The “Judas Syndrome”, as I named it, refers to the act of betrayal to the faith of God and perpetuating lies or falsehoods against the Lord and his followers. The act of betrayal occurs within the faithful group as Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus Christ.
This syndrome is quite prevalent today. Anti-Mormon’s use the errors or apostate acts by certain members to declare the doctrine of this Church as false or declare this Church and it’s members as evil.
How easily the Anti-Mormon’s forget the story of Judas, an apostle chosen by Jesus himself, brought into the fold of God. Judas betrayed Jesus by taking a bribe to turn Jesus over to the Romans. This story and example of Judas is what we see today. How some members have betrayed their faith in God to partake of sin. Of course Satan wants this. By leading some members to fall to sin, he knows that the ignorance of others will use that as an example against the Church and spread rumours and lies. This is why God called Satan as the “father of all lies”.
Let’s look at this closely.
Did the choice Jesus make, placing Judas an apostle, discredit him or his Church? Anti-Christians would say yes, but a true faithful person would counter and say “No”. Do you see the similarity here?
The betrayal by Judas did not stop the onset of the Early Christian Church and did not stop the truth that the Church of Christ is a true Church. The betrayal by Judas did not tarnish the beliefs of the true Christians who carried on with faith in Jesus and in his true Church. Yet it is easy to proclaim Christianity as false because of the apostate actions of Judas.
Do you see the ignorance in denying Jesus based on the immoral actions of Judas? Still, many fall to this ignorance when attacking the LDS Church because of “immoral actions” of some members.
Today, there are Judases abound and what the example in the Bible shows is that the Lord’s true Church and doctrine is not without a Judas or two. It is the nature of the flesh, of sin, of evil. If a person fails to see this, they are then truly not Christian and not faithful.
It was prophesied by God that many Saints will fall in the latter days and so true it is as we can see, but does this deny or discredit the truth of this Holy Church of God? – Nay, it does not. As with Judas in the Bible he suffered greatly for his betrayal of the faith and so will any member of this Church who commits sin while being a member under the covenant.
Do the foul actions of any person in the Church deter my faith in this Church and the truth that it is God’s true Church?
Nay!
How easy it is to fail to see that apostate actions do not reflect the doctrine of this Church, they reflect the doctrines of evil chosen by that apostate person. Judas was not a reflection of the Doctrine of the Father in heaven that Jesus spoke, but detractors will want you to believe that immoral actions of one person or a few, denounces the doctrine and truth about this LDS Church. They prefer blind hate instead of common sense and truth.
Faith and truth is not determined by the ignorant actions of others, whether in the Church or out of it. Faith is “spiritually discerned”, but the natural man cannot know or see this (1 Cor 2:14 ). It is also by the Spirit that any faithful, sincere and humble person can determine if this Church is true. It is never by some mindless automaton mentality that seeks to use apostate acts as their “manner of truth” to deny God’s Church. For they will also suffer the sins of their actions against God as did Judas.
What can we do about this issue?
Nothing. If some members choose to sin and not face their problems in their life, there is nothing any person can do but leave those members to face justice. All we can do is remain faithful, do what we are required to do by the covenant and the gospel. If the Anti-Mormon’s or any person refuses to see their own ignorance on the matter, we leave their ignorance to them.
What this shows me is that the Anti-Mormon’s have their religion. The religion of the betrayer, that of Judas.
This Church of Jesus Christ is still the true Church of God.
Amen
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