Judas Isacariot had the best Pastor, the best Leader, the best Advisor, the best Counselor and yet he stilled failed!

Why did he fail? Well, for starters although Judas was chosen to be one of the Twelve (John 6:64), all scriptural evidence points to the fact that he never believed Jesus to be God. He even may not have been convinced that Jesus was the Messiah (as Judas understood it). Unlike the other disciples that called Jesus “Lord,” Judas never used this title for Jesus and instead called him “Rabbi,” which acknowledged Jesus as nothing more than a teacher.

Secondly, Judas not only lacked faith in Christ, it appears that he also had little or no personal relationship with Jesus. The only documented dialogue between Jesus and Judas involves Judas being rebuked by Jesus after his greed-motivated remark to Mary (John 12:1-8), Judas’ denial of his betrayal (Matthew 26:25), and the betrayal itself (Luke 22:48)

Lastly, Judas was consumed with greed to the point of betraying the trust of not only Jesus, but also his fellow disciples, as we see in John 12:5-6.

I often ponder what would have happened if Judas truly repented, but as we examine the text we find that he did not repent. The Bible clearly indicates that Judas was not saved. Jesus Himself said of Judas, “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born” (Matthew 26:24).

Beloved of God, this message is all about living a life of selfless-accountability, rather than selfish-blame shifting. Fact is, some people simply can’t admit to perceived failures or mistakes, so they blame others so as to dodge responsibility. With this in mind, blaming others is really a defense mechanism in order to maintain our own sense of self-esteem (a/k/a pride).

For example, Pilate attempted to absolve his guilt in the matter of the crucifixion of Christ: “‘I am innocent of this man’s blood,’ he said. ‘It is your responsibility!’” (Matthew 27:24). Ultimately, attempts to pass the buck are futile. “You may be sure that your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

Each one of us has the personal responsibility to “repent and believe the good news” (Mark 1:15) and then to glorify the Lord with good works (Ephesians 2:10). Let’s be clear, if your attitude or character doesn’t change and your heart doesn’t transform you will always blame the pastor, leader, advisor, and counselor for your shortcomings. Look at it this way, nothing will ever change until something changes, so don’t rebuke accountability—rebuke pride and watch the best life you desire to live manifest right before your eyes!