What ramifications can one expect when they betray someone? We all know the pain and heartache a person who HAS BEEN betrayed experiences, but what does that act do the betrayer themselves? Having recently gone through a betrayal myself, I believe, by the grace of God, that I have the answer to that question. When someone is betrayed, there is so much anger and hurt that takes root in their heart. However, the betrayer themselves have a much bigger problem to worry about.
I want to go to the book of Matthew chapter 5, and I want to go there because Jesus tells us exactly what to do if we have betrayed someone. Matthew 5:23-26 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.
Jesus commands us to be reconciled with those who have fault with us. And betrayal is very much a part of that scenario. Betrayal always comes from someone close to us. It never comes from a total stranger. That's why betrayal is what it is. Only someone close to us that we hold dear to our hearts and love unconditionally can inflict the true pain and heartache of betrayal.
Judas betrayed Jesus in the Garden of Gehtsemane with a kiss to indicate to the Roman soldiers which one was Christ. Judas was obviously close to the Lord. He'd been with him for 3 years hearing his teachings and witnessing the miracles Jesus performed. And yet, in spite of all of that, Judas still betrays him to the Scribes and Pharisees for thirty pieces of silver. Jesus obviously felt the pain of betrayal even though he knew what Judas was going to do before he even did it. He knew the day he chose Judas to be one of the twelve what Judas was going to do on that appointed day.
And when the arrested Jesus and Judas saw what was happening, he realized the depth of that betrayal. And it's when he did that I want to bring to light for anyone here who has betrayed someone in their lifetime. Matthew 27:3-4, "When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.”
"Betrayed INNOCENT blood". That's what happens when we betray someone. We sin by betraying innocent blood. Blood that is spilled by that betrayal. It may not be physical, but blood is shed nonetheless. When you betray someone, you inflict a deep cut into the heart of the person you betrayed. And when that happens, the heart bleeds. I know this because, as I said earlier, I was recently betrayed by someone near and dear to me. And my heart bled spiritual blood when that happened, it ached with the pain of that betrayal and it literally felt like my heart was dying on the inside because I had been betrayed by someone I never thought would betray me.
Betrayal is one of the most painful, excruciating, incomprehensible and most devastating acts one can perpetrate on someone. It's cold. It's heartless and is possibly the most abominable things you could do to someone. When you betray someone, regardless of whatever reasons you may have, you literally and figuratively slash the very heart of the person you betray. You betray innocent blood because that person did nothing to you to deserve such an act.
And when you slash their heart, blood spills onto the ground just like it did when Cain killed his brother, Abel. That was a vicious act of betrayal. The first of its kind heard of in all of scripture. Cain was jealous of his brother. He envied all the favor Abel received from God and most likely his parents. And that jealousy overwhelmed him to the point that he went into a blind rage and murdered his own brother! Imagine what you do to a person when you betray them?
Proverbs 6:16-17, "There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood." There it is. Right there. God hates hands that shed innocent blood. And when you betray someone, that's exactly what you do! You shed innocent blood. That alone calls for conviction and repentance for your sin. But it doesn't stop there. No. There's more. Did you know that when you betray someone, you curse them? It's true. "How do I curse them?", you wonder. Simple, you curse them with abandonment, rejection, heartache, grief, loneliness, sorrow, and even mourning. All of these open the door for demonic spirits to slip through and haunt the victim's life.
And God promised us through Abraham in Genesis 12:3, "I will curse those who curse you." This is why we must be very careful how we treat others, especially those who have been saved by the grace of God and have dedicated themselves to the Lord. They are under the highest protection. And when you wrong them, God is quick to respond! He will stretch out his hand and keep his word to us to curse those who curse us.
This I also know for a fact because the one who betrayed me is experiencing the judgment of God as we speak. And God hasn't even really started yet. I suspect he's just getting warmed up. Makes me want to preach to a crowd and say, "Woe to you betrayers! Turncoats! The very hand of God is against you for what you have done!" Again, it's like when Cain killed his brother. God asked Cain, "What is this you have done? Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground!" When you betray someone, you betray innocent blood, you cause that blood to spill onto the ground and you release the judgment of God against you for that treachery. How many people are here today who have betrayed someone or have been betrayed by someone and the blood that was spilled is crying out to God even now?
