The N
ew York Times headline read, “Terror Attacks Could Change Paths of Faith.” Journalist Peggy Noonan proclaimed, “God is back!” These comments were made the week following the 9/11 attack on New York City. The Barna Group’s researchers reported that there was a 24% spike in church attendance, that’s 28 million more worshipers. But the change was short lived. A few weeks later the headlines read, “It’s Worship as Usual.” That’s because there was a change in the weather. Things were getting back to normal. No need to panic anymore and run toward the Lord. It was business as always for these fair-weather believers.
Jesus spoke about fair-weather Christians in his parable of the seed and the sower. Fair weather Christians come in two types. Type A are those who stay with the Lord until things go bad or they are enticed away. Then they run for the hills, never to be seen again. Type B are just the opposite. These people stay away from the Lord, keeping their distance until times get really rough. Then they flock to the Lord’s side until things improve enough to leave—until the next tragedy calls for a magic solution to their problems. Some of the 9/11 worshipers were a weak form of Type B.
Demas was a Type A fair-weather Christian. His is a sad story, because it shows both his faithfulness in ministry and his exit. Demas was a fellow missionary with Paul and a dear compatriot. In his letter to the Colossians, Paul wrote, “Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings” (4:14). Paul also wrote in Philemon: “Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends you greetings. And so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas and Luke” (verse 23 and 24).
But something happened to Demas. “Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica” (2 Timothy 4:9,10). How could anyone go from being a zealous missionary one minute to a deserter the next? It was “because he loved this world” (4:9). Demas’ world enticed him, and he succumbed.
That’s the same world we live in today. The temptation might be popularity, beauty, wealth, power, or pleasure. Demas lived in a different place at a different time, but the sins of this world entice just as much today as they did then.
Demas was a fair-weather Christian who remained true to the Lord until . . . How many of those same situations don’t we still see today?
We should strive to be all-weather Christians! These people remain true to the Lord through the good times and bad. They are the ones who overcome.
“To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life” (Revelation 2:7).
“To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna” (Revelation 2:17).
“To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations” (Revelation 2:26).
“He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white” (Revelation 3:5).
“Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God” (Revelation 3:12).
“To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne” (Revelation 3:21).
All-weather Christians are “overcomers.” They have taken up the armor of God and valiantly protected their souls during the good days and the bad. They are the faithful ones who will be victorious. “He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son” (Revelation 21:7).
Prayer thought: Pray for our children and grandchildren, that they may have the strength to overcome Satan’s schemes and remain true to the Lord.
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