Judas and Peter and David

There was an interesting post and comments on Pyromaniacs yesterday. Dan Phillips writes about a man who is sentenced to life in prison for the murder of two teenage girls and attack of a jogger.


From the post:

But note what Gardner says: he is an animal, he is the sort who should remain in prison for life, if released he would kill again, and he hopes he is himself killed during his term. That or he may kill himself.  (read more here)

This man apparently knows his depravity and that he needs to be locked up. It would sound like he is remorseful, but I don't know if it is the repentant kind. I didn't look much into the story, so I really can't say. I have always felt a particular sympathy for these people who commit these horrible things. I know, that sounds weird, but whatever punishment they are getting in this brief vapor of an existence, it is nothing compared to what awaits. Of course no matter how heinous the crime, there is forgiveness for the asking. But I have always wondered, wasn't Judas repentant?

Matthew  27:3-5         Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What [is that] to us? see thou [to that].And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.

I guess one could argue that Judas didn't ask God directly for forgiveness, but I don't know that it really mattered. God looks on the heart and if one is truly sorry with Godly sorrow, I believe that there is no formula that one must go through in order to be forgiven. But Judas was a murderer and a betrayer, some will say, his sins are too big and too bad. What about David, who by treachery had the husband of Bathsheba killed so that his sin in committing adultery with her wouldn't be found out by him? This wasn't a "crime of passion", it was a calculated, premeditated act.

2Sa 12:13     And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.

What wonderful words! The LORD has put away his sin. But why? Why David and not Judas? David was called a man after God's own heart. We will probably never understand what that means in this life because we can't see David's heart like God could.  God even says in other places that David had kept all of His commands.

1Ki 11:34           Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes:

Well he certainly did not by our reckoning.  But, this must be what is meant by our sins being as far as east is from the west. I have always found great comfort in the David story, because it shows that God can forgive anyone of anything.


So back to Judas. There must be much more behind the scenes that we aren't aware of. Some would say that Judas could have been forgiven if he had asked. Could he?

Mar 14:21     The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.

Jhn 17:12     While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

This is a foreknowledge/decree issue for sure. Did God know Judas would betray him or was it ordained?




Then what about Peter? We know that Peter denied Jesus three times and ran away when His Lord was in his time of suffering. I know I wouldn't have done any better. Did Peter repent? Jesus restored him, after his resurrection.  As a matter of fact, at the tomb an angel told the women:

Mar 16:7           But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

The messenger makes a distinction between the disciples and Peter..at the time.

I don't know what to make of all of it, except that it would seem that God chooses and calls, God decides who will be granted repentance and who will not.

Jesus was the one to restore Peter three times, just the way Peter denied Jesus three times. I find that to be very comforting. He cannot deny His own no matter what it is that we do.

But that's not fair many will say. Well, I personally don't want God to be fair to me.  I am glad He has chosen me to be His, that He stopped me in my tracks and interrupted my life, that I am now His and not my own. I was marching happily into Hell just like everyone else, but He saved me.

I really don't know what to make of it all. It is certainly too wonderful for me to know. Let us pray for those, though, that are still in this side of eternity that they may be granted repentance into life.