Debate:Were Judas' actions necessary and foreordained?
From Conservapedia
Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Christ ranks as the largest betrayal of all time, sufficient to make his name synonymous with "traitor." However, given that it was part of God's plan for Christ to be delivered unto the Pharisees and sacrificed for the redemption of many, it is also arguable that Judas' actions were part of that same plan. Was Judas' betrayal of Christ a necessary, foreordained part of God's plan, or an unplanned act of free will on the part of Judas?
Yes
Yes to both. I twas a foreordained plan on God's part, but Judas still made the free will choice to do it. BillyJ 15:14, 10 July 2008 (EDT)
- But therein lies the quandry, Billy--in taking that position, we're concluding that God relied on one of His own Apostles condemning himself to eternal suffering. If it was truly Judas' own choice, could he have acted otherwise? --Benp 16:36, 10 July 2008 (EDT)
Ok. I don't think that God "relied" on anybody. God is above space and time, both of which are his own creations. So he is able to view all of history as a whole. He knew that Judas was going to do this, it was still Judas's choice, God just knew that it was going to happen. God doesn't intervene to make us do anything, he just desires us to want what he wants. We have free choice, free will, what ever you want to call it, and our decisions are our own.
So in a way Judas's actions were foreordained in that that is what Judas was going to do. But he still did not have to betray Jesus.
Was Judas necessary? I believe that God did not need him to get the ball rolling on the crucifixion, but God knew that Judas would behave in the way that he did because he has a view of the entirety of human history.
