Once again, Judas is brought up as the example that proves that Christ’s cross cannot save all. But, what does scripture say about the ultimate destiny of Judas or any other sinner? I’m not talking about the ‘temporary’ destiny of the lost, the unbeliever, and those that have perished. No, I’m talking about their ultimate, end, forever destiny. These two things the ‘temporary’ and the ‘forever’ are two very different things.
I have presented a substack conversation that I recently had with a detractor at the end of this article. However, I am going to disect this comment point by point in order to draw out some very important truths that stump christians and religious elites.
First, the point is made that Jesus said Judas perished and that the former disciple of Christ was lost. Then, the man or woman making this argument, says that there is no mention of Judas ultimately being redeemed ‘through judgement.’
Yes, I agree. Scripture does not specifically state that Judas Iscariot will be saved. However, scripture does state what was accomplished for every single sinner on Christ’s cross and Judas is of course, a sinner. Scripture also says what has been done for every creature of God. Judas is a creature of God. Scripture gives a detailed account of what Christ did for mankind and all those that die. Judas is both a man and he is also dead.
Anyway, I’ll come back to this point. Let me first deal with the statement that Judas perished and was lost. This statement is true of course. But, the mistake often made is in the assigning of ‘the lost’ to be in this state for eternity when scripture clearly teaches that it is a ‘temporary.’ We must understand that Christ’s earthly ministry was about Israel. My detractor wants to quote the gospels of John and Matthew, so let’s look in those gospels to see to exactly what Christ was referrring.
Now He, answering, said, “I was commissioned except for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” – Matthew 15:24
Wait a minute! Jesus Christ only came for Israel? No non-Jew is saved? Of course not! But, rightly dividing the word causes one to understand that while on earth, Jesus was concerned with Israel. So, let’s ask this question:
With what was Israel concerned at the time their Messiah appeared?
THEY WERE CONCERNED WITH THE 1000 YEAR MILLENIEL RULE OF THEIR MESSIAH! Isreal was concerned with who would rule in the kingdom, who will be in the kingdom, and what they would be doing in the kingdom. Is this not clear?
28 Yet Jesus said to them, “Verily, I am saying to you, that you who follow Me, in the renascence whenever the Son of Mankind should be seated on the throne of His glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. – Matthew 19:28
30 that you may be eating and drinking at My table in My kingdom. And you will be seated on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” – Luke 22:30
Remember when the diciples asked Jesus who would be the greatest in the kingdom? It has to do with Israel’s rule in the 1000 year reign of Christ, not with eternity. That is what Israel and the diciples were concerned with and that is EXACTLY what Jesus addressed. What the cross did for all humanity is not revealed until Christ gives it to Paul. That is where you find ultimate salvation for all. However, Jesus was concerned with this 1000 year kingdom and THAT IS WHAT JUDAS AND OTHERS WILL MISS OUT ON. They will be lost and they have perished FOR THIS KINGDOM, not eternity.
11 Now I am saying to you that many from the east and the west shall be arriving and reclining with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of the heavens,
12 yet the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness. There shall be lamentation and gnashing of teeth.” – Matthew 8: 11-12
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob have to do with Israel as does this kingdom. This kingdom does not last forever, but it lasts for 1,000 years. I’ll say it again…Judas and many others are lost during this time. However, they are not lost for eternity as we will see.
5 (The rest of the dead do not live until the thousand years should be finished.) This is the former resurrection. – Revelation 20:5
So now, Judas and other unbelievers will be raised to judgement. Remember judgement, contrary to what religious folk tell you, is correction and not punishment as Isaiah 26:9 says that the inhabitants of earth will learn righteousness when God’s judgements come (paraphrase).
So, what about those that are cast into the Lake of fire?
14 And death and the unseen were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death-the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone was not found written in the scroll of life, he was cast into the lake of fire. – Revelation 20: 14-15’
I’ve been over this many times, so I’ll keep this short. It is vitally important that we understand the words God used in scripture. The word ‘forever’ and ‘eternal’ in scripture are translated from the Hebrew word ‘Olam’ and the Greek word ‘aion/aionian.’ Through scripture, these words are proven to mean ‘age, agelong, of or pertaining to an age.’ Its not that these words shouldn’t be translated to mean ‘eternal or forever,’ its that they CAN’T mean ‘eternal or forever.’ So, any mention of people being punished, dead, perished, tortured for all eternity is nonsense and unscriptural.
In short, the lake of fire does not last forever because the lake of fire is DEATH and DEATH does not last forever.
