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Dear friend,
Please read the following Scriptural verses.
Matthew 16:16 And Simon Peter answered, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
John 17:10 “And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. John 17:11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to you. Holy Father, keep through your own name those whom you have given me, that they may be one, as we are. John 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in your name: those that you gave me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
Luke 22:31-34 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not: and when you have returned, strengthen your brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with you, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell you, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before you shall three times deny that you know me.
Luke 22:62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.
Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
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The difference between repentance of Peter and Judas Iscariot.
Peter was impulsive in nature and said that he would not deny Jesus Christ, but failed. He denied Jesus Christ three times before Jesus was crucified. Jesus looked back toward him as if to remind the falling nature of man. Peter went and cried for his failure. Notice Peter had called Jesus Christ as Lord even before he denied that he knew him. His confession that Jesus is the Lord and the Son of the living God was much before his denial. His denial was equal to that of a backslider and coming back to Jesus Christ. His denial was not equal to refusing salvation, whereas we do not read anywhere that Judas Iscariot had accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior, or calling him as Lord. Judas Iscariot never worked for Lord Jesus; rather he worked against him. Judas Iscariot was called, 'son of perdition.'
Though Judas was an ordinary man like any other disciple, but Satan entered him. “Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.” Luke 22:3
“And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.” John 13:27 Even before this Jesus knew who Judas was. Jesus, while praying to the Father in heaven, named Judas as, "son of perdition' and also asserted that he was lost.
These things happened that Scriptures might be fulfilled. If not, Judas, there would have been another person. In the prophecies, Judas was not named. Judas yielded to Satan, and in the love of money, which gave way for Satan to enter him, and use him. Satan’s influence on Peter was also a success, when Peter denied Jesus three times before the cock crew. Satan also entered when Peter desired that Jesus not die on the cross. Matthew 16:22-23 Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from you, Lord: this shall not be unto you. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get you behind me, Satan: you are an offense unto me: for you consider not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Nevertheless, there is quite a great deal of difference between Judas falling away and Peter denying Jesus. Peter confessed Jesus Christ as Lord, and Son of the Living God, whereas, in the case of Judas Iscariot, (Matt 27:3) he repented but not about the sin he committed, but himself and also living room for our comprehension that he never repented of his sin or called Jesus Christ as the "Lord".
Judas Iscariot's case is enigmatic. However, the popular belief is that he will be hell for the greatest sin ever committed by any one in this world.
Leslie M. John |
Copyright © 2006 Leslie M. John
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