The Story of a Traitor

We all know the story: Edmund Pevensie betrayed his own brother and sisters, choosing candy from the White Witch over his own family. "What a disgusting show of cowardice and selfish stupidity," I tend to think, only liking Edmund because of his redeeming actions later on in the story. Somehow, it doesn’t seem that anything I do could ever be quite as low as Edmund’s deeds.
But then I can't help but imagine the other version of Edmund's story--the way that I usually live it.
In this version, Aslan gives his life in a heart-rending, never-to-be-forgotten sacrifice to free Edmund from his ruthless captor. Then, in yet another never-to-be-forgotten explosion of power, Aslan returns to life, and you breathe a sigh of relief—the story is about to come to a beautiful close. Think again, and imagine this: the next night, Edmund simply cannot resist the neon lure of the evil woman’s indulgences. So he slinks off into the darkness, makes his way toward the twin mountains, slips through the icy door of the palace that was once his torture chamber, and stands exuberantly in the eery, evil presence of the White Witch--yet again!
My mouth is open in horror! How despicable that Edmund would toss aside Aslan’s greatest sacrifice and return to the evil that had enslaved him! Doesn't he know what the White Witch would do to him? I can't say for sure, but I would venture that the scene of her revenge would be so gruesome that it would never make a PG rated movie.
As apalling as this alternate ending may be, it is often the standard ending for Christians, including myself.
Satan is our mortal adversary, but we often treat him as a peddler of sweets! The truth is that he should own no ground in our soul, conduct no trade with our body, and entice no part of a our mind.

It is only through Christ’s sacrifice that we live. Yet every time we sin we turn from Christ to Satan, the hater of our souls. We do this daily, feel bad, and repent, only to start the cycle over again. Thus we inexcusably play Benedict Arnold to Jesus and submit to being imprisoned by the devil! Those whom we most despise and loathe are traitors, yet we act as Benedict Arnold, Judas, and Edmund every day.
Let us grieve inconsolably for our sin that nailed Jesus to the cross. Let us know that the White Witch is dead to us, and let us not raise her up. “Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin….Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:6,7,11)”
Matthew Henry wrote, “Most men continue shut up as in a dark dungeon, in love with their sins, being blinded and lulled asleep by Satan, through worldly pleasures, interests, and pursuits. (Concise Commentary on Galatians 3:23-25)”
Let us not be most men then, for they are traitors. Let us believe Christ when He said, “It is finished (John 19:30)”, turn our back on Apollyon and his enticements, and run to Christ, who is ever loving and forgiving no matter how apalling our betrayal.
Personally, I think it’s a much better end to the story.

Picture from www.empireonline.com/.../5.asp