was written earlier than
Colossians and Second Timothy. It is tragic to imagine the gradual
decline of Demas whom Paul referred to as “my fellow laborer.” Demas was in
grand company with John Mark and Luke. He labored with their same resources and
the same zeal and, we might think, with the same results.
There is some evidence that Demas was
from Thessalonica
and joined Paul’s troupe there. As long as he was serving he was held aloft
from the world. As long as he was serving he was safe. But it seems that he was
an earthling in exile. He inwardly longed for the things that this world held.
We can’t be certain of the things that drew him back but John Bunyan speculated
that it was the desire for money and wealth, things that ministry in those days
would not provide. Perhaps it was simply the allure of a more relaxed way of
living. Perhaps he was weary with the pressure of expectations. Perhaps he was
just tired of being good. Paul is silent, perhaps because
of grief.
Years dragged by and Demas’ conflicted
heart caused his fidelity to fade. Little by little you could see it.
Perhaps Paul had tried to head it off with some wise counsel and prayer but
Demas did not respond. I can imagine the sorrowful scene when Demas informs
Paul that he was quitting the evangelistic team. He was going home and there
was no staying him.
How can we avoid a fate like this? Is there a
formula for success? Is there one devilish thing we should watch out for? Well,
if you look carefully at Paul’s brief explanation you will see that Demas’
problems were internal. He was the problem. It was the focus of his
love! “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world!”
James
1:27
27
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the
fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world.
Dear
Lord, I live in a world of great temptations and allurements but I am bound for
a world where the half of its wonders has never been told. Help me to keep my
heart rightly focused. AMEN
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