WHAT ABOUT JUDAS? [podcast]

Paula White Exposed [video]

THAT’s My King! Pastor Lockridge [video]

Powerful Prayers from Children-This Will Shake You [video]

The Fear of the LORD is to Hate Evil: Pride, and Arrogancy #shorts [video]

The Son of Perdition Exposed

Dear eternal security adherent:

You cannot take one verse or passage and make a conclusion without the whole of Scripture agreeing. Judas was chosen, sent out by Christ to preach Christ’s Gospel, raise the dead, and heal the sick (Matthew 10:1-8), and was promised a throne in Heaven (Matthew 19:28) and died and went to Hell for betraying Jesus (Acts 1:25). He followed Christ and then departed from the Son of God. Jesus says that one can believe and then “fall away” (Luke 8:13). Are you going to call the Son of God a liar? Are you going to tell God He can’t eliminate transgressors from His own kingdom? See Revelation 21:8. Since when do you tell God what to do?

The truth about Judas is a death nail and nightmare to the calvinist and OSAS/eternal security adherent.

If “once saved always saved” is true, then what about Judas?

“That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas BY TRANSGRESSION FELL, that he might go to his own place (Hell).” Acts 1:25

How did Judas fall away from the LORD? Can we let the One he fell away from answer that important question? “Judas BY TRANSGRESSION FELL.” (Acts 1:25) Note here that Judas did not fall because he was predestined to fall by some divine pre-selection, but because he made the deliberate and ongoing personal decision to live in sin against a holy God. The idea, as supposed by the Calvinistic mindset, that the Almighty chose Judas to transgress and betray the Son of God is obliterated by numerous Scriptures, including James 1.

“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” James 1:13-15

This statement of divine authority clearly and forever establishes that the LORD never leads a person to sin. The LORD may turn the unrepentant transgressor over to be deluded, but that is only after that hardened offender has intentionally lived in contempt against His holiness (2 Thess. 2:10-12). The glorious grace of God, provided through Christ’s costly sacrifice, is not a license for sin. Divine grace is rather the blessing of God for His people to enable them to fellowship with Him and to please Him fully and be fruitful in His holy kingdom. The Savior’s grace is supplied in ample and sufficient supply to those who truly choose to love and serve Him.

First and foremost, Judas was not chosen before time to betray the Son of God, but rather was one of Christ’s twelve, chosen to love and to serve Him. The LORD did not foreordain that Judas would fall but rather He simply foreknew that Judas would fall. Judas was selected to be one of only twelve men Christ would pour His life into (during His 3.5 year ministry on earth) in order to lay the foundation of the New Testament Church. I believe that it is highly offensive to a holy God for any person claiming to be His to indict Christ for purposefully bringing into His ministry a man who was a devil (originally, when chosen). The fact that Jesus “knew from the beginning who…should betray him” in no way alleviates God-given free will. Judas never lost the divinely-given freedom of choice – to choose and to continue to decide whom he would serve.

“But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus KNEW from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.” John 6:64

“Jesus knew…who should betray him.” Such divine foreknowledge does not affect the moral choice He granted to every man to exercise himself for or against the LORD (Rom. 6:16). The cult of calvinism denies the foreknowledge of God (Acts 2:23; 1 Peter 1:2). Just because God foreknew everything, in no way means He tampers with any one person’s free will (James 1:13-15). Faith is always a choice and a privilege. There are those who believe and those who “believe not.” Believing and rebelling in unbelief is a divinely-granted choice and each brings its own reward from the One who made man with the ability to choose. Those who exercise their faith toward the LORD please Him and those who don’t, displease Him (Romans 1:16-18; Hebrews 3:12-15; 10:34-39; 11:6). In the case of Christ’s original twelve, eleven chose to initially and continually trust Christ through much tribulation and one freely chose to betray Him.

“Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.” John 6:70-71

Of Judas, Christ told His twelve: “One of you is a devil.” Was Judas a devil because God created him to be a devil or because he “by transgression” fell from grace and became a devil? Nowhere does the Word tell us that Judas was from the beginning a devil but rather that Christ knew from the beginning (in His divine foreknowledge) that Judas would betray Him. Jesus says here that “one of you is a devil.” At the time of this statement, Judas had already betrayed Christ in his heart and was therefore a “devil.” The fact that he was a devil at that point does not mean he was always a devil.

The Almighty “inhabiteth eternity” and therefore knows all – past, present and future (Isaiah 57:15). Such divine foreknowledge (all-knowing) does not affect the free will He granted to every man to exercise either for or against Him.

How could Judas always have been a devil if he was Jesus’ “own familiar friend” and sent forth by Jesus Himself to represent Him in ministry? Satan entered Judas at the end of Christ’s ministry which proves he was not always an agent of the devil or a devil from the beginning but rather that he became Christ’s enemy by his own deliberate choices.

“The betrayal of Jesus by Judas didn’t just happen incidentally or accidentally. Satan had been working on Judas for a long time. By this tragic event recorded in the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit wanted all to know what an opportunity this man Judas had thrown away. The OSAS (once saved always saved) false teaching is no different. It did not just happen. Satan sold a lie and many, like Judas, will throw away the greatest opportunity that the Lord had given them (Luke 22:3-4). Judas went his own way and not God’s way.” CB

Let’s peek into the scenario on the very night before our Jesus was crucified and observe how things unfolded:

“Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people. THEN entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money. And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.” Luke 22:1-6

“THEN entered Satan into Judas” –It was only “then” –after the religious leaders sought to kill Jesus that Satan entered into Judas. This proves that Judas was not always a devil or traitor.

