Scripture Spotlight

Useful for Service

David Scott Fields II, Senior Writer • June 11, 2019

I spent several hours in Colossians 4 today. Most of the chapter is Paul’s final greetings to the church at Colosse from the members of his group. While many might skim over these names, I decided to dig a little deeper and was saddened to learn about a member of Paul’s group named Demas.

We learn later in 2 Timothy 4:10 that “…Demas, having loved this present world…deserted [Paul] and [went] to Thessalonica…” This should be a sober reminder to any Christian that no matter how elite a ministry you attach yourself to, you cannot love this sinful world and Christ. The two loves are incompatible. If you try to love both you will fail. In fact, the Bible puts it this way in James 4:4, “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”

Demas had one of the most prolific authors of scripture as his teacher and he still fell into the sinful love of the world – and by extension he became an enemy of God. Scripture never reveals if Demas ultimately repented, but contrasting his story is that of John Mark who also abandoned the ministry and caused a sharp argument between Paul and Barnabas. We read in Acts 15:37-39:

Barnabas wanted to take John, called Mark, along with them also. But Paul kept insisting that they should not take him along who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not gone with them to the work. And there occurred such a sharp disagreement that they separated from one another, and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus” (NASB).

Though Mark’s sin caused division and sorrow for a time, he was ultimately restored. Only a few verses after we learn of Demas’s defection, Paul writes of Mark in 2 Tim. 4:11, “Pick up Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for service.”

The point here is that if you have fallen, you should confess your sin, repent and submit to the correction and discipline of the Lord. 1 John 1:9 is clear, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (NASB). Then in His time, after sanctifying your heart, He will make you useful for service again.