Demas has forsaken me

The title to the right is an abbreviation of what Rav Sha’ul (Paul) wrote in 2 Timothy 4:10. This statement is part of the conclusion of his second letter to Timothy, expressing his concerns, desires, and needs. He begins with Demas. In verse 10, he writes, “for Demas, having loved this present world, has forsaken me, and gone to Thessalonica.”

These are chilling words, because at one time, Demas apparently had a very close relationship with Rav Sha’ul and with God. He mentions Demas as being among his beloved brethren in Colossians 4:14. Demas was with Rav Sha’ul in Rome, along with others, such as the beloved Luke, who was Rav Sha’ul’s personal physician. Rav Sha’ul was in prison, apparently awaiting trial. During this time, he was writing letters to various congregations, many of which have found their way into the Newer Testament. 

In Philemon 24, Rav Sha’ul refers to Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke as “my fellow workers.” Demas was apparently a very close friend and co-worker with Rav Sha’ul. However, years later, when he wrote his second letter to Timothy, he said, “for Demas, having loved this present world, has forsaken me, and gone to Thessalonica.”

He had abandoned Paul and his faith in Yeshua. Why? It was because he “loved this present world.” He loved the pleasures of this world more than he loved his Savior. 

Many years ago, I had a friend who was at one time a fellow hippy. He was radically saved, with a complete change in lifestyle. When I was a new believer so long ago, he was a great encouragement to me. He had been a heavy user of various drugs, but was now “addicted” to Jesus. He and I would spend time together during lunch and coffee breaks at work, fellowshipping and studying the Bible together. 

I lost contact with him over the years. However, another friend shared with me that this man had abandoned God and became addicted to crack cocaine. He left his wife and kids, and was living alone as a hermit. Something happened, perhaps a bad experience at the church he was attending. He returned to his old lifestyle. Perhaps like Demas, he “loved this present world” more than he loved God.

We have seen many others fall away from the Lord. They haven’t always abandoned faith entirely. Some have simply gone off on a spiritual tangent. One fellow used to attend Petah Tikvah. He acted like he was some sort of Super Jew. He went down south, trying to convince Messianic congregations that he should be their rabbi. However, he was always rejected. Years later, he surprised us by visiting us during one of our Shabbat services. He was wearing a long black robe with a large crucifix hanging down on his chest. He had converted to an Eastern Orthodox Christian sect and had become a monk!

Other Messianic Jewish friends from years ago converted to Catholicism. One of them led a Messianic Jewish congregation in Buffalo, which he handed over to Rav Frank Lowinger, who has led that congregation for 39 years.

Another former member of Petah Tikvah left us and eventually renounced Yeshua and converted to Orthodox Judaism. We also had good Messianic Jewish friends who lived in the southern New York State who eventually renounced Yeshua and became part of Chabad.

We also were friends of Messianic rabbis in California and Florida who eventually become rabbinically Torah-observant. This means that they were strictly observing traditions that were not mandated in Scripture, but were and are traditionally observed in Orthodox Judaism. The one in California made aliyah to Israel and is now a Chassid, and is part of a Chassidic congregation in Israel. There have also been many Christian pastors and tele-evangelists who have fallen into adulterous affairs after gaining much material wealth.

HaSatan (the Adversary) is actively trying to destroy those of faith. I believe that there is far more truth in Messianic Judaism than in most of Christianity. Therefore, Messianic Judaism is a particular threat to HaSatan. He especially likes to attack the head, meaning the leaders in Messianic Judaism.

Whether you are a new believer or a disciple of Yeshua for many decades, you are not immune to the devices of the enemy. There are many spiritual deceptions that can entrap us. And, as with Demas, it can be the pleasures of this world. I take no pleasure in seeing people fall from the faith. All of us are susceptible. “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).” Also, “Forsake not the assembling of ourselves together, as is the habit of some, but exhort one another, so much the more as you see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:25).” Zooming is okay in a pinch, but we really need “in person” fellowship.

Source: http://petahtikvah.com/Articles/DemasHasForsakenMe.htm