Since God knew the hearts of each person before the world came into existence, as is written, "He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will" (Eph 1:4-5).
God knew in advance who would follow him, and who would not. However, there is no evidence that God did not call everyone to him. Yes, Judas was called to be a Christian as were tall the twelve. (Mat 10:1), knowing that Judas would betray him: "Who (God) hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (2 Tim 1:9).
Jesus called Judas Isacariot for a purpose, and that was to betray him to fulfill prophecy. Luke wrote about that: "Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry" (Acts 1:16-17).
Since Judas was called for the purpose of ministering to Jesus, his heart must have been right at that time. If he was converted, Judas could have "fallen away?" If he did, in that case, Judas would be damned according to scripture: "If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame" (Heb 6:6).
Did Judas fall away or was he not a Christ at the time of his calling. Of course, like the others, he was called, but that was to follow Jesus. Even until this day, many follow Jesus without conversion. That is the case with all the apostles. Simon Peter was the strongest of all th apostles in that Jesus requested that after he was converted, that he strengthen the others (Luke 22:32). Peter soon denied Jesus, but he later was sorrowful and became the model apostle. He had not fallen away because he had yet to be converted. Likewise, Judas had not fallen away because neither had he been converted!
Let me stop for a moment and make a confession: As the public defender for Judas Iscariot, I admit that he betrayed Jesus and deserves death (Rom 6:23) because Judas's sin was grievous. I want him to pay the penalty, but here I am defending him!
He betrayed Jesus. According to that passage, everyone deserves death because all have sinned (Rom 3:23). Jesus acknowledged that those who plotted against him committed a greater sin than Pilate: "He that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin" (John 19:11).
Admittedly, Judas Iscariot's sin was greater than Pilates's. With that proven, the scribes and Pharisees who plotted against Jesus would receive greater punishment than even those who were not believers: "Therefore, ye shall see the greater damnation" (Mat 23:14), he told them. Apparently, there are degress of damnation just as their are degrees of reward for those in heaven (different crowns; 2 Tim 4:8).
Certainly, unless Judas repented, he would never receive eternal life, as it is written, "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him" (Jas 1:12). Why not? Judas did not endure the temptation of having the thirty pieces of silver.
Why should I want traitor Judas to not be damned? "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). God loved Judas because he is part of the "world." Jesus did not want Judas to perish, and neither should we! Jesus came to the defense of those who killed him (Luke 23:34). He was speaking to those who had the same sin as Judas - gambling for gain.
Judas gambled that Jesus was not God. He bet his eternal life on that mistaken belief. His sin was much as Peter's who denied him three times. Peter also gambled that Jesus was not God when he said, I am not one of Jesus's disciples (Luke 22:58). Peter gambled to save his own flesh; Judas gambled for thirty pieces of silver. Jesus's actual killers gambled for his clothes, but they did not know who it was they were killing. The defense submits, Your Honor, that Judas, when he betrayed Jesus, had not yet been converted, and knew not what he did. His guiltiness, at that time, was no greater than any of the apostles, none of whom had been converted.
Satan had to use someone. There is no evidence that any of the apostles were ever baptized. However, it seems to be implied that the apostles may have had John's Baptism of repentance, which means that their sins were washed clean. They became innocent when they were baptized by water and their sins remitted (Mark 1:4). With the soul clean, it was open to filling with the Holy Spirit or with an unholy spirit. Jesus had been the only person baptized on whom the Holy Spirit remained. (John 1:33). None of the apostles, before their conversion, had been imbued with the Holy Spirit. All were capable of grievously sinning again. As is written, two of them did: Peter and Judas. Peter could have betrayed Jesus, but did not. It was Peter who came to Jesus's defense when he cut of a soldier's ear to prevent Jesus's capture. Peter denied Jesus; Judas betrayed him. Those events are written together for comparison purposes. I believe that effectually Peter and Judas were equally guilty!
The thirty pieces of silver seemed to be why Judas betrayed Jesus. That was the "tool" that Satan used. The Devil (Satan) got into the heart of Judas (John 13:2: Luke 22:3). Judas did not choose a new master, a new master chose him. Judas repeated the error of Adam who received the unholy spirit of Satan from the Serpent. Like Adam, Judas had been innocent, but sin entered in from Satan. Adam sinned although Satan choose him. Likewise, there is no question; Judas sinned because, as we know from the story of Job, he as Job, could have resisted Satan. Jesus knew that he could not because he also had been tempted by Satan and knew what power it took.
Most people are inflenced by secondary charactors called "demons." Satan seems to reserve direct influence over prominant people. Satan temped Adam, Job, and Jesus; and I believe David also through Bathsheba. Jesus and Job were the only two able to resist the subtility of Satan. Adam failed, David failed, and Judas failed. Job did not, it seems, to demonstrate that it is possible to withstand temptation. Jesus did not fall to the wiles of Satan because he is God!
Judas, like everyone but Jesus and Job before him, could not resist temptation. God would not allow Satan to lay a hand on Job (Job 1:12), but in Judas's case, God allowed Satan, not only to lay a hand on Judas, but to enter into him. In other words, Satan possessed Judas, but never was able to possess either Job nor Jesus! Neither did he possess any of the other apostles, including Peter. Jesus allowed Judas to be attacked unmercifully, perhaps later, to have mercy on him.
While my "spirit" wants Judas to be in Heaven, my "flesh" does not! Why is that? Because Muslims believe that it was Judas who died on the cross, and not Jesus. They deny Jesus because Judas's hanging on his own tree fell into their narrative. The false gospel of the Book of Barnabas stakes that claim as well. The belief that Judas Iscariot died on the cross reinforces the secret knowledge of Gnosticism - the false gospel. For that reason, even I resent the idea, as his defender, that Judas may be in Heaven because he deserved death more than anyone; at least that is my perception.
Jesus knew all along who would betray him. That is demonstrated in all the gospels, which is important, but Jesus, who was there in the beginninng with Adam, knew who else would betray him. He knew it was Judas. The fact that Judas was surnamed "Iscariot" indicates that knowledge; he was born the son of Simon Iscariot.
In scripture, names mean things. Somehow, God's plan directs that people be named for their purpose in life. As an example, Jesus Barabbas's name means "Jesus, the son of the father" sharing Jesus's (Christ's) name and purpose. He was the scapegoat released in place of Jesus.
Another example is Saul. That name means "questioning" and obviously the persecutor Saul questioned the nature of Jesus. Later, Jesus renamed him "Paul" which is "humbled." My point, jury, is that in scritpure names mean things, and "Iscariot" is no less important. It is imperative to know who Judas was to understand that he was pre-ordained to betray Jesus. Not that he had no choice, but that God knew in advance who Satan would imbue with that sin.
Tomorrow, Judas's surname will be discussed.
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