This is the second death-the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14)—The last enemy is being abolished: death (1 Corinthians 15:26)
You see, there are many people and Judas being one of them, that will perish and be lost for the ages of the 1000 year reign and the New Heavens and the New Earth age. However, these people will not be lost forever. They are dead until death is abolished.
…and there is only one way death is abolished and that is by putting on the immortality of Christ Jesus.
You see Christian nation, Jesus reigns until all enemies, including death, are abolished. He does not reign forever and ever as that is a mistranslation, but instead His reign is for the ages of the ages…the next two glorious ages. So during Christ’s reign, enemies still exist, wicked soevereignties and authorities still exist, death still exists…therefore, people are still dead, lost, having perished.
However, Christ’s reign ends once all enemies are abolished, death being the last one. Once this happens, God’s creation is perfected. His entire creation is perfected. This end-game of God is discussed throughout scripture and especially in 1 Corinthians 15: 21-28.
Verse 21 and 22 talks about ALL THAT DIE IN ADAM. That is every human that has ever lived. So the context of these verses is speaking about ALL THAT DIE IN ADAM, not just believers. The furthur context of 1 Corinthians 15 is that Paul was speaking to people that did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, so again, this couldn’t be just for believers but instead for all humanity.
So, what does Paul say about all that die in Adam, all humanity? He says that the exact same ALL that die in Adam are the exact same ALL vivified (given Christ’s immortality) by Christ.
21 For since, in fact, through a man came death, through a Man, also, comes the resurrection of the dead. 22 For even as, in Adam, all are dying, thus also, in Christ, shall all be vivified. -1 Corinthians 15: 21-22
Then, Paul explains the order in which all are vivified as not all are given immortality at the same time. 1 Timothy 4:10 says that believers are given a special salvation that corresponds with the people that are Christ’s in His presence. This is the first group that gets immortality. However, unbelievers have a salvation, its just not the special salvation that believers have.
This is substantiated by Romans chapter 8 when Paul talks about believers being the first fruits of slavation so that they can work with Christ to save unbelievers (the rest of creation), not damn them for eternity. Consequently, Christ eventually gives up the kingdom to His God and Father. All sovereignty, all authority, and all power are nullified. Remember, Satan is the chief authority and power of the air. So he and all other forms of evil are NULLIFIED. If someone or something is nullified, then it can no longer have an effect on God’s creation. So, how can Satan or death hold any being for eternity when being abolished or nullified. Not possible!
So, again, the context is ALL THAT DIE IN ADAM and ALL SOVEREIGNTY, AUTHORITY, and POWER. These are the beings that make up every creature that God has created and the very ones that are included in 1 Corinthians 15:28. God will be All in all of His creation and this includes every evil sovereignty, authority, and power and it includes every human being that has died in Adam.
What christians don’t realized is that these verses go furthur into time than the book of Revelation. Just because Revelation is the last book in the bible, it does not mean that it goes the furthest in time. During revelation, Christ is still reigning and His enemies still exist. Here in Corinthians, Paul is talking about a time when Christ gives up His reign becaus He has perfected all of God’s creation.
So, the lost are lost for a period of time. At the end of that time, they are saved by Christ.
So, the dead are dead for a period of time. At the end of that time, they are saved by Christ.
So, those separated and outside of the kingdom, are there for a period of time. At the end of that time, they are saved by Christ.
It is one of the greatest blasphemies to attribute to eternity what is meant for a period of time. The behavior of Judas or any other unbeliever in history, though they are lost for a period of time, is no match for the power of Christ’s cross to eventually save them through judgement.
Yes, Christ’s cross is that powerful!
Email: What you are teaching through your writing is error. One example: Judas Iscariot. In His high priestly prayer in John 17, Christ stated that not one of those who the Father had given Him perished, except the son of perdition (Judas) that the Scripture might be fulfilled. Judas went out and killed himself. (Matthew 27 3 – 10). Christ described Judas as a devil – John 6: 70 – 71. Judas was lost – Christ said he had perished. No mention of Judas ultimately being redeemed “through judgement”.
Revelation 19 and 20 tells us what is the ultimate end of the beast and Satan and their minions – the lake of fire. Jude tells us that the fallen angels (the demons) are reserved in chains under darkness for the final judgement, following which they will be punished in eternal fire. So no – not “all” are saved. That teaching is in error, and makes a mockery of the cross and Christ’s sacrifice for sin. Matthew 7, 19- 23 makes this very clear.
