Judas Was Never A True Believer

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Some people argue that Judas was a saint, an apostle, and a Christian for all intents and purposes; and that he lost his salvation and went to hell. But as we will see, it is clear that he never had a saving faith. God keeps and protects anyone with genuine faith by His power (1 Peter 1:5).

There are two classes of wicked men spoken of in the scriptures. One of these classes is called sinners. They readily claim no allegiance to Jesus.

“If the righteous are barely saved, what will happen to godless sinners?”

1 Peter 4:18 NLT

The other is called “hypocrites,” “Pharisees,” “false teachers,” “false prophets,” and “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” They are the tares that grow among the wheat. They have a form of godliness, but know not the power of it; if possible, they would deceive the elect. They are also called “professors” because they claim to be of the faith, but in reality, are not true believers.

Simon Magus was among the saints, and yet he was in the gall of bitterness and bond of sin. The magicians in Moses’ day did very much like Moses; when they cast their rods down, they became serpents and many other wonders they wrought, yet they knew not God. Piety has been counterfeited, and every feature of faith has been abused in this way since the world began. We learn from 1 Corinthians 13, that men may speak with the tongues of men and angels, have the gift of prophecy, understand all mysteries and knowledge, and have all faith so that they could remove mountains, and after all this be nothing.

Judas: A Christian In Name Only

Charity seems to be needed to give real value or importance to the other gifts or graces. There is no evidence that Judas ever had this charity. Judas was undoubtedly chosen to the office of an apostle, took part in the ministry, and was numbered with the twelve. He may have had all the qualifications spoken of in 1 Corinthians 13 except charity.

Some people claim that when Satan entered him, he lost his salvation (John 13:27) but when you consider John 12:6, you will see he made a complaint when the ointment was poured on our Savior, saying it should have been sold and given to the poor. He said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he carried the bag. So he cared not for the poor long before Satan entered him.

By examining Matthew 26:14, you will see that Judas made sale of Jesus before Satan entered him. It would seem that Satan entered him, not to give him the will to do the deed, but to nerve him; for he had before this sought to betray him. Long before this was said of him, “He cared not for the poor;” so that if he was a Christian earlier, he cared not for the poor, and he had sought opportunity to betray the Lord.

Christ says, “Have I not chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil!” (John 6:70). He spoke of Judas, who should betray Him, being one of the twelve. Here Christ calls him a devil, at least from seven to nine days earlier, for it was he that should betray Him. So, how can any honest man say he was a Christian?

Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.

Acts 4:27-28 NIV

Here the whole work of the crucifixion was a subject of divine appointment; not to be done by Christian hands, but by “wicked hands.”

The part Judas took was important because it was fit for a devil more than a meek and lowly follower of Christ. Therefore Judas, “a devil,” was the man “that should betray Him.” This same Judas was seen and known by the Lord hundreds of years before, and pointed out as the traitor; and he then said of him, “Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein.” He is also said to have fallen, that he might go — where? — to his own place; therefore, if he went to hell, hell was his own place, and his own place before he fell.

Our Savior did not need anyone to testify to Him of what was in man, for He knew all things. He therefore knew that Judas would betray Him; for God had pointed him out as the betrayer long ago. To say Christ did not know this is to trample upon His perfections. To say He loved and trusted Judas as a Christian is to say that He loved the man who would betray Him, being a poor covetous wretch who did not care for the poor. Yes, even more, and if possible worse, it is to say He loved as a Christian one that He calls a devil.

You cannot say that Christ did not know he would betray Him, for that would make Him ignorant, not only of what was in man but of the scriptures; for Judas had been pointed out by the prophets. His being visibly a servant of God is no proof that he was a good man, and even now one’s being a professed minister of Christ is no evidence that he is a good man. Bad men always were, and always will be, in the church. It is not my business to show why they are there, but we all know that bad men always have been allowed to be in the church.

If our Savior needed to be betrayed by one in His church, there was at least a necessity that there should be one “son of perdition” in the church, and Judas was that one. God always has fulfilled His purpose with wicked men. Pharoah filled an important place in the world’s history. Haman, Herod, Pontius Pilate, Judas, and the wicked rabble, who, like so many jackals, were thirsting after the blood of Christ, were but making manifest the will of God in the salvation of sinners; and yet there is no proof that any of them were saints.

Like Joseph’s brothers, they all meant it for evil, but God Almighty meant it for good. The rage of the multitude, the criminality of Judas, the timidity of Pilate, and the heartlessness of Herod, all in their place, were but unfolding the purpose of God, as His hand and counsel had determined. “Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God; how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!”

Unlike Judas, Genuine Believers Will Persevere

John speaks about the difference between genuine believers and mere professors.

They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

1 John 2:19 ESV

Now, what conclusion are we forced to concerning this text? He says, “if they had been of us, they would have continued with us.” We cannot doubt that John believed that every real child of God would persevere to the last.

The sentiment of final perseverance is interwoven with every principle of the faith. To deny it is to strike at the heart of the Christian faith. It is a fearful attack on the whole plan of salvation and especially the death of Christ. It substantially puts the success of heaven’s plan of salvation upon the puny arm of man. Poor, fallen, sinful, corrupt man, is to determine the greatest question ever thought of. It is for him to say whether the blood of Jesus is to be a failure; whether all the good designs of God are to be accomplished; whether the Spirit’s work shall be a failure.

Those who have realized the Spirit’s power know that He controls our hearts, and brings us into love and affection for Christ. Oh, how fully our confidence is destroyed in self and lifted up in the Lord; and I certainly think that every Christian feels that it can only be the goodness of God that keeps him. Christian reader, if your continuance in the faith was left for you to make sure, you would certainly fail.

This is post 19 in a series; you can read the previous post. This post started as the public domain works of J. H. Oliphant. While sections are the same in many ways, I modernized the language and added my thoughts to provide greater clarity for my readers.
Image by Sarah Richter from Pixabay