Was Judas chosen to be lost?

About this sermon

Did Judas have a choice whether or not to betray Jesus or was he 'chosen' or 'predestined' to be lost? - Visit our Bible Question Archive on our website here: https://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/listen/archives/o/24/t/bible-question-archive - You can download this clip from our media library here: https://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/media/e/23342/f/6/t/was-judas-chosen-to-be-lost- Join Pastor Doug Sunday at 7:00pm Pacific. Call 1-800-GOD-SAYS during the broadcast to have your question answered live on the air! Find a broadcast in your area using our station locator: https://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/station-locator/mt/214/t/radio Download the free book 'Can a Saved Man Choose to be Lost?' here: https://www.amazingfacts.org/media-library/book/e/17/t/can-a-saved-man-choose-to-be-lost- Transcript ----------------- Pastor Ross: We have Sebastian, listening from Palm Beach Florida. Sebastian, welcome to the program. Sebastian: Good evening pastor Ross, good evening pastor Doug Batchelor. Thank you for taking my call. Pastor Doug: Sure, we’re glad to talk with you. Sebastian: Okay. Well, I know that in the books of Zachariah and in the book of Psalms, there are prophecies that reference Christ betrayal. My question is, was Judas predestined to betray Christ? Pastor Doug: No, I don't think so and this is a great question. It's had a boy, lots of debate from theologians through the ages. Some would argue, "Yes, Judas was predestined to betray Jesus." I see a difference biblically between God being all-knowing and be able to predict what happens and a person still having the choice. While God knew what Judas would do-- God knows everything. He knows everything in the future, he knows everything in the past, he is all-knowing, he knows who is listening is going to be be saved and who is not. That doesn’t mean he is making it happen. We still have choices and we need to live as if we have those choices. Jesus gave Judas every opportunity to change his mind. He went to wash his feet, he appealed to him them but he hardened his heart. It's not like God was creating creatures and he said, “We’ve got to make one be the fall guy, that will betray Jesus. Sorry Judas, but you're going to have to be the traitor, I’m going to make you to be a traitor and then after you betray Jesus doing just what I'd created you to do and then I'm going to throw you in hell." Can you see there would be a problem with that, it almost makes God an accessory to the crime? Sebastian: Yes. I see. Pastor Doug: God knows what was going to happen and he predicted in the prophecies. You're right about that, but I don't think the Judas was born with the mission that he should betray Christ. Everyone is born with a free will and opportunity. Sebastian: It’s okay. That was just something that has been taking my interest in the whole lot, the Judas situation and whether or not he was predestined. I've always known that he had the freedom of choice, because God gave everybody the freedom of choice. I just want to get the clarification on this particular situation. Thank you. Pastor Doug: Absolutely Sebastian, I appreciate your call. Pastor Ross: We have a book talking about this idea that, where does free will coming to our salvation and freedom to choose. The book is called Can a Saved Man Choose to be Lost. We’ll be happy to send it to anybody who calls and asks dealing with the subject of predestination. All you need to do is to call us on our resource phone number the number is 800-835-6747. You can ask the book called Can a saved man Choose to be Lost. We’ll be happy to send it to anybody who calls and asks. You also read it for free online at the Amazing Facts websites, amazingfacts.org. Pastor Ross: Sally, welcome to the program. Sally: Hi there. Pastor Ross: Hi. How are you doing? Sally: Okay. Pastor Ross: And your question. Sally: You've just answered a gentleman's question about predestination and Judas, and I was good with that answer except that in the Bible it tells that the devil entered Judas to have him to go do what he did. Was that still Judas' free will? Pastor Doug: Well, at one point, a person can grieve away the Holy Spirit and be possessed and before Satan entered Judas, that means he wasn't controlling Judas right? When Judas finally at the last supper, when Jesus said, "One of you is going to betray me." Judas had a chance to repent and confess Christ was washing his feet, but when Judas said, "Lord is it I?" Like he didn't know, he knew it was. And finally, Jesus said, "Go do what you do quickly." Then Judas knew what he was talking about. That point Satan entered Judas. He probably reached the point of no return then and committed the unpardonable sin, and it doesn't mean that he was predestined all of a sudden. It just means that his doom was fixed at that point. Satan was controlling him then.

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• Suffering & Trials
• Christian Living