Here are sayings that I have heard many times, and I'm sure you have also –“God will forgive everyone!” or “God has a place in Heaven for everyone”!
Anyone who thinks this is true, or hopes it is true, will be in for a very unpleasant surprise if they listen to this prayer of Jesus!
The man Jesus mentions in His prayer had more opportunities than most people to see and know Jesus. He was one of those twelve disciples Jesus had carefully chosen, and sent out “to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.”
Jesus clearly had shown His love and protection of each of these disciples while He was with them. Now He is about to leave them and He prays to His Father in Heaven for them. “Holy Father, protect them... While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave Me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction..”! (verses 11-12.)
So Jesus is saying that one of His own disciples was not going to get to Heaven! Why? They had all been together that very evening talking with Jesus, and eating the same supper!
Jesus had once said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!’” (Matthew 7:21-23.)
You see, according to Jesus MANY will be turned away from God, and Heaven - even many who had preached in His name and had done miracles in His name! He explained that ONLY THOSE WHO DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER IN HEAVEN WILL ENTER HEAVEN!
God’s will for us is that you and I must trust His Son, Jesus Christ, as our only Priest and Saviour. He is the only One who can bring the sinner to God. Yet popular religions still offer many other priests and saviours!
Judas Iscariot, the disciple who was “doomed to destruction” had, in his heart, preferred other priests rather than Jesus! He was even content to betray Jesus to other priests, for them to sacrifice Him! Judas had absolutely no excuse for preferring other priests, and trusting in them instead of in Jesus Christ, whom he had seen to be God's Son!
This came as no surprise to Jesus; the Scriptures had said this would happen. (verse 12.) When Judas would be "doomed to destruction" he would have no one to blame except himself! And neither will you, if you should be found trusting in mere men as your priests, some even thinking they can have Jesus sacrificed repeatedly, day after day, in their religion! (Hebrews 7:23-27.)
There is still time to be SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION by obeying the will of the Father in Heaven! Trust His Son, Jesus Christ, as your only Priest, whose once-and-for-all sacrifice of Himself satisfied the Justice of Holy God against your sins! Do it now!
Read Jesus' solemn words about Judas in John chapter 17, verses 11-12.
John Nixon, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
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