Example #11 – Judas and the Murder of Christ

If the very faith to be saved is “not of yourselves: it is the gift of God”; if “ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you” (Joh 15:16); if God simply has “mercy on whom HE will have mercy” (Rom 9:18) and if He truly “works all things after the counsel of His own will” (Eph 1:11), then He must also indeed “create evil” (Isa 45:7) and “hate” people before they are even born (Rom 9:11-113), “harden hearts” (Rom 9:18), blind eyes, keep from understanding, keep from being converted and keep from being healed (Joh 12:40).

Is this true? Is God really the one who is responsible for all the evil in the world?

Ask yourself, what is the most evil action of men of all time? Because you are “of the earth, earthy”, you may think it was the burning of witches at the stake, pulling men apart with horses, sawing men in two, etc. You might think that certain men ordering the deaths of so many people make those men the most evil men of all time. If you think any of these things, you are wrong. There has been one death that was worth more than all deaths of all kinds, of all time in the eyes of God. This was the death of the only sinless human being whoever lived – the Lord Jesus Christ.

Whom are we told to hold responsible for this most heinous crime of all time? Are we told that our sins killed Christ? No, we are not! We are not told that we loved and therefore chose Christ, but rather that we did NOT choose Christ (Joh 15:16). We are told “not that we loved God, but that HE loved us and sent His Son to be a propitiation for our sins” (1Jn 4:10). Propitiation means “atonement, that is, (concretely) an expiation” (Strong’s Concordance #2434). Anyone for whom sins are atoned is saved from the penalty of sin, which penalty is death (Rom 6:23).

But those who have been ‘dragged’ to God and saved by the fiery chastening and cleansing of grace in this age, are not the only ones to be saved by this ‘propitiation’ of Christ: “… if ANY man sin, we have an advocate [ parakletos – Strong’s #3875 – “COMFORTER WHICH IS THE HOLY SPIRIT” Joh 14:26] with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous” (1Jn 2:1).

But we are not the only ones this propitiation covers. We are simply “… a kind of FIRST fruits of his creatures…[ begotten] of HIS OWN [ not our] will” (Jas 1:18). Since we are only “a kind of first fruits”, “he is the propitiation of our sins; and not for ours only, BUT ALSO FOR THE WHOLE WORLD” (1Jn 2:3). Christ did not die for our sins only, but for all sin of all time, “THE WHOLE WORLD” “… specially [ but not limited to] of those that believe” (1Ti 4:10).

We still haven’t discovered who the scriptures say was responsible for the death of Christ. Was it the Jews who knew that his parables spoke of them (Mat 21:45)? No, we are told by Christ Himself that it was not given to them to understand who He was, nor to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God (Mat 13:11-16). Therefore, while hanging on the cross, Christ admitted “they know not what they do” (Luk 23:34).

Was Judas responsible for the death of Christ? He felt so guilty that he hanged himself shortly after the death of Christ (Mat 27:5). But Judas could never have carried through with this deed if Satan himself had not been sent to “enter… into Judas” (Luk 22:3), hardening him to carry through with the task that Christ Himself had told Judas “that thou do, do quickly” (Joh 13:27). Christ in no way discouraged Judas. It took both Christ and Satan to get Judas to commit this dastardly act.

Who then was responsible for the greatest crime and evil of all time? Peter tells us who was really responsible for the death of Christ. We are told twice, so we cannot possibly misunderstand, even though the whole world is blinded: “….. Him [ Christ] BEING DELIVERED BY THE DETERMINATE COUNSEL AND FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain” (Act 2:23). Was Christ slain by the Jews? NO! He was “delivered [ to death] BY THE DETERMINATE COUNSEL AND FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD.”

Did the other disciples see it this way? “Against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together, FOR TO DO WHATSOEVER [ crucify Christ] THY HAND AND THY COUNSEL DETERMINED BEFORE [ the world began – 1Ti 1:9] TO BE DONE” (Act 4:27 & 28).

There it is! Who killed Christ? “… the Gentiles and the people of Israel” (pretty much covers EVERYBODY). Were they responsible for this the worst crime of all time? Absolutely not! “They know not what they do.” Who did know what He was doing? Who is responsible for the death of Christ? “Thy hand and Thy counsel determined before to be done.”

Will Judas or the Jews be caused to give an accounting of their deeds even though they can truthfully plead “why has thou made me thus?” Yes, they will give an account for their deeds even though they are not responsible: “that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth…” (Mat 23:35).

Will the Gentiles be caused to give an account of their evil deeds? Certainly: “the wages of sin is death…” (Rom 6:23).

The truth will always remain the same: “HE WORKETH ALL THINGS AFTER THE COUNSEL OF HIS OWN WILL” (Eph 1:11).

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