Now, to the victims of betrayal, I want to remind you of what Jesus said about this. Matthew 6:14-15, "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." God commands us to forgive others. Even when we are betrayed. Not for their benefit, but for ours. We have to forgive them if we want God to forgive us. And if we don't forgive those who wronged us, God won't forgive us for wronging him. It's that simple. If you want the forgiveness of God, you must forgive anyone and everyone who has wronged you, who has sinned against you, or who has betrayed you. Otherwise, God will not forgive you for the sins you committed against him.
Now, let me tell you my story to help you understand where I'm coming from. I was dating a woman who I was so in love with. And I honestly believed she loved me every bit as much as I loved her. We were happy, we were in love, or so I thought, and we were overjoyed to have even found each other. Then a guy she knew from a few years back came around and started talking to her. Asking her out on dates and all. At first, he didn't know about me. She never told him. Her coworkers told him about me. And when he did find out about me, according to her, it made him even more determined to break us up and have her with him. Well, not to go into detail, but she ended up cheating on me with this man. And when I found that out, I was utterly shattered. My life was in pieces. It was like someone through a hammer through a window. Everything shattered and smashed in my heart when I found out about her betrayal.
There was no warning. No signs of trouble in paradise, you might say. She just up and betrayed me like it was nothing. Now, they're together and I'm out of the picture. I can't begin to describe the pain and heartache I feel over this. I am just now starting to mend and move on with my life. But the memory of her and what she did still lingers in my mind. God is helping me get through this, but you know he is already dealing with her and this man for what they did.
When you betray a child of God, God is so quick to respond to that betrayal. While he is comforting you, he is at work avenging his child who was hurt for no reason. And being our Heavenly Father, you can imagine the anger in his heart over what was done to one of his dear children. God is in full "Daddy Mode" right now over this deceit and I wouldn't even want to be a fly on the wall when he deals with these two over what they've done.
So, let's summarize. To the betrayer, you have sinned! Oh boy, have you sinned! Betrayed innocent blood. God hates hands that shed innocent blood and believe me, you shed innocent blood! You may not see it on your hands now, but if you don't repent, you WILL see it on the Great Day of Judgment when you stand before Almighty God to give account for your deeds. That blood will be dripping off of your hands before him and you will not be able to talk your way out of this one if that happens! By that time, it will be too late. Repent now! Before you stand before him.
Make peace! Jesus commanded us to be reconciled to our brother or sister who has fault with us before presenting our offering. God demands making amends with the person you've wronged or betrayed. Otherwise, repentance is not complete. In order for it to be true repentance in this case, you not only have to turn away, not just from the sin itself, but from the lifestyle you live that caused you to sin, but you have to go to the person you betrayed and make peace with them. "What if they don't forgive me?" Let God deal with that. You did what you were commanded to do. The rest is between God and that person.
To the victims of betrayal, forgive them. Remember what Jesus said when they nailed him to the cross? Luke 23:34, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." I want you to remember the people who betrayed you, in all honesty, have no idea what they did when they betrayed you. Because if they did, they never would've done it. Why? Because if they knew the consequences they would face with God himself, they would think very hard about betraying you or anyone. If they knew what kind of trouble they would get into with God for their deeds, they'd back pedal in a hurry! Let God deal with them. Let him comfort you. Let him handle this. Do you really think for one moment that you could extract more from revenge against your betrayers than God could? I seriously doubt it.
Now, I want to make one last plea with anyone here who has betrayed someone and has not repented of it. DO IT NOW! If you have betrayed someone in your lifetime and you have not repented of that or made amends with the person you betrayed, I'm telling you, in the eyes of God, you have INNOCENT blood on your hands! You have betrayed INNOCENT blood! You have cursed the person you betrayed with feelings that make it easy for the devil and his demons to infiltrate that person's life and cause even more chaos than you or I could possibly imagine! GOD HATES HANDS THAT SHED INNOCENT BLOOD! And believe you me, you shed innocent blood through your betrayal. And God is not going to turn a blind eye to that! He said in his word that he would bless those who bless us and curse those who curse us. What would rather have God do? Bless or curse? Repent of your sins, make peace with God, then go and make peace and atone for your betrayal to the one you betrayed.
