There are two important lessons shining out from what happened to the Apostle Judas Iscariot. They are:
● ONE: There is NO eternal security.
● TWO: Our spiritual warfare, as Christians, is very intense.
For your sake, drop all preconceived ideas and take a fresh look at what the Bible says about Judas.
NO Eternal Security
There is NO eternal security or once saved always saved. The sooner people accept this as fact, the better it will be for them. Judas is a definite example of a saved person, who later lost his salvation. What happened to him destroys the once saved always saved myth doctrine. It blows it out of the water, as some might say in our day.
The reason this is so is because Judas was once saved but went to hell after his death (Mk. 14:21; John 17:12). If it wasn’t so clear that he went to hell, the grace changers would probably say he was a “trophy of grace” even though he turned to such wickedness. Because of that detail they are forced to teach, as unscriptural and ludicrous as that might be, he was never saved.
Of course, the perpetrators of the once saved always saved gospel MUST take issue with that or give up the whole basis on which their theology is built. So it is not surprising at all that they adamantly deny Judas ever had salvation. So how do they do it? Their flawed and weak arguments are these:
● He was called a devil and son of perdition
● Was became a thief
● Satan entered into him
● He betrayed Jesus
While all of those things are true, none prove he never had salvation prior to that dark period of his life. Because once saved always saved sometimes (but not all the time), denies a saved person can afterwards backslide to that degree, they confuse the issue of his previous salvation enough to protect their doctrine before the eyes of those who want an excuse to remain in that belief system. Let’s see if he was ever saved, according to the Bible. Are you ready for the facts?
Evidence Of Salvation
●●1. When we first hear of Judas he was the Lord’s disciple, just like the rest of the Twelve (Mt. 10:1-4). That fact is enough to prove he once had salvation. There is no need to go any further! Judas is proven to have been saved at that point. How can we be sure? Because to be Jesus’ disciple is also to be part of his spiritual family:
Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mat 12:49-50)
Did you know the once saved always saved teachers deny the fact that Jesus’ disciples are his spiritual family. Why? Because if someone finds out Judas Iscariot was once Jesus’ disciple and, such are saved, then eternal security is automatically refuted. That’s why!
So, if you maintain Judas was never saved, then you will also have to deny Jesus’ disciples are his spiritual family in contrast to Scripture. Are you willing to do that? Other Scriptures also prove the same truth. To be Jesus’ disciple, one must forsake everything:
In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:33)
Judas did that too or he couldn’t have been the Lord’s disciple. Hence, he was once saved, based on the Bible.
●●2. Judas was also an apostle, placed there by the Lord Jesus. An apostle is the highest office in the church. Therefore, Judas was part of the church at that time:
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (Eph 4:11,12)
That is also crystal clear. Judas would have to be saved at that time, to hold such an office. The icing on the cake is, the Lord Jesus Himself placed him there! That means, to deny he was saved at that time is also to say Jesus put an unsaved man in the highest church office, which is blasphemy.
It would also be saying Jesus sinned because of the strict spiritual qualifications to be in spiritual leadership, as proven in 1 Tim. 3 and Titus 1. Judas was definitely saved or Jesus sinned by placing him there, which is impossible. That is your dilemma, if you believe in eternal security!
●●3. The Lord Jesus also promised Judas a throne in heaven with the other Twelve:
Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Mat 19:28)
So the evidence is over-whelming. Judas was once saved. Just because he afterwards backslid into gross wickedness, which included stealing and betraying Jesus, is not so strange, is it?
Eternal security people teach a saved person can backslide into adultery and murder like David, and disown Jesus 3 times, as Peter did. Eternal security people also maintain the prodigal retained his salvation when in wild living and being with prostitutes! They don’t ever say the Prodigal was never saved to begin with! So, Judas turning to great wickedness does NOT disprove he once had eternal life.
For the Lord to call him a devil and son of perdition only proves how God looks at people who turn to sin like he did. Judas went from disciple to devil, as far as the Lord was concerned.
To say Judas was never saved is to also say Peter was never saved because Jesus called him Satan at one point and told him to get behind him (Mt. 16:23).
To cite a Scripture which shows satan entered into Judas, when he was backslidden, only proves how a person can open himself up to that extreme by turning away from God, as Judas did. It doesn’t prove he was never saved.
●●4. The Lord Jesus sent Judas out to spread his truth and heal people as his holy representative in the early days. That was after the Lord Jesus specially empowered him with unique spiritual authority to cast out demons and heal the sick (Mt. 10:1).
It is ludicrous and blasphemous to teach the Lord Jesus would have a child of the devil do that. So wake up! Don’t just believe what is popularly taught about Judas to save the dangerous false teaching of the perseverance of the saints. Once saved always saved is false. Let the Scriptures control your beliefs not the majority!
Our Spiritual Warfare Is Very Intense
If you do reject the Biblical proof and continue to embrace Calvinism, you will also be flatly denying the intensity of our warfare. This intensity is especially shown by what happened to the Apostle Judas Iscariot. Why? Because Judas had the extreme advantage of:
●the BEST Godly fellowship
●hearing the BEST teachings
●observing the BEST example, because he was with the Lord Jesus.
Again, because Judas walked with Jesus for an extended time period in the early days, proves all of that.
Some people wrongly think if they only had: Godly fellowship, good teachings and a good example, they would never backslide. That is disproven by Judas because he had all of that and still backslid! So where did Judas go wrong?
Judas went wrong with his PERSONAL responsibilities to hold on to, to guard what he had, to avoid sin, etc.
The Judas example proves our personal spiritual responsibilities are vital. Jesus didn’t keep him saved, even though he neglected and violated God’s word at that point. He still went to hell, even though God once saved him and desires all people to be saved.
NOTE: To deny these lessons from Judas will not change them. They are still true and will always remain true! To deny them is to embrace various lies and false concepts which will have eternal adverse ramifications for you and others you influence.
To accept the Biblical evidence that Judas was once saved, and there is no eternal security is to also be more on guard for the various temptations, which will yet come your way. When Jesus said:
All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved (Mat 10:22)
He spoke those words to the Twelve, including Judas. Judas didn’t endure to the end. He lost his salvation and ended up in hell. The same can happen to you, if you are now a real Christian! Therefore, learn from Judas. Don’t deny these truths.
Do your part to keep yourself pure before God. Such is not a works salvation, but obedienceto God. It is God’s word which advises us to do this. So be on your guard.
Please consider getting our 801 page book refuting eternal security entitled, “The Believer’s Conditional Security.” There is MUCH in it that can help you better understand this salvation related subject. The Believer's Conditional Security
This book is the most exhaustive and comprehensive refutation to eternal security ever written. God bless you.
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Eternal Security - Doctrine of Demons
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