It is highly interesting and instructive to follow the divine commentary on Demas. He was no doubt a true child of God, and his history furnishes us with needed warnings. Very little is said about him, but the three verses that mention him speak volumes. Let us turn first to Philemon, verse 24: "Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellow laborers."
Here Demas is mentioned in the Apostle Paul's salutation in company with himself and three others. He is called a fellow laborer with that beloved and faithful servant of Christ. What a privilege was his to serve the Lord in such company!
There was also Luke, the beloved physician and writer of "The Acts of the Apostles," and of the Gospel bearing his name.
Mark, the writer of another gospel, is in the company; of him the same Apostle could write later and say, "he is profitable unto me."
Then there was Aristarchus, whose faithfulness soon caused. him to be a "fellow prisoner" with Paul.
There had been a bright day in Demas' history when he started out to serve his Lord. How long he continued in this path we do not know, but it was a bright beginning. Many other young Christians have started out well and have sought in their measure and sphere to follow and serve the Lord.
Young Christian, it is well for you when you reach a decision to wholly follow the Lord, and to let your light shine in this dark world. This requires real "purpose of heart," and grace and strength from the Lord. To attempt it in your own strength would only end in failure.
The next account of Demas is in Col. 4:1414Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you. (Colossians 4:14), where the same Apostle in closing his letter to the saints at Colosse gives the salutations. See how touchingly he speaks of Luke the beloved physician, and then only says, "and Demas." It must have grieved the Apostle to be unable to say more of Demas. Evidently something was wrong. It was what he did not say that expressed his feeling. Demas was still with Paul, and outwardly all may have looked well; but this now aged servant of the Lord felt and knew that all was not well, and could only say, "and Demas." This was unprofitable for Demas, and it is unprofitable for any of us when an aged and faithful servant of Christ giving account of his labors to the Lord, has to mention any of us with grief (see Heb. 13:1717Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17)).
Dear young Christian, if a faithful and wise servant of the Lord were writing a letter today and mentioning various ones by name, would he only refer to you as "and -"? Would your name be there without comment? Would one walking with the Lord discern that your heart had grown cold? Remember that when the heart grows cold toward the Lord, and other objects have taken His place in your affections, the next steps will surely follow as we next read of Demas.
Now what had secretly pained the Apostle has come to light and borne fruit. Demas has now given up the path of service and faithfulness to the Lord which in brighter days he had chosen.
First, he had grown cold in heart; now his feet too have gone back. How sad! Yet, this is but the history of many dear young Christians who allowed something, probably very small at first, to come between their hearts and the Lord. For a time all may seem to go on well, and their brethren may think so; but if the heart goes after any other object, the feet will someday follow the heart.
We also learn from this verse the secret of what drew away the heart of Demas; he loved this present world. What a sad exchange! He had forsaken the fountain of living waters and hewn out a broken cistern that could not hold water (see Jer. 2:1313For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13)). This poor world had come between his soul and the Lord—this world of which we read,
"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." 1 John 2:15-1715Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:15‑17).
This world is too small to satisfy our hearts here, and the love of it now is a great loss for eternity.
"Should we to gain the world's applause,
Or to escape its harmless frown,
Refuse to countenance Thy cause,
And make Thy people's lot our own?
What shame would fill us in that day,
When Thou Thy glory wilt display?"
The name Demas means "popular." Perhaps that gives a clue as to his declension. Popularity in this world is a deadly snare. Often the world has smiled on a young Christian, and granted him a measure of popularity, to his spiritual ruin. What is popularity but the "friendship of the world"?
May we seek rather to walk with. God, and seek His testimony that we please Him, than all the smiles of the world. The world did not know the Lord Jesus when He was here; and if we walk more as He walked, it will know us less too.
If something has already dimmed the glory, and supplanted Christ in your heart, go and tell Him all about it. Make a full confession, and put away whatever it is; and you will know the joy of finding Him just the same.
"Still sweet 'tis to discover,
If clouds have dimmed my sight,
When passed, Eternal Lover,
Toward me, as e'er, Thou'rt bright.
0 keep my soul, then, Jesus,
Abiding still with Thee;
And if I wander, teach me
Soon back to Thee 'to flee."