Here’s the same account from the Gospel of John:

“Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him.” John 13:1-2

Judas’ betrayal of the Son of God did not come in an instant. His hardened heart of unbelief was a process (Hebrews 3:12-15). Judas’ backsliding and heart-hardening sin was of his own doing. Like every individual, Judas made decisions in his brief earthly life which had and have eternal consequences. His refusal to believe and obey and continue to experience relationship with Christ, came through hours, days, and months of unbelief which hardened his heart. Such unbelief gave way to the infiltration of Satan (John 6:70-71; 13:2; Hebrews 3:12-15).

“And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him.” John 13:2

Please re-read the above verse and ask the essential question who it was that put into Judas’ heart to betray Jesus. Was it God or Satan? Note: “…the DEVIL (not the LORD) having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him.”

“God cannot be tempted with evil.” James 1:13

The enemy was able to “put into the heart of Judas…to betray” Christ due to Judas’ choice to live contrary to Him. The same potential remains true for all this side of eternity.

Like every believer in the Son of God, Judas was predestined to be conformed to the image of Christ and to be glorified with Him, yet his free will was never tampered with or removed (Romans 8:29-30). Many of those who have espoused an unbiblical grace do so because they have elevated certain Scriptures above other Scriptures and yet “All (not just some) scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16). One of the erroneous beliefs of Calvinism is that it elevates and aggrandizes Romans 8:29 above Romans 8:13. This is the classic reason for the belief of false doctrine – conclusion of a matter without a full investigation and faith in the full-counsel of God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17).

“For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live…For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” Romans 8:13, 29-30

God loves all people and has predestined each to be washed in the blood of and conformed to the image of the Son of God and to be glorified with Him eternally. Yet, He leaves that ultimate choice up to the individual. The God who is love has provided sufficient and glorious grace for each to love and obey Him and to overcome. His grace truly is sufficient to those who exercise their faith in Him. Every blessing of the saint was provided through Christ’s one and perfect sacrifice on the cross (1 Corinthians 1:30-31; 2 Corinthians 1:20).

Just because a father desires and leads his son or daughter to become a doctor, does not guarantee that such will happen. The fact that the LORD, who is love, desires for all those created in His image to be with Him eternally, does not guarantee that will be the case (Matthew 7:13-14; 25:41).

“…Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” Joshua 24:15

The Reason Hell was Created

Those who choose to believe Him and are doers of His Word will be with Him eternally in Heaven (Revelation 2-3). Each individual is the servant of the one he chooses to serve – self or Jesus (Romans 6:15-16). Those who freely choose to betray Christ as Judas did by not loving and serving Him in deed and in truth, will spend eternity with the rest of God’s enemies in a place called hell which will ultimately be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10-15).

“Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Matthew 25:41

The original divine intent for this horrid place called “hell” was the divine justice of “everlasting punishment” for the devil and his angels (those who depart from the LORD due to their iniquity (Matthew 25:46). The purpose for Hell did not include one precious eternal human soul spending forever there. Yet, because men have free will and some will choose to live contrary to the divine Judge, they must be imprisoned eternally as rebels (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10).

There are a few different schools of thought in the Calvinistic camp. Some tout the teaching they call “the perseverance of the saints” while others term their belief “once saved always saved.” In each case those who have been taught these doctrines of mere men violate the biblical truth that men have free will and never lose the free will to choose while on earth. Any time one removes the Bible truth that God never forces men to do His will, they inevitably err.

“All Scripture” Must be Considered

“All (not some) scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine…” 2 Timothy 3:16

The one who believes in and teaches a no-responsibility salvation, does not adhere to “All scripture,” but rather isolates a certain verse or two here and there to make his point. This is the way heresy and false doctrine is propagated in the church world. “All Scripture” must be taken in context with the whole of the Word of God in order to apprehend the mind of Christ (2 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 28:10; 1 Corinthians 2:13). Error is inevitable when clear Bible truths are excluded (Hosea 4:6; Matthew 22:29; 1 Corinthians 2:13). “Precept upon precept; line upon line” learning is essential to sound biblical doctrine (Isaiah 28:10).

Judas, a man selected by the very Son of God to hold the highest office in the Church (Apostle), and promised an eternal throne, “by transgression FELL.” See Matthew 19:28. The Bible tells us that Judas was a man who was Christ’s “own familiar friend, in whom I trusted” (Psalm 41:9). Jesus not only chose Judas as one of His twelve, but “trusted” him so much so that He made Judas the treasurer of His ministry. Dare we insinuate that Jesus Christ, the very Righteousness of God, chose a devil or an evil man to be part of His ministry? Judas was originally fit for the ministry and “friend” of Christ’s, before He chose to turn from Christ. Judas Iscariot is now in “his own place (Hell)” because he refused to endure to the end or continue abiding in relationship with Christ. This very disciple of Jesus neglected to cultivate the soil of his heart and chose to live in disobedience to the clearly known will of God. Judas, like all believers, never lost his ability to choose life or death (Joshua 24:15; Deuteronomy 30:19; Isaiah 1:19-20, etc.).

The life of Judas is a nemesis to those who pervert, twist, and maul the true grace of God revealed in Holy Scripture. The grace corrupters are forced to downplay the apostleship of Judas and his relationship with Jesus in order to make their unconditional eternal security teaching palatable. For this same reason, they must overplay the prophetic fulfillment of the son of perdition (means utter destruction), not acknowledging that such a divine foreknowledge did nothing to remove Judas’ free will. Concerning this, Wayne Jackson writes:

“Another important fact that must be recognized is that foreknowledge does not demand predetermination. God foreknew that Judas, exercising his own free will, would betray his Son. These passages, therefore, reflect Heaven’s foreknowledge, but not a predetermined action over which the betrayer had no control. Even Presbyterian scholar Albert Barnes, in commenting on John 13:18, wrote: ‘It does not mean that Judas was compelled to this course in order that the Scriptures might be fulfilled…’

A further illustration of this principle is seen in the fact that Christ was delivered up to death by the determinate counsel and the ‘foreknowledge’ of God (Acts 2:23), and yet the ones who were involved in the Savior’s crucifixion were held accountable for their evil deed (23b; cf. 36-38).

