Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him.
   - Mark 14:10-11

Judas was a covetous man. He loved money, a very common love in every age. He had walked in company with the Lord Jesus. He had heard His words, seen His ways, experienced His kindness. But alas! he had no heart for Christ.

Be it observed that Judas' acquaintance with the ways of Christ made him a fit person for Satan to use to betray Him. Mere knowledge of sacred things, if the heart be not touched, renders a person more awfully callous, profane, and wicked.

It is not that we would make little of scriptural knowledge, but there is such a thing as knowing the letter of Scripture so as to be able to repeat chapter after chapter, verse after verse, and all the while have a heart which is cold and callous toward Christ. Such knowledge will only throw a person more into the hands of Satan. The devil never takes ignorant men or stupid men to act against the truth of God. No, he finds fitter agents, the learned, the intellectual, the deep-thinking, to do his work.

Think of this! Here was an apostle -- a preacher of the gospel -- in a high position; yet, underneath there was a heart that had not even a corner for Jesus. What a picture! What a warning! Oh! all ye who claim to be Christians, think of Judas! He preached the gospel, but he never knew it, never believed it, never felt it. He had no heart for Christ.

You who call yourselves Christians, beware of head knowledge, lip profession, official piety, mechanical religion -- beware of these things, and seek to have a heart for Christ.

C. H. Mackintosh