26:14-16 Was Judas Iscariot ever saved, or was he always of the devil, as some teach?

To say that Judas was never saved, always of the devil, and never in grace as some teach, is to ignore the plain facts of scripture. Judas was given by God to Jesus and Jesus had once given him eternal life (cp Jn 17:1-12). Jesus trusted Judas – He called him “mine own familiar friend”, which means that Judas was a confidant of Jesus, a trusted friend (cp Psa 41:9; 55:12-14; Jn 13:18).

Would Jesus have referred to Judas like He did in Psa 41 and 55 if he was always of the devil? (While Psa 55:12-14 also applies to the betrayal of King David, it is a messianic prophecy and applies to the betrayal of Jesus too). The Holy Spirit indwelt him and Judas had all the power the other disciples had to heal the sick, cleanse lepers, raise the dead and cast out demons, etc. (cp Mt 10:1-8, 16-20; Mk 3:14-19; 6:7-13; Lk 6:13-16; 9:1-6).

Along with Jesus’ other disciples Judas’ name was written in God’s Book of Life (cp Lk 10:1-9, 17-20). Judas was a bishop in the church Jesus is building (cp Acts 1:15-25). But Judas became apostate, then a thief, and eventually he betrayed Jesus (cp Zec 11:12-13; Mt 26:14-16, 47-50; Mk 14:10-11; 43-46; Lk 22:3-6, 47-48; Jn 6:70-71;12:3-6; 13:2).

He forfeited his apostleship, his bishoprick (his ministry), and his salvation (cp Psa 69:22-28; 109:6-20; Ac 1:15-20). In Ac 1:20 Peter quoted Psa 109:8 as being fulfilled in Judas. Psa 69:22-25 applies to both Judas and those who had Jesus killed. We learn from Psa 109 that Judas had a wife and children. His wife became a widow and his children vagabonds (wanderers), who had to beg all the rest of their days (cp Mt 26:9-10). Judas’ family name died out in that generation. It was lost to posterity forever - no one was left to carry on his name (cp Mt 26:13).

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