The frequent rationalization, ‘I can’t help what I do; I was predestined to do it,’ is a false notion, but one that finds ready acceptance in a modern world that seeks to escape from personal responsibility. The Scriptures teach that men will give an account on the day of Judgment for their own conduct (Rom. 14:12; 2 Cor. 5:10) – not for actions thrust upon them by God. The very idea of such is an affront to the Almighty.” (Notes on Luke and John, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1954 Edition, p. 320).

Judas made volitional decisions. The LORD sovereignly created man with free will – the ability to choose the way he will go. Judas made choices to deny Christ and betray the Son of God. There was no divine influence whatsoever upon Judas to make him sin. We know this because “God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.”

The unchanging, eternal God had nothing to do with Judas turning away from Him and to sin. God is love and God is holy and He leads no man into sin and to imagine such is to lie against the truth (James 3:14). The Almighty told us that He is “…not willing that ANY should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Of God the Word tells us:

“Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:4

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to ALL men.” Titus 2:11

Sin Separates – God Is Holy

“That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas BY TRANSGRESSION FELL, that he might go to his own place (eternal Hell).” Acts 1:25

The wages of sin is still death (separation from the Lord (Romans 6:23). Even before Adam and Eve fell by their own transgression, the angel Lucifer, who apparently held the highest office in Heaven among His angels, was cast down for his sin of pride (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Luke 10:18).

Was Judas without free will? Was he helpless? Was Judas’ sin forced upon him by the foreknowledge of God? Or was it volitional? Did Judas make a choice to betray Christ? Was Judas, as the Calvinist asserts, a pawn of the evil dealings of a wicked deity? What god does the Calvinist serve since he refuses to gain his theology from the one true God who gave us His precious written Word?

“Then Judas, which had betrayed him…Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood…went and hanged himself.” Matthew 27:3-5

Judas chose to sin and therefore fell from grace. Concerning this matter, Wayne Jackson writes:

“Some would suggest that Judas was but a helpless pawn, unable to resist the invasion of Satan into his life. That certainly is not the case, as even Judas himself conceded. He never pled: ‘I could not help myself; Satan made me do it!’ Rather, he confessed: ‘I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood’ (Matthew 27:4). It is a remarkable oddity when modern man, twenty centuries removed from the event, can profess to know more about the situation than the culprit himself!”

SIN SEPARATES – God told His own covenant people: “But YOUR INIQUITIES HAVE SEPARATED between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2).

Of His own people who had gone back into sin after being brought out of Egypt (type of salvation through Christ), the LORD said: “And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book” (Exodus 32:33).

Not only is divine grace not a license to sin, New Testament believers are under greater responsibility to live unto the LORD than Old Testament saints were (Hebrews 10:26-29). This is such an elementary truth of Scripture that it boggles this believer’s mind that there would be those who call themselves Christian teachers and theologians who will not teach this truth and give notion that unholy living will enter the gates of His holy Heaven! What treason is this!

Like Lucifer, Judas is a prime example in all of history that the all-knowing God forces no one of His children to continue to serve Him. Judas betrayed Christ and never repented so went to “his own place” – the place justly and divinely reserved for all who turn back from following the LORD and do not return in repentance. In contrast, Peter betrayed Christ and returned and is now in eternal glory where he will forever reign with His LORD and Savior.

Judas kissed the Gate of Heaven, the very Son of God, then turned and marched deliberately into eternal Hell, where he will forever be.

Perhaps Judas expected the Messiah to come the first time as a conquering King. Like many of the Jews, he had misguided expectations, which caused his heart to misfire as the Savior came the first time as the suffering servant and sacrificial Lamb (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). Christ will return the second time as the conquering Warrior and “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19) Judas failed to discern the difference between the first and second coming of the Messiah as many in Israel did. This led to unfulfilled expectations. Like all false teaching and believing, this may have had a profound and negative effect on Judas. Jesus came as a suffering Servant the first time but will come as the conquering King the second time.

The LORD is a merciful and loving Savior (Psalm 86:5, 15). Jesus wanted to restore Judas to a right relationship with God. Christ even called Judas His “friend” in the Garden of Gethsemane all the way to the point of being taken to be crucified having been betrayed by the son of perdition (Matthew 26:49-50). Having been betrayed by Judas for a small amount of money, Christ still held out hope of redemption for him, but Judas refused the divinely-extended grace and betrayed Heaven’s King for a small amount of earthly money.

“Now he (Judas) that betrayed him (Jesus) gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend, wherefore (why) art thou come? Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.” Matthew 26:48-50

Jesus called Judas “Friend” all the way to the end. There is a significant truth here. In this perhaps we see that God’s love will pursue us all the way to Hell if we choose, after knowing Him, to betray Him and refuse to turn back to Him in repentance. Might this indicate that one is not separated from God’s love and the opportunity to repent until he leaves the earth? Romans 8:38-39 is written to those who are truly “sons of God” and are living according to the Holy Spirit and not the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:1, 5; 13-14). It is when one is abiding in the presence of the LORD that he has assurance and is secure in the love of God and not separated from Him who is love.

Matthew 10:1-5 – THE ORIGINAL TWELVE DISCIPLES OF JESUS

All John Calvin’s 5-point TULIP teaching stands or falls on Judas. The Calvinist loses his whole argument if Judas was truly saved as the Bible clearly shows he was.

To those who seek to justify Satan’s “eternal security” . . . “once saved always saved” heresy by saying Judas was never saved, I would ask: “So Jesus, the Son of God, chose out a devil to the highest office in His kingdom as one of His twelve original apostles? Jesus sent a devil to preach His Gospel, to cast out devils, to heal the sick, and raise the dead? Read Matthew 10:1-8. Jesus promised Judas a throne in Heaven but Judas wasn’t His child? See Matthew 19:28.

