Based on John 13:18-30 (New King James Version)
“I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.’ When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.’ Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ Jesus answered, ‘It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.’ And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What you do, do quickly.’ But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, ‘Buy those things we need for the feast,’ or that he should give something to the poor. Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.”
If there is something completely sure and certain in this life is this: Everything God has said through His Word, sooner or later, will be fulfilled. Everything will be fulfilled, just as it has been happening thus far. For it is written: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” Matthew 24:35. Not even Satan himself, with all of his power, will he be able to change anything, even if he will try to in the last days. For it is written: “He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time. ‘But the court shall be seated, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and destroy it forever.” Daniel 7:25-26. Nothing can change God’s times, those of which are dictated by His Word. Now then, so does this issue that nothing can change the Word’s fulfillment have anything to do with predestination?
Within God’s plans, there are many things that are predestined, or, that there is nothing that can be done. For example, Satan is a condemned being, without any kind of possibility for forgiveness because he was a created being that rebelled against God, knowing God in His fullness, just like the fallen angels (those that are now known as demons). There is no redemption for them, so then, they are completely destined for the lake of fire, the place where death and hell (Hades) will be cast into, where they will remain for all eternity.
Now, human beings, after we fell in sin, were also destined to end in hell, and not one of us could do anything to change that reality, since we were constituted enemies of God because of our sin. That’s our reality. But, when Jesus came, and by dying and being resurrected, the greatest act in all history occurred (next to the creation): God broke the destiny of every human being through Jesus, to give us the possibility of being saved. So then, up to a certain point, we were all predestined (because of our sins) to die in hell. But, through Christ, all of that changes, when a person is born again in Him, and remains in Him until the end. So then, every person’s destiny can be changed through Jesus.
So, the big question is: Did Judas Iscariot have a choice? The answer is, yes. Judas could have chosen not to be the son of perdition. But, despite seeing the marvelous ministry of the Lord here on earth, despite seeing all of the signs and wonders, he chose for the love of money over the Messiah. His faith was more rooted in the material rather than on God. There was going to be someone that would turn the Lord in, no matter what, but it did not have to necessarily be him! This same reality exists for each one of us.
For example, there will be offenses in the world. For it is all written. And so, it will be fulfilled. But, it is our decision whether or not the offenses will come through us or through someone else. For it is written: “Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!” Matthew 18:7. In the same manner, there will be false prophets (and there already are, and there are an incredibly large number), but the prophet chooses what kind of prophet they will be, depending on where their heart is. In the same manner, the love of many will grow cold because there will be much evil (and we are already there), but it all depends on who allows for their love to grow cold. For it is written: “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” Matthew 24:11-13. And the issue of enduring until the end to be saved is certainly dependent solely on each one of us. According to the Word, we need to endure to the end; so then, when you accept Christ, that is only the beginning. You need to finish the race, so you can get to what God has in store for everyone that loves Him. But, that is all up to the person. That is not predetermined by God for every human being. He knows who will believe or not believe, and who will endure and not endure, because He is God, but it’s not because He has determined it saying: “This one will be lost and this one will be saved.”
We read in the Word that there is the power of choice in every human being, because there will be some that will even come to fight against Satan himself (directly) in the last days. We understand by this that they will be able to choose to fight, even though God will allow for them to be overcome here on earth. For it is written: “Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. It was granted to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them. And authority was given him over every tribe, tongue, and nation. All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:6-8.
So then, everything will be fulfilled, but everything is still not set individually speaking. Each one of us that are still alive is still writing the story of our lives. God knows how each of us will end up, but you and I don’t know yet, and it will not become a reality until everything is written. So, how will the Word of God be fulfilled in your life? For good or for evil? That is your decision. Lord bless! John