- "The Son of Man will go just as it is written about Him"--refers to Christ's approaching death and suggests the voluntary nature of His sufferings. It's going to take place as it is written/prophesied of Him in the Old Testament. It's the divine purpose that Christ died for our sins.- The Bible prophecy regarding the Messiah being betrayed was being fulfilled here. "Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me." (Psalm 41:9)
- "The prescience of God is not the cause of men's wickedness, nor does it involve any necessity of it; Judas was not a traitor because God foresaw it, but He forsaw it because Judas would be so." (~Chrysostom) Judas Iscariot did what he did out of his own free will and wicked heart. Judas was given opportunities to "come clean" but he chose to be unfaithful and betray Jesus.
- "But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."--Jesus said this because He knew the fate of Judas. There's no hope for him because he would not repent. Ingratitude, unfaithfulness, covetousness, self-centeredness ("what's in it for me" mindset), treachery! Serious crime deserves serious punishment. Literally, it is way better to have not been born (no existence) at all than to be punished with everlasting destruction and despair in Hell. There's no end or relief to that continuous suffering. This passage proves that the torments of Hell will be eternal and that all the wicked (unrepentant sinners) will perish forever. It also debunks the doctrine of the annihilation of the wicked. "It would have been well for that man if he had never been born! Then he must be in some state of conscious existence, as non-existence is said to be better than that state in which he is now found." (~Clarke's Commentary) Seriously, unless you repent and trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you too will perish eternally just like Judas Iscariot (see Luke 13:3, 5)
- "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) If you have not accepted God's free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ yet, please do not delay any longer. You cannot afford to wait. No one is promised tomorrow. Your eternal destiny depends on your decision right now!
5 comments:
Amen. I love your post. Do you believe that some sins are so grave that there is no chance for redemption or do you believe that any person is able to be saved should he repent of his sins?
Carole, I believe that no one is beyond God's grace. "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) "They perish because they refused to love the Truth and so be saved." (2 Thessalonians 2:10b) Unless we repent and trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we will perish.
What an awesome way to reach people with the gospel! love that you are using your blog and your a-z as a way to plant seeds. May God bless!
Jacquie
http://www.myblessingshomeschool.com
I like your sense of urgency. Jesus didn't mince words when it came to the consequences of sin and the fate of our eternal souls. I think of Matthew's Gospel when I start feeling fuzzy like my lines are blurring. It helps me focus up. When I first became a Christian, I'd read the line about it being better to enter the kingdom with one hand or foot and I'd be like, "God, are you serious about this?" He basically responded, "Yes, it's a metaphor, but still, Yes."
Your post does reveal a sense of urgency. May we all choose to believe in Him!
I like your debunking of the myth of annihilation. Using Jesus' own words is a powerful argument - how could it be better to not have been born if the unbeliever just ceases to exist? We are all eternal beings and must choose where we will end up.
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