Jesus promised Judas an eternal throne in Heaven, undeniably (Matthew 19:28).

Let’s look a little deeper into Holy Writ to find out what really happened with this most dastardly character named Judas Iscariot.

“And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and JUDAS ISCARIOT, who also betrayed him. These TWELVE (not eleven) Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go…” Matthew 10:1-5

**According to the Holy Bible here in this passage found in the Gospel of Matthew, who were the original “twelve disciples” or apostles of the very Son of God elected and chosen and sent forth to represent Him and do His work, spreading His Gospel to the world? Let’s enumerate who these twelve special men of God were whom the infinite and eternal and Almighty God – Jesus Christ of Nazareth – specifically chose to represent Him:

1) Peter

2) Andrew

3) James

4) John

5) Philip

6) Bartholomew

7) Thomas

8) Matthew

9) James

10) Labbaeus

11) Simon

12) Judas Iscariot

These twelve men were elected and answered the call to the highest office of the church – apostleship. Can there remain any doubt whatsoever that according to the historically accurate record and documented account of the life of Jesus Christ that Judas Iscariot was one of His twelve chosen original disciples and that He sent Judas and the other eleven forth to preach His Gospel and do His ministry?

“He (Judas) Was Numbered With Us”

“And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) 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 (Judas) was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.” Acts 1:15-18

Jesus Christ had died and rose again completely propitiating for man’s sins. He had instructed His apostles not to go forth yet but to wait in Jerusalem until they received the fullness of the Holy Ghost which they would need to do His work (Luke 24:49; John 16:7; Acts 1:4-8). This would be the actual birth of the New Testament Church! Here they are, gathered together waiting for the promise of their Savior (Acts 1:4-8). Wow! While the 120 disciples gathered to await the promised Holy Spirit, the apostle Peter stands in the midst and of all things, is Spirit-led to speak of this prophecy found in the Old Testament that Judas would betray the Son of God. He says that such a prophecy “must needs have been fulfilled.” It had to be fulfilled, not because God foreordained and wanted Judas in Hell or because the God of Heaven needed a pawn to use then destroy, but rather because the LORD Almighty cannot lie and knows the end from the beginning (because He alone is all-knowing). He knows all things past, present and future, yet such infinite knowledge does nothing to influence or alter the God-given moral and volitional nature and decision-making process of any individual. Such a notion paints the picture of an evil being, which must be Satan and not God who “is love” (1 John 4:8) To attribute such evil and iniquitous intent to the Almighty is a blasphemous atrocity at best. To claim that He would create any person just for the purpose of exploiting and then damning that person to an eternity of conscious torment, would be completely unbiblical and a wicked accusation to make against the LORD who “cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man” (James 1:13). Of Him the Word says “Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity…” (Habakkuk 1:13). Such is the doctrine of the devil and his agent John Calvin and many today who mislead others to worship at the alter of a false god (2 Timothy 3:13).

Forget John Calvin and any other heretic in church history – What does the Holy Bible say concerning this matter of Judas Iscariot?

Note here in Acts 1 (shown above) that the apostle Peter says that the “Holy Ghost” through king David had hundreds of years before foretold the betrayal of Christ – “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9). This was going to be fulfilled, not because God is ruthless or had it in for Judas – No! But rather because His foreknowledge and understanding is perfect and “infinite” (Psalm 147:5) Now that’s a case for the sovereignty of God and not (the very opposite) that He would create a human being, a man in His own image – Judas or any other person – just to mislead, relegate and damn him to eternal suffering. How erroneous, ludicrous and evil a thought!

Take close notice of verse 17 here in Acts 1 – “He (Judas) was numbered with us (the original twelve), and had obtained part of this ministry.”

Judas:

1) “was numbered with us” – one of the twelve apostles of Jesus.

2) “had obtained part of this ministry” – all twelve (not just eleven) were appointed and sent forth by Christ to represent Him and do His ministry work.

Another of the original twelve is speaking here – Peter. Peter was a firsthand eyewitness. He was present with Judas and the other ten when his very ears heard and eyes beheld the Son of God promise an eternal – everlasting throne in Heaven to each of the “twelve” of them, which includes Judas Iscariot – “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones (not 11), judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matthew 19:28).

Judas wasn’t kept and Jesus specifically and irrefutably promised him an eternal throne in Heaven – Matthew 19:28. “TWELVE” not eleven~!

At the time of this divinely-given promise, it is more than abundantly clear that Judas was eternally secure, otherwise Christ would have never given this promise to the “twelve” which includes Judas Iscariot (Matthew 19:28). It is only after this that Judas allowed iniquity in his heart and by his own deliberate will fell by his own iniquity (Acts 1:25; Heb. 3:12-15).

If Judas Iscariot, one of Christ’s very twelve, was not unconditionally eternally secure, then why would anyone else be since there is “no respecter of persons with God” (Romans 2:11)? Did Judas not lose out? Yes! It’s too late for Judas but not for us (1 Corinthians 9:27).

Some look at this topic through the heretical glasses of Calvinism which is diabolical. So, they force things, force interpretation based on believing the OSAS/eternal security/perseverance of the saints doctrines of devils.

So, Jesus sent out a devil to preach His Gospel, to heal the sick, to raise the dead, etc.? Read Matthew 10:1-8. Jesus prayed and selected a devil to the highest position in the church and called him an apostle? You going to indict Jesus, bearing false witness against the Son of God?

