Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve, he was sent out with one of the twelve to cast out demons, to heal the sick and proclaim the good news, he spent nearly every day and night for more than three years in the presence of the Lord, hearing Him speak, seeing the miracles, experiencing, tasting, but never drinking.
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” (Heb. 6:4-6)
Judas is in hell today, and he has been there for over two thousand years. Do you suppose that he will be one of those who will stand before the Judge of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will say, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matt. 7:22)
Do you think that the Lord will call him friend then?
Those verses in Hebrews chapter six do not speak of saved individuals who have lost their salvation, for that is not possible, but of those who partook without acceptance, who tasted without drinking. Look at what Christ said to the woman at the well, “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14) Many experience the presence of the Lord, few die to self, few drink in fully, few submit their lives for His glory, few are saved.
Many believe themselves to be though, but they perform the functions only, the actions are not done out of a love for Him, but in the hopes that those actions will prove obedience, works done in false hope of salvation, in fear of eternal damnation, not out of love.
“I am accepted because I have done this, because I continue to perform these deeds. I am accepted because I got baptized, I go to church, I pray, I hand out gospel tracts.”
They have tasted and seen that the Lord is indeed good, but they will not drink fully, their lives are not submitted to His will. Those who believe they can lose their salvation were never saved in the first place.
“Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” (Heb. 1:3)
“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1st Peter 2:24)
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph. 2:8-9)
They taste, they understand there is more, they have experienced, but not submitted, they have not died to self.
Judas walked with the Lord for more than three years, some have walked beside Him for decades, listening but never hearing, witnessing the truth, but never seeing the light. Their hearts are far from Him.
All who have been saved by the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ at times believe themselves to be this person, one who has walked beside Him but never truly trusted Him as their Savior, one who knows His name, but does not recognize Him as Lord of their lives. It is a terrible feeling, and if you are not careful, you will find yourself attempting to perform more and more works to prove to yourself that you are indeed one of the chosen. The work has been done, at the cross all the work necessary was completed, you must believe that. The proof will not only be the works done through you by the Holy Spirit, but the heart that believes “It is finished.” (John 19:30)
