of Judas or Of those who didnt believe

Those who didnt believe, turned their backs on or betrayed Jesus 

Are we to love Judas? 🤔 We are to love our enemies.

Points:
*many disciples who were following Jesus, left after "I am the Bread of Heaven" hard teaching. 

*the ones in the mass crowds, who sought earthly benefits of free food over the true Words of Heaven (that bring salvation).

*the religious leaders who didnt really want the Messiah to come, because theyd lose their power over the people, the attention always on them, the money etc. They wanted rid of anyone threatening that cushy earthly life. 

*video links that touch well on Judas and unbelieving religious leaders (worth watching and hearing).

The knowledge
Jesus had sorrow over those who wouldnt come to Him. Even near the end. Plus, He had sorrow that the many following him as disciples left Him, and the mass crowds were not interested in God which would lead to salvation.  Much in John's Gospel covers this.

Judas was like the ones there for the earthly gain, just like the religious leaders. He was in charge of the money, stole from it, etc, and was there as one following a earthly focus of humans, clearly thought he was not God, but stuck around for the miracles, the fame it gave, and " 🤔if the Messiah", thought he would benefit from a position in the earthly kingdom and the money and fame it would bring him, (as did the two brothers). 

Judas saw everything, heard everything, more than the people and leaders did, being with Jesus daily 247 365 for 3 years....but was blinded to the truth. He didnt understand many things Jesus explained. If he realized He was indeed God and not just >"a earthly Messiah to conquer Rome who did miracles as prophecies  as "signs" of proof"< ... he, Judas, would not fulfill his role as prophesied.

 He had worldly sorrow that brings death, not repentant sorrowfulness that leads to salvation. It is sad tho. He perhaps like Peter couldve been forgiven. But he chose the way of Cain not Abel. Of Esau not Jacob. Unsaved, not not redeemed.


What Judas did does seem shocking 
While completely shocking that someone with him every day for 3 years, and of the inner 12, who saw him doing countless miracles, even feeding 30,000 at 1 meal, hearing him teach daily, hearing the amazing things he taught, (most is not even recorded)... to see him clearly state He is God over and over, and the Jewish leaders even clearly understood what He was saying, to have full knowledge of Him and then to do what Judas did... his greed & guilt, and conviction lead him to suicide. If it was repentantly remorseful he could've went to Jesus and sought forgiveness. It would've been amazing if he did, Jesus likely may have then said, i forgive you, these things were to happen as prophesied, go and sin no more. Etc. And what a powerful forgiveness story it couldve been, and a new life had lived in gratitude.  Hell has no mercy, no hope, so this was extremely sad ending for a human. Even if he was worse than Daumer, who was said to have been saved. Not a single one of us deserve forgiveness or Heaven , but by God's grace, mercy and love that we get what we dont deserve and dont get what we do deserve

Loving Judas, enemies of God 
We are to love our enemies, Judas isnt alive today for us to extend that behavior to him. What we see is the big picture though, like the story of Job, but that we redeemed see it as we likely would if in Heaven when people are judged and sent to Hell. We are sad they did not get saved, but in truth and righteousness must stand with God and say "this is right and Just". We can do nothing else. 

It is also a important reminder that we need to strive to share the Gospel as much as we can to "snatch some from the flames", "in the hopes that some may be saved".


Forgiveness
For many "forgiveness" or "love" seem hard to imagine if Judas had betrayed us. But thats a mindset we need to change.

if one has a clearer understanding of redemption then you would understand. Not everyone is at that place where they grasp this well let alone receive it and stand by it. 

*Humans are sinful, we do wrong to others and others do wrong to us. We are all bad in God's eyes, and equally deserving of Hell

*we, thru Jesus, receive what we dont deserve and dont get what we do deserve. (>We cannot think self righteously that we are better than others)

*Because of God's grace and mercy we are able to be forgiven, thru Jesus. Whether we are John, Peter, or Daumer. 

*if we look at the big picture
- we should hope everyone can be saved
-we cannot hold grudges
-we know there will be no sin in eternity and believers who are there will live in perfection, we will not think on the former things, there is no grudges nor need for forgiveness, no concern if someone will do evil and is not trustworthy, we have been perfected. we are all grateful to have been saved and received eternal life and the promised inheritance there. We will treat each other in perfect love, no matter who we were on earth.
-we will not have this old sin nature dead body dragged around in Heaven, nor the mindset or thoughts that wretched flesh clings to us and stinks us up like here on earth. We will be good minded, perfect natured and love all the redeemed in eternity with a perfect love. 

We strive to think that way now as well 😊

We must live that out here now as well, towards those who hurt our feelings, do wrong things to us, behind our backs, or whatever it may be, we need to love like Jesus did, and through being treated wrongly or unjustly we need to love everyone as Jesus did. Love one another. When we do that, the love of God is shining through us to the world. 


Videos:
these touch well on Judas and unbelieving religious leaders (👉worth watching and hearing).
Conclusion 
Are we to love Judas? As a human made in God's image we would have, he is not alive today to do so. The only thing we can do with Judas is:

*not stand self-righteously over him. Realizing we didnt deserve salvation; were only saved by the grace and mercy of God

*feel sad as Jesus did that one was lost to eternal Hell, who if he had repented and turned to Jesus couldve been saved. 

*grieve that anyone didnt get saved before they died.

*consider all that solid preachers and commentaries explain about these related things on Judas



Let us (who are born again) strive to share the Gospel properly so that many can be saved, and answer questions to help people take a step closer to Him today. 



Bonus videos related to Judas


Related:
Why do people who do horrible things get forgiven 






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