Now let’s look at Acts 1:18 in this revealing and detailed passage about the apostle Judas –“Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out.” How did Judas fall from grace after being chosen by Jesus Christ as one of His very twelve original apostles and sent forth to heal sick people, cast out devils and preach His eternal Gospel? The Bible tells us here that Judas “purchased” his own destiny which means he deliberately brought it into his own bosom by his own resolve to reject (after possessing) and live outside of a relationship with the LORD. He simply reaped what he sowed (Galatians 6:7-8). This word “purchase” here is strong and even more clear evidence that Judas made full provision for and utilized his full faculties and expended the energies he was given to do what he did in betraying the Son of God. The wages of sin is still death and Judas reaped spiritual and eternal death (separation from God in Hell) for his sinful betrayal of the Messiah and refusal to turn back to the LORD before it was too late, which he was free to do even to the end.

If someone jumps off a building, was that what was supposed to happen? Was that God’s will? No, it was the will of the one who chose to jump. Judas went to Hell because he rebelled against the only Savior, not because God wanted him there. Judas refused to repent and turn back to the LORD after being given ample opportunity to do such.

We have record that Judas was quite right with God but was in the end left out of the eternal blessing of Heaven. Of the apostle Judas, the Word says – “For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry” (Acts 1:17). This forever settles the issue and silences the critics who argue (without basis) that Judas was never right with the LORD. Judas Iscariot certainly was chosen to the highest office in the Church and as an integral part of the very ministry of the Son of God and yet turned against Him, betraying Him to death for a small sum and forfeiting his place in the eternal kingdom of God after being promised it (Matthew 19:28). Such a clear example alone makes it more than abundantly clear that falling from grace is utterly possible as the remainder of Holy Scripture unmistakably testifies to.

Holy Father please grant our hearts grace to be convicted and repentant that we be never hardened through the deceitfulness of sin! (Hebrews 3:12-15)

Judas’ End

“That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas BY TRANSGRESSION FELL, that he might go to his own place (eternal Hell).” Acts 1:25

Judas is in Hell. Here’s further proof. Prophetic of Judas betraying the Son of God, Psalms 55 gives us some insight:

“For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me (from the outside) that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: 13 But it was thou, a man mine equal (insider), my guide, and mine acquaintance (“mine own familiar friend” Ps 41:9). 14 We took sweet counsel together (Matthew 26:23), and walked unto the house of God in company. 15 Let death seize upon them (all betrayers including Judas), and let them go down quick (alive) into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. … 23 But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction (eternal Hell): bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.” Psalms 55:12-15, 23

In the booklet The Eternal Security Teaching, J. L. Stauffer offers these thought-provoking words concerning Judas Iscariot:

“It should be noted that the statements that our Lord made about Judas being a devil, were made toward the close of His ministry. Note some Biblical facts:

1. Christ chose twelve apostles, including Judas Iscariot. No intimations are made at the time of choosing the twelve that Judas was not a true believer the same as the others. See Matt. 10; Mark 3; Luke 6. Reference to Judas Iscariot as the traitor is made by several writers of Scripture, long years after the incident of his death to distinguish him from the other Judas. It is a mark of identification and in itself throws no light upon the character of Judas Iscariot when he was chosen by our Lord. We have a similar designation regarding ‘Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin,’ which throws no light upon Jeroboam’s character at the time the prophet Ahijah brought him the message from the Lord. (I Kings 11:26:40.)

2. If Judas was a ‘devil’ from the beginning as some claim, then you have the startling fact to face that our Lord chose a devil as an apostle.

3. Our Lord foreknew who should betray Him from the beginning, but Judas had the same teaching, call, environment, and opportunity to make good as did the others. Divine foreknowledge does not interfere with the free will God gave every man.

4. If Judas was a devil from the beginning, then such terms as were prophesied of him are hard to reconcile with the other teachings and principles of the Master. ‘Yea, mine own familiar friend in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me’ (Psa. 41:9). Would Jesus, knowing Judas was a devil, trust in him or call him His ‘own familiar friend?’ A ‘devil’ is an adversary and enemy; but if, as some eternal security teachers think, Psalm 55 is a prophetic Messianic psalm of which Ahithophel turning traitor to David was a type of Judas turning against the Lord, then we have a second witness from the Psalms that ‘it was not an enemy that reproached me.’ It was ‘a man mine equal, my guide, and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company’ (Psa. 55:13-14). Certainly this language does not describe one who was a devil from the beginning, as eternal security teachers affirm.

5. If Judas was a devil, while the other eleven were ordinary men, then you have another contradiction; viz., Satan casting out Satan, because the apostles (Judas included) were sent out two by two to heal the sick, cast out devils, and preach the Gospel. There is no intimation in the Gospel records that Judas was a misfit on this missionary journey. Other emissaries of Satan, when they tried to cast out a demon by the use of the name of Jesus, were not at all successful. (See Acts 19:13-17.) Christ made it clear that Satan does not cast out demons. See Matt. 12:25-26; Luke 11:15-18.

6. It was not until at the last feast that the devil entered into Judas, although Christ towards the close of His Galilean ministry (John 6:70-71) announced that one of the twelve would betray Him. Christ was omniscient and knew all events that would be connected with His life here on earth. Covetousness, greed, love of money, were doubtless the besetting sins of Judas and despite the warnings of our Lord against covetousness and ‘the deceitfulness of riches,’ these sins got the upper hand of Judas and he finally went to the chief priests, and of his own free will bargained about the sale of our Lord for silver.

7. John 17 does not say that Christ only received eleven apostles from the Father. He chose twelve at the beginning of His ministry that they might be with Him, and Christ was unable to keep one. Not because of a lack of power on Christ’s part, but because Judas was unwilling and this limited Christ’s keeping power. ‘Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them (that thou gavest me) is lost, but the son of perdition; that the Scripture might be fulfilled.’ The literal Greek of part of John 17:12 is ‘and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled.’ This implies that Judas was once saved with the rest, but not fulfilling the conditions for Christ’s keeping perished spiritually. The Scriptures prophesied that there should be a betrayer and God foreknew that Judas would be he, but God did not foreordain Judas to be the betrayer of his Lord. If Judas, against his own will, was foreordained to be the betrayer, then the one who foreordained Judas would be responsible because Judas could not have helped it.

