Judas was Not the World's Worst Sinner
Wednesday, May 6, 2009 at 06:00AM If you are a Christian, you probably either despise or pity Judas Iscariot. When the "black sheep" apostle's name comes up, people talk about the depth of his sin or wonder how God could have chosen one man to bear so much guilt.
God is often blamed for calling Judas to be the betrayer of Jesus. But, just as God didn't cause Pharaoh's heart to harden against Moses and the Israelites, neither did He cause Judas to sell out Jesus.
Judas' betrayal was not even necessary to end Jesus' earthly ministry. Jesus would have been crucified whether Judas existed or not.
God knew what Judas would do; God did not make him do it. Judas was no more a puppet in God's hands than you or I. As hard as we have to fight human nature to follow God, it's obvious than everyone has free will.
Satan may have entered Judas to influence him, but Satan certainly has no more power over anyone's will than God does. The power God or Satan wields over us is only what we yield.
Judas was not chosen by God to do evil against Christ. I believe Judas was chosen to walk with Christ in spite of what he would do.
Judas was no worse a sinner than Peter or the rest of the apostles. Sin is sin. Sin is separation from God. The other eleven men separated themselves from God when they abandoned Jesus after His arrest.
I've separated myself from Jesus. So have you.
Judas made a terrible mistake. He was later sorry. His worst mistake was not understanding that he could still be forgiven (and eternally reunited with Jesus), simply by asking. Judas could have sought forgiveness and salvation rather than killing himself after the arrest of Jesus.
Judas was chosen not as an example of worthlessness, as some see him, but as a picture of what happens when we are around Jesus but not truly with Him.
Imagine the power of Judas' testimony had he come to the foot of the cross at Calvary to ask forgiveness. The joy that he and Jesus would have shared may have brought more people to Christ than Peter's words on the day of Pentecost.
But Judas did not ask forgiveness, though he clearly was sorry for what he had done. Instead he tried to escape the pain of his sin and died in an eternal state of sin.
People say Judas was the world's worst sinner, but he wasn't. Sin is sin. He could have been forgiven. So can I. So can you.
Judas, betrayal, forgiveness, free will 
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Reader Comments (3)
Diane, you're so right about sin being sin. As humans we tend to think of sin in degrees or level of severity, but God did not assign demerits for our sins. Because our Savior loves us so much He is able to forgive all our transgressions. That includes the sin of Judas Iscariot if Judas died with a repentant heart.
If only we could all understand that's God's love is not like our wimpy or recalcitrant versions of love. He loves each of us, no matter how "bad" enough to forgive and embrace if we just ask and accept His gift of salvation.
So true, sin is sin.
While Judas spent time with Jesus, he did not know or understand the grace and mercy Jesus flowed in.
Just as you say, he could have been forgiven, and I am forgiven in His precious name, Amen!