Luke 22:1-6
Could Judas have been Forgiven and Saved?
Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people. Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad and agreed to give him money. So, he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd. (Luke 22:1–6).
Question: If Judas had sincerely and genuinely repented and asked for forgiveness, would Jesus have forgiven and saved him?
Main Point: People can harden their hearts to the point that it is impossible for them to repent and receive God’s gift of grace through Christ Jesus.
I. Judas sold his soul to the devil.
I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the Son of Destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. (John 17:12).
Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him. (John 6:70–71).
II. Satan entered and possessed Judas.
Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” (John 13:25–27).
III. Judas’s heart belonged to Satan.
During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. (John 13:2–4).
IV. A person can harden their heart against the Holy Spirit and commit the unpardonable sin.
They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. (Ephesians 4:19).
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness but is guilty of an eternal sin. (Mark 3:29)
V. A person’s conscience can become seared and their heart so hard they cannot repent.
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared. (1 Timothy 4:1–2).
For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. (Hebrews 6:4–6).
Answer: Despite being a disciple and knowing Jesus; the answer is “No.” Judas could not repent and be saved because he had given himself over to Satan, his heart was hard, and his conscience was seared.
Challenge: Are you open to the work of the Holy Spirit, or are you simply pretending (like Judas) and is danger of hardening your heart and searing your conscience?
Invitation: Repent right now, asked God to forgive you, and commit to serving Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord.
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