8. Last, ‘Judas by transgression fell’ (Acts 1:16, 17, 25). Judas was a man into whom Satan entered. He was no demon incarnate. If there were no erroneous doctrine to defend, the various references about Judas Iscariot would present no difficulty at all to the eternal security teachers. The Judas episode would be simply a clear case of apostasy from the truth.”

11 Kept – 1 Lost

“That he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him…While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition…” John 17:2, 12

The Father gave eternal life to the twelve whom He had given to Christ. Jesus kept them and they were safe except one who chose not to be kept. The fact that twelve were given Him of the Father and only eleven made it to Heaven is telling.

It is abundantly clear in Scripture that Judas was given to Jesus by the Father (as one of His very own) and then lost due to his own decision to sin in his heart and betray the Son of God (Acts 1:25). Jesus said He kept all except one – Judas. The fact that Judas was one of His and yet was not kept tells us that the LORD doesn’t keep everyone who is at one point His own child. Judas was the LORD’s “friend” (Psalm 41:9) We are “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:5). Man has his God-given personal responsibility to continue in faith in order to be “kept” by Him.

Saint of the LORD, a study of the life of Judas is a lesson for each of us. We are all predestined to be conformed to Christ’s image and to be with Him eternally and do His work, but the LORD leaves it up to the individual as to whom he will choose to serve (Joshua 24:15). Such will determine the eternal destination of each person.

Calvinist Nightmare: The Judas Dilemma | The Very First Apostate | The Truth About Predestination and Sealing

FEEDBACK:

Of Judas and calvinists, Robert Cox writes:

“I want to put this to rest then I’ll be quiet about it bc some of you have been taught wrong and you’ll fight the truth to death. Yes, Judas was saved at one time. Jesus picked him. He performed miracles alongside of the other disciples. He was trusted enough to be the treasurer. Satan entered him at the last supper. He was not predestined to do what he did but God had foreknowledge that he would. Jesus washed the feet of the disciples. That’s the example. Not some sinner out in the world that disavows Him.

And one last thing…..Judas could have repented. Peter did and was restored. Judas chose to take his life. He wasn’t sorry that he betrayed Jesus. He was sorry that his plan didn’t work. He felt shame and guilt but he didn’t turn to the only one that can forgive us for that. Feeling sorrow is not the same as being under conviction.

And I ain’t arguing this bc it’s clearly biblical for anyone that wants to see. The rest of you keep believing what you’ve always believed. I ain’t talking to you anyway. Stiff necked people.”

Message Received:

Judas never did repent. His heart was pure evil and this why Satan entered in him.

Reply:

Hi. Well Judas was definitely right with God. He had to be. Jesus would not have otherwise chosen him to the highest office ever in the church and sent him forth to represent Him – to preach and to do His works (Matthew 10:1-8) Yet Judas allowed his heart to be darkened through “the deceitfulness of sin” and so he eventually had “an evil heart of unbelief.” (See Hebrews 3:6, 12-14) It was only then that Satan could enter him. This is the biblical explanation from a full-counsel perspective. The idolatrous calvinist HAS – must of necessity – to scapegoat Judas in order to make his deceitful doctrinal wares fit and palatable.

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Of this post, Nate M. wrote: “This was an awesome study. I am glad I read this because it is such an amazing refutation of calvinism and osas. This just makes it so clear. Great job. I hope many people who are in bondage to the doctrines of calvinism and osas read this and repent of their false doctrine. I pray that they may be set free from the snare of the devil.”

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Apostasy

Billy Graham Promoted and Sent People to Go Join the Catholic Church

“One of the most troubling problems within the church today is the unwavering loyalty to a ‘christian’ personality rather than to Christ and His Word. The unwillingness to test every man’s teaching with God’s Word, coupled with a stubborn lack of discernment, produces fertile ground for deception to flourish.” Evangeline DiChristi

from Chick Publications

Billy Graham Still Sending Converts Back to the Pope

Billy Graham. We know that his messages are solid gospel. Few in or out of the Christian World have not heard of him. Since 1949 he has held the spotlight as the most prominent evangelist in Christendom. He has just finished his 416th crusade in Pasadena, California that drew over 300,000 people in four days. 13,000+ responded to his altar calls. Graham is now 86 years old and has one more crusade scheduled in New York City next year, health permitting.

The Pasadena crusade was on the anniversary of his first Los Angeles revival 55 years ago. It was after that meeting that Graham was “kissed by William Randolph Hearst” according to Dr Cathy Burns in her book, Billy Graham and His Friends. This meant that Hearst had decided to promote Graham’s ministry in his nationwide chain of newspapers.

Immediately, reporters and photographers were crawling all over the Graham meetings. Front page articles began to appear in the leading local papers wherever Graham held meetings. One reporter was assigned full time to travel with Graham’s team.

In 1991, Graham claimed that this sudden attention remained a mystery. Burns describes a more complex scenario. Regardless, the publicity propelled Graham into the national, if not international, limelight.

Jesus warned, “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you.” Over the years, Graham became the friend of presidents and kings, a beloved “America’s Pastor.”

But the fame came with a price. In his book, Smokescreens, written in 1983, Jack Chick describes how Roman Catholic leaders viewed and used Graham as a key player in their ecumenical plans. As early as 1965, he was a guest speaker at Catholic Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina where he received an honorary doctor’s degree. A college official’s letter describes Graham’s address as “theologically sound” as may have been given by “any other Catholic preacher.” The letter further states, “I would state that he could bring Catholics and Protestants together in a healthy ecumenic spirit.” Graham was also speaking at several other Catholic colleges at that time.

