Et tu, Peter? The Biblical chain of custody regarding the refutation of Once Saved Always Saved as s

When the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ chose His 12 sheep all 12 of them were good sheep at the time of being chosen. To say otherwise makes Jesus not such a Good Shepherd. What shepherd in his right mind would allow a dangerous sheep ir rather a wolf amongst his flock? (See John 10:1-16). Judas was chosen by the Good Shepherd but he later chose by his own free will to betray the Shepherd. Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve. John 6:70-71 People will actually try to use John 6:70 as proof that Judas was never saved because Jesus said that he "is a devil". This is when context has to be taken seriously in order to arrive at the truth. 'Chosen' is the past participle of chose which indicates obviously the past. 'Is' is the third person singular present of be which means that "is" is referring to the present and not the past. One cannot twist the literal context of what Jesus said in order to say that He was saying Judas was a devil in the past and more specifically a devil when He chose him. In this same sense Jesus clearly indicated that He Himself was not of the devil. One who casts out devils of the devil. But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils. [25] And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: [26] And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? [27] And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. [28] But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. [29] Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. [30] He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Matthew 12:24-30 Jesus gave Judas power to cast out unclean spirits and if Judas was a devil at that time then Jesus would have contradicted Himself regarding what He said regarding Himself casting out devils later in chapter 12. And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Matthew 10:1 At the onset Judas was indeed trusted and chosen by Jesus but the obvious context of scriptures shows that Judas later betrayed this trust and thus was counted a traitor towards God. He was once saved but by his own free will, forfeited his position with Jesus by betraying the Saviour of his own soul. Peter actually was no different and was in as much jeopardy of his own soul as Judas was. Peter, of course, was chosen as one of the twelve Apostles just as Judas was. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Matthew 10:2 Peter received the same power and instructions to cast out unclean spirits like Judas did. And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Matthew 10:1 Peter and Judas were both disciples and per Jesus' definition of 'disciple' they both, at the time they were chosen, were willing to and they did forsake all and they did follow Him. If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. [27] And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:26-27 Both Peter and Judas were told directly by Jesus that "...whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven". Matthew 10:33 Anyone who is familiar with Peter's story ought to see where this is heading. The logical and biblical chain of custody regarding Peter's condition of salvation should be extremely clear here. When he denied Jesus his soul was in grave danger and he knew this as a literal fact. He was told in very precise terms by Jesus that if he denied Him before men then Jesus would deny him before the Father. This more than explains Peter's grief that followed as well as his reverting back to his former life before Jesus which was fishing for fish rather than fishing for men which Jesus had trained him to do. Yes he obviously was excited that he witnessed Jesus' resurrection but he was not yet completely restored, it seemed, but that would soon follow. Peter seemed a bit disoriented at this point, if you will, but he did not give up completely as Judas did through suicide. Here was Peter's denial of Jesus before men: Now Peter sat without in the palace: and a damsel came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee. [70] But he denied before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. [71] And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was a also with Jesus of Nazareth. [72] And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. [73] And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. [74] Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. [75] And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly. Matthew 26:69-75 Here he we see Peter going backwards in fishing for fish instead of moving forward in fishing for men: Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. John 21:3 Here we see Peter being fully restored back to Jesus: So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. [16] He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. [17] He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. John 21:15-17 Peter, having experienced first hand coming to a saving and working knowledge of salvation through Jesus Christ and then rejecting it through his willful disobedience of Jesus' holy commandment, namely the one of not denying Jesus in front of men, wrote to everyone who would come after him such as ourselves a very stern warning, in a sense, not to do the same. Peter's experience as well as his own words have been preserved for all of mankind as a warning to all to not reject salvation through wilfull disobedience. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. [19] While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. [20] For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. [21] For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. [22] But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. 2 Peter 2:18-22 Before concluding there is actually much more to this. They all actually forsook Jesus! This is very important to understand. All of the disciples "forsook him and fled". ...Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. Matthew 26:56 One cannot twist this to say they were still saved while in their sin. Their running away was literally forsaking and not following Jesus. Jesus said "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me." Matthew 10:38 He said it another time as well and directly to His disciples so they all knew better. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. Matthew 16:24 With all this said it is plainly obvious, once reading to end, that all but Judas repented properly and returned back to Jesus. It should also be obvious in light of the obvious and objective facts within scriptures that "Once Saved Always Saved" is a false doctrine as God's Word testifies squarely against it. We can forfeit our salvation through denying and forsaking Jesus in wilfull disobedience which is sin. We must take heed in what Paul and the writer of Hebrews so clearly warned: Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 1 Corinthians 10:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. Hebrews 3:12 It bears mentioning once again as well, what Peter said when he warned against going back into sin and forfeiting one's salvation in doing so. This warning is also somewhat of a rebuke to those who would deceive people through heresies such as "Once Save Always Saved" by pointing out that these wolves are convincing people that they are saved in their sins. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. [19] While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. [20] For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. [21] For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. [22] But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. 2 Peter 2:18-22 Jesus came to save us from our sins not to be saved in our sins. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21 A few verses to end this should give a genuine believer much hope: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: [2] And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. [3] And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 1 John 2:1-3 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, [25] To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25