On Eternal Security - Part 7
The BIG Picture
There are many ways to learn, and people like myself take a simpler approach. We see the big picture when it’s presented to us.
It’s good to have a map when you’re traveling and going into unknown territory. The same is true when doing theology. The Gospel is one of the big pictures when going from Genesis to Revelation. But on the topic of Perseverance and Eternal Security (ES), Christ has given us the big picture: Peter and Judas. By having our minds on the big picture, we won’t get lost as we navigate this topic on ES. However, many have sought, in their unbelief, to explain away this big picture on ES. I have heard objections such as, “It’s a special case. Doesn’t apply to believers today,” “Peter was an apostle. We’re not,” or they do all they can to try to prove that Judas was genuinely saved, yet in the same breath would say that no one is saved yet, not even Judas! Such inconsistencies are to be expected. This Big Picture is one of the obstacles for opponents of ES, and you’ll see why in a moment.
In the previous post, we looked at Peter and how he is a picture of true believers. Judas, on the other hand, is a picture of apostates and false believers. That’s it. That’s the Big Picture. You can take that and walk away with confident that ES is a biblical doctrine. If you are doubtful, stick around.
We’re Driven by What We Know or Believe
“I know the resurrection is a fact, and Watergate proved it to me. How? Because 12 men testified they had seen Jesus raised from the dead, then they proclaimed that truth for 40 years, never once denying it. Everyone was beaten, tortured, stoned and put in prison. They would not have endured that if it weren’t true. Watergate embroiled 12 of the most powerful men in the world—and they couldn’t keep a lie for three weeks. You’re telling me 12 apostles could keep a lie for 40 years? Absolutely impossible.” —Charles Colson
We’re driven by what we know or believe to be the truth in our heart. Both Thieves started out with the same belief of who Jesus was, but then shortly after one turned around to rebuke the other. Read my post on that here!
Something miraculous happened internally to one of the thieves. How do we know? He rebuked the other.
“The tongue exists to reveal our hearts.” —John Calvin
“We know metals by their tinkling, and men by their talking.” —Thomas Brooks
“If you wish to know the mind of a man, listen to his words.” —Chinese Proverbs
We can’t see the heart, but words very often reveal it. This is by design. The health of the liver can be seen on the face and eyes. This is why in TCM, they take everything that is visual into consideration when diagnosing. Certain animals have a scary countenance to warn us of danger so that we don’t come near. Your countenance reveals your emotional state and it’s hard to hide (Genesis 4:6).
Here’s the point!
“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” (Matthew 15:19 NKJV)
Judas did not believe in his heart that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. In fact, there’s no record of Judas ever calling Jesus “Lord” the way Peter addressed Him as Lord. This point is crucial to keep in mind because what we believe and know will affect how we live (cf. John 6:66-69). This is one of the reasons why Proverbs 4:24 states, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”
It’s not enough to just confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, but you must also believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead (cf. Romans 10:9-10)! It’s in the believing (in the heart) that brings forth fruit (cf. Colossians 1:5-6; 2 Corinthians 5:14)! Now, do you see that God revealed the truth of His Son to Peter (Matthew 16:15-17), one of the thieves (cf. Luke 23:34) and not Judas? And you can see the reality of that in how they each conducted themselves toward Christ. What about Paul, who went around seeking to persecute Christ and His people… until, “…it pleased God… to reveal His Son…” to him (Galatians 1:15-16)?
It’s undeniable that what’s in us will flow out (cf. Jeremiah 20:9; John 7:38). Judas, the Thieve and Paul all persecuted Christ, each in their own unique ways, and they did it “ignorantly in unbelief.” Only the thieve and Paul “obtained mercy” (1 Timothy 1:13 cf. Romans 9:15)! God in His wisdom and sovereignty chose not to save Judas, and this is confirmed when we look at the fact that Christ prayed for Peter (Luke 22:32) and came for him after his denial of Christ (Mark 16:7). Not to mention that the way Jesus addressed Peter and Judas are different as night and day. For example, Jesus never called out Judas in this manner, “Judas, Judas…” but only to Simon, “Simon, Simon…” This is a big deal considering that Peter and Judas is the big picture representing true and false believers.
This rare grammatical structure has significance in the Hebrew language. When someone repeats the personal form of address, it suggests and communicates an intimate personal relationship with the person to whom he is speaking. —R.C. Sproul
Furthermore, Peter wept bitterly knowing he let his Lord down and still believed in his heart that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Judas on the other hand never believed in Christ as Lord. He was remorseful because he believed (as it turned out for him) Christ to be an innocent man (Matthew 27:3-4), and not the Christ and Son of God! If Judas knew and believed in his heart, then “they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:8, cf. Matthew 16:22). He indirectly participated in Christ’s crucifixion because he, like the rest, did not know (cf. Luke 23:34). We’ll talk more about Judas later in this series. Here we only look at the Big Picture.
These two men who had been disciples with Jesus during his earthly ministry committed treason against Him in his darkest hour. And there are further similarities in these two examples in that Jesus predicted both Peter’s and Judas’ diabolical acts. But we recall that when Jesus said, “One of you will betray me,” the disciples said among themselves, “Who is it, Lord? Is it I?” When Judas asked, “Is it I, Rabbi?” Jesus said to him, “You have said so” (Matt. 26:25). Jesus’ final words to Judas were “What you are going to do, do quickly” (John 13:27). And He dismissed him from their presence.… Notice, however, that Jesus does not say to Peter, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” Our Lord’s words to Simon Peter were significantly different from what He said to Judas. He said, “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:32).
Notice what Jesus doesn’t say. He doesn’t simply [hope] that Peter will be able to resist Satan, or that he will return, or that he will be able to strengthen the brothers. He expresses certainty that Peter [will] do these things. There was no doubt in Jesus’ mind not only that Peter would fall, and fall abysmally, but also that Peter would be restored. —R.C. Sproul (Can I Lose My Salvation?)