The Sin Of Betrayal

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.