Proverbs 14:14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.
Twenty-one examples of beings fallen from grace (continues): [17] Judas was once saved because (continues): (11) He freely received power to heal and it was commanded that he freely give (Matt. 10:8). (12) He had the peace of God to give to a home as did all others of the twelve (Matt. 10:13). (13) He was a sheep among wolves like others of the twelve (Matt. 10:16). (14) He had the Holy Spirit in him (Matt. 10:19-20). (15) He was ordained by Christ to the ministry as much as the others (Mark 3:14). (16) He was just as successful in preaching and healing as others (Mark 6:12-13; Luke 9:6, 10). (17) He was an apostle, meaning he was divinely called and sent to do the work of God (Luke 6:13; Acts 15:33). (18) Judas fell by sin from the ministry and apostleship (Acts 1:25). How could he do this if he was always a sinner, as some say? (19) satan entered into Judas at the close of Christ’s ministry, proving that he was not always an agent of the devil, much less one from the beginning (Luke 22:3; John 13:2). Therefore, he backslid and became a thief (John 12:6), a devil (John 6:70, Greek: adversary), and the betrayer. To make Judas the very devil, a devil from the beginning, and an unsaved man never in grace is to ignore the plain facts of Scripture. (20) He once had eternal life, as proved by John 17:2 where we read of Christ giving eternal life “to as many as Thou had given him.” Then in John 17:12, it is stated that “those that Thou gave Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition.” It is clear, then, that Judas was given to Jesus and Jesus had once given him eternal life.
To be continued…
Living the Word 