My response: There is no doubt that Judas perished and was lost. However, it is a grave error to assign to eternity what is temporary. These verses refer to the 1000 year rule of Christ, not eternity. Judas will miss out, be dead, perish, be lost, be out or whatever you want to say with regard to this kingdom. He will be raised after the 1000 years for judgement (judgement is correction according to Isaiah 26:9), then Judas will be cast into the lake of fire which is defined as DEATH, the SECOND DEATH. So, what happens to Judas and all those in DEATH when DEATH is abolished? They are made alive by the Christ’s death for sin, His entombment, and His resurrection. Why do you think 1 Corinthians 15: 21-28 and Colossians 1: 15-20 do not include Judas when ALL of creation is included? I encourage you to study these verses and understand that many are lost for the 1000 year kingdom and the next age of time, but none are lost for eternity. Salvation is dependent on Christ and His work and to say that Judas or anyone’s behavior will keep them from God in the end…means that you do not believe in the complete work of Christ on the cross. Its YOU that makes a mockery of the cross by limiting Christ’s completed work by making it dependent upon human behavior. It’s Christ that saves, not our behavior. Yes, the cross is that powerful to eventually save all of God’s creation. First, believers, then the rest through judgement for God is the Savior of all mankind, especially, not exclusively of believers (1 Timothy 4:10).
Email: Nowhere in my comment did I say that Christ’s completed work on the cross is dependent on human behavior. I find it disturbing that you would allege something about my comment that is clearly not there.
Ephesians 1: 5 “He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, to Himself, according to the kind intentions of His will”.
Ephesians 2:8 “for by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works, that no-one should boast”.
The reconciliation spoken of in Colossians 1 is the mediatorial work of Christ in making peace between those who were formerly alienated (ie all of us) and God the Father.
Paul in Ephesians was writing to a new church, composed mainly of non-Jews. He refers to the abolition of the law (it’s requirements were completely fulfilled in Christ) and the removal of the wall of partition between God and the people (as represented by the veil in the temple that was ripped apart at Christ’s death. (Matthew 27:51).
Christ came to save a people for Himself (Titus 2:14). It is through grace from God that we believe. God, in His sovereignty, has foreordained who will believe in Christ through grace. Ephesians 1:4.
I would suggest that you stop taking Scripture out of context.
You said that Judas is lost forever, correct? That means that Christ’s work on the cross DID NOT COMPLETE salvation for Judas. Therefore, Christ’s work was incomplete for salvation. If you say that Christ did complete salvation, then how come Judas is not saved? You are implying that Christ did His work on the cross but because of Judas’ behavior, he is not saved. So, if any independent human faith, decision, or act determines whether or not they are saved…then it is dependent on human behavior. So, don’t hide behind false offense because you refuse to follow your belief to its logical conclusion.
I’m not understanding your point on Ephesians 1:5 and 2:8 and really, the rest of the verses you cited? Yes of course, God chooses who will believe and He Himself gives them faith. God clearly gives faith to believers, but you are saying that God eternally tortures those that He does not give faith? So, they have no chance, God just created them to be tortured? That’s not love…that’s sick! Not to mention that in Timothy it is said that God wills all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of truth. How can God will someone to be saved and then purposely make them not believe what is necessary to be saved?
God does not torture those that He does not give faith to…He eventually saves them through judgement. That is why God is the Savior of All mankind, especially, not exlusively of believers (1 Timothy 4:10). Romans chapter 8 talks about how God chooses the firstfruits of salvation (believers) not to damn the rest, but to work with Christ to SAVE the rest (unbelievers).
You admit that Colossians 1 talks about all creation as Paul makes that clear. He also makes it clear that all creation, the same all creation created by God through Christ, is reconciled to God through the blood of the cross. So, how is saying that ‘all are reconciled to God’ taking scripture out of context? What context are you inventing here?
My how you limit the power of Christ’s cross and the love of God by saying that He gives faith to some and damns the rest for eternity. Christ did what He did for the exact same all that Adam condemned to death. But what you don’t get is that we did nothing to get death, we inherited it from Adam. Therefore, we do nothing to get life justified, we inherited it from Christ. Is Adam greater than Christ? In your mind, he is…
Faith, my friend, is a realization God gives us to Christ’s completed work for all humanity. Faith IS NOT something that MAKES what Christ did true for us. Some come to the realization of what Christ accomplished when God gives them faith, the rest come to this realization through judgement.
Saved ignoble 
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