This prediction was fully realized. In Smokescreens, Chick shows various illustrations. In 1971 Graham is shown meeting with Oakland, California, Catholic Bishop Floyd Begin who lauded Graham’s ministry. In 1972 he received a Franciscan Friars’ award for true ecumenism. In 1979 Graham praised the pope as a “moral and spiritual leader that believes in something.”

In 1981 he was closeted for almost two hours with Pope John Paul II. After the 1982 New England crusade, thousands of those who went forward for salvation were turned over to Catholic clergy for follow-up.

And this hasn’t changed. Before the Pasadena crusade this year, The Tidings, official newspaper for the Los Angeles diocese, reported that Cardinal Mahony had written to parish priests to encourage their members to attend the crusade.

Crusade officials bragged that they had “a marvelous agreement” with Graham to give all registration cards to the diocese, of the inquirers who identified themselves as Catholic. The object was to “reincorporate Catholic Crusade participants back into full sacramental life in the Catholic Church.” “This is ecumenicity at it finest,” said Alexei Smith, Ecumenical and Interreligious Officer for the archdiocese.

There is no doubt that hundreds of thousands have been swept into the kingdom during the Graham crusades. But how tragic that so many who responded to Graham’s call to salvation were then sent back to the spiritual bondage and pagan rituals of the pope’s prostitute church?

Jack Chick concludes the Smokescreens chapter: “Yes, beloved. Billy Graham, as much as I love him and hate to say it, I believe was cleverly used as a smokescreen and as a pied piper for the whore of Revelation.”

In Graham’s 1952 Pittsburgh crusade, the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph reported that Graham said:

“Many of the people who reach a decision for Christ at our meetings have joined the Catholic Church and we have received commendations from Catholic publications for the revived interest in their Church following our campaigns. This happened both in Boston and Washington. After all, one of our prime purposes is to help the churches in a community. If after we move on, the local (sic) churches do not feel the efforts of these meetings in increased membership and attendance, then our crusade would have to be considered a failure.” [Emphasis in the original.]

Did you notice that Graham was only interested in a church’s increased membership-but nothing was said about a person receiving Christ as his or her personal Lord and Savior. This is what is important-not church membership! Church membership could increase a 1000-fold but if people are not being saved, then all is in vain.

Graham also gave a boost to the Catholic Church (in 1952) when he added that he “hoped to hear Bishop Fulton J. Sheen at one of the masses at St. Paul’s Cathedral tomorrow. ” [Emphasis in the original.]

“In 1968, Graham was in a meeting in San Antonio, Texas. He said that the Roman Church had given ‘tremendous cooperation’ in areas where he had held crusades. He added, ‘A great part of our support today comes from Catholics. We never hold a crusade without priests and nuns being much in evidence in the audience.”
By 1973 nuns were singing in the choir at Graham’s crusades.

Continuing on with Graham’s ecumenical outlook, the June 10, 1966 issue of Time said that volunteers “will tactfully receive those stepping forward to make a decision for Christ, [and] steer them to the nearest church of their chosen denomination….”

In Poland in 1978, “Graham taught nuns and priests how to evangelize. A picture taken at the famous Polish Shrine of the Black Madonna shows Graham welcoming pilgrims to the worship of their Virgin.”

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Abiding

“David Encouraged Himself in the LORD his God” [podcast]

“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, … but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” 1 Samuel 30:6

Gathering from several commentaries on this passage, one source notes the following:

“Faced with the devastating loss of Ziklag and a mutinous army threatening to stone him, David found supernatural resilience. Rather than yielding to panic or despair, he actively turned his focus away from the overwhelming crisis and strengthened his faith directly in God.

Key Context and Lessons

- The Crisis: Amalekite raiders had burned the city and captured all the women and children, including David’s own wives.
- The Breaking Point: His loyal men were now grieving and broken, turning their deep anguish into violent anger against their leader.
- The Shift: David did not look to his men, his own strength, or his circumstances for hope. He preached truth to his own soul, drawing on his past history with God’s faithfulness and inquiring of the Lord for his next steps.

Practical Takeaways

- Self-Talk: When no one else is around to lift you up, you must learn to speak God’s promises to your own heart.
- Refocusing: Encouraging yourself in the Lord means anchoring your identity and security in His unchanging character rather than shifting public opinion.
- Actionable Faith: David’s inward strengthening immediately led to outward action—he sought God’s direction and pursued the enemy, resulting in complete victory and restoration.”

“Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22

“In the world ye shall have tribulation”

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

During seasons of great stress, this man after God’s own heart sought the LORD. This time only served as a blessing, hastening David to the feet of Christ. Beloved David gave us the most amazing Scriptures concerning seeking God.

“My soul followeth hard after thee.” Psalms 63:8

“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 2 My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?” Psalms 42:1-2

“One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.” Psalms 27:4

“When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek.” Psalms 27:8

Prayer: Father in Heaven, in the name of Jesus, please grant me, Your mere servant, to be possessed with a heart after You dear LORD. I love You Jesus. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Abiding

10 Clues Your Love for God has Waxed Cold [podcast]

The wise virgin saints are keeping their lamps full of divine oil, they are taking personal responsibility for their own spiritual state with Christ the great and soon coming Bridegroom. Read Matthew 25:1-13.

“The Love of Many Shall Wax Cold”

“And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Matthew 24:10-14

Did you notice in verse 14 that those who hot for Jesus are participating in the preaching of His Word to the end of the earth (Mark 16:15).

Anyone not devouring God’s Word daily is falling away, is not enduring to the end, is choosing the let their love for Jesus wax cold, and on the wrong, the losing end of this prophecy Jesus gave here on record in Matthew 24:10-14.

“I will spue (vomit, reject) thee out of my mouth”

“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:” Revelation 3:16-17

Praying God will help you love Him more (Matthew 22:37-40). It really all boils down to WHO we love most. THAT is exactly who we are serving (Romans 6:16).

Loving God is everything as far as what’s in our control – because it’s a choice, daily, and will determine if one remains in Christ to the end.

“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40

“Thou hast left thy first love”

“Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Revelation 2:4-5

1. When you are choosing not to spend quality time with God in prayer each and every morning… When you are choosing not to spend quality time with God in His Word each and every morning (Luke 9:23-24; 1 Chronicles 16:11).

2. When your love for God’s people is being reduced instead of increased (Philippians 2:12-13; 1 John 5:1) Marks of the True Christian …. “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;” (Romans 12:9-11) See John 13:35.

“And it was told him by certain which said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. 21 And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.” Luke 8:20-21

“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.” 1 John 3:14

“Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.” 1 John 5:1

Reading 1 Corinthians 13 today will refresh your heart and mind on the divine importance placed upon LOVE.

3. You are not denying self and not taking up the cross daily (Luke 9:23-24; 19:27; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3, etc.).

4. You aren’t communicating the light of truth to others because you no longer seek or fear the LORD and so His divine virtue isn’t teeming in and flowing out of you. Your cup no longer runs over but instead is running empty (Psalms 23). You have a lampshade over the light and are not letting His light shine in and through your life and words… “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.” (Isaiah 58:1)

5. You live in fear instead of faith and the joy of being with Jesus (Luke 21:28; 1 John 4:16-18; Proverbs 28:1; Psalms 2:11).

6. You preach promises and not conditions…following the apostate modern church and you don’t preach the cardinal doctrines of the original Gospel which we are commanded to “earnest contend for.” (Jude 3) You begin meditating on and living by trends instead of truth (Jeremiah 9:3; 2 Timothy 4:2-4; Philippians 4:8; Romans 12:1-2).

7. You have little or no true fellowship with other born- again Bible believing disciples of Jesus as is defined in God’s Word and not by the modern church world (Acts 2:42).

The Word of God is to run rich, to be abundant among God’s people … “In all wisdom” and “all in the name of the Lord Jesus” … “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (Colossians 3:16-17)

8. You know you are backsliding when your main thrust and identity become politics, not the work of the Gospel. YOU are a blood bought disciple of Jesus, not a conservative. You are a Bible believing follower of Christ (Luke 9:62; Galatians 6:14).

9. When you love this world…..When you spend more time and money on hobbies and the things of this fleeting world than you do on attending to knowing, walking with the LORD and preparing to be used of Him (Mark 4:17-19; 1 John 2:15; James 4:4).

10. When you spend more money on trash and trinkets then helping the work of the One you claim to love and the poor. You know you are backslidden when you are not obeying God with what He’s placing in your temporal possession. He shall bring you into full account for this.

Regrettably, people will give their money to any and every pleasure under the sun but make excuses when the opportunity to support the work of the One they claim to love and serve. The Holy Spirit foretold that in the final days before the return of Jesus, there would be those with a mere “form of godliness”, “men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous,” and “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” (2 Timothy 3:1-7) According to the LORD, one of the main ways to measure our true love for Him or lack thereof, is by peering into our personal stewardship of the resources He’s placed into our temporary possession. Luke 12 and 16 offer a plethora of divine wisdom and warning concerning the judgment to come, the judgment we shall endure in giving account for our stewardship in this life.

The clear proof that God is working in our lives, that we are truly following Jesus, is that we are becoming less and less vested in this fleeting, fallen world (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17). And that we, our good works, our giving are more and more invested in eternity – in the eternal kingdom of Christ, laying up treasures in Heaven, sending them before us, relinquishing the things of this world for the glory of God – putting them to work for the eternal Gospel of Christ – for saints to be fed and equipped and the lost to hear the Word of God (Matt. 6:19-21).

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 22 The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. 23 But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! 24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:19-24

To underscore the importance of stewardship, we should realize that 16 of our LORD’s 38 parables involved stewardship. Those who now do not wish to face and confront this truth, are apparently those who are in the most need of hearing it.

PRAYER: Father I come to You now in the name of Jesus Christ. Please cause my conscience to be super sensitive to Your conviction, Your leading, and to evade all that defiles me in Your holy eyes, sin. Here and now I submit my life afresh to You dear LORD. You must increase but I must decrease. I am crucified with Christ and thank You for conforming me to His holy image. I am all Yours LORD and thank You that You are all mine. I love You Jesus. Please make me one with You and the Father and with Your beloved body. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Fresh Start with God

You can Have a … Jesus is the Great Shepherd of His Sheep (Heb. 13:20; Lk. 15) A FRESH START WITH GOD (First, if you are not certain that you are genuinely born again, please go here first) Let’s get something straight…. the disciple, the mere man writing this message is more in need of JESUS than anyone who ever lived! No one needs Jesus more than I do and yet, we must do things HIS way, not our own (Ephesians 3:8). “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs […]

Dollar Dialogue [podcast]

Holes in Your Money Bags? [podcast] Curing the Dilemma of Diminishing Returns. If we want to see Heaven’s floodgates opened, we must examine what compliance, what agreement, what obedience the LORD may be leading us to render. The Reason Your Bag has Holes in it [podcast] (below) YOUR own bank statement tells you exactly who you are. Matt 6:21 A financial investor takes your money and multiplies it for your last few years in this temporal life, right? In contrast, laborers for Christ take your support and multiply it for Christ and themselves for all eternity. In Christ’s eternal kingdom […]

The Love of Many Shall Wax Cold [podcast]

If someone’s love toward God’s people has waxed cold, it’s only because their love for the LORD first waxed cold (Matthew 24:10-14). Today is the best day to repent and return to the LORD. “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all […]