Repent and Then Return to God
The first and the last of the Apostles of Christ sinned gravely. Peter denied Christ; Judas betrayed Him. But Peter was forgiven and Judas perished. Peter regained his Apostolic dignity, but the condemnation of the ages is still weighing on Judas.
What saved Peter, and what destroyed Judas? Should Judas have confessed the sin after he committed it? But, technically speaking, he did confess, when he went to the scribes and elders and told them, “I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood (Matt. 27:4)”, and with the confession gave back the thirty silver pieces to them. Is this enough? Alas no! A confession by itself does not save. Besides a broken heart, a live faith in God’s grace is needed.
Judas despaired of his salvation, that is why he hanged himself after his confession. Peter did not do so. In the yard of Caiphas he denied Christ, his Benefactor and Teacher, three times: “I do not know the man (Matt. 26:74).” But at the third denial, when the rooster crowed, he realized his sin, and humbled his heart. He went out of the yard, began to shed bitter tears and turned back again to Christ. Saint Peter left us a living lesson: to turn again to God after our fall.
What saved Peter, and what destroyed Judas? Should Judas have confessed the sin after he committed it? But, technically speaking, he did confess, when he went to the scribes and elders and told them, “I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood (Matt. 27:4)”, and with the confession gave back the thirty silver pieces to them. Is this enough? Alas no! A confession by itself does not save. Besides a broken heart, a live faith in God’s grace is needed.
Judas despaired of his salvation, that is why he hanged himself after his confession. Peter did not do so. In the yard of Caiphas he denied Christ, his Benefactor and Teacher, three times: “I do not know the man (Matt. 26:74).” But at the third denial, when the rooster crowed, he realized his sin, and humbled his heart. He went out of the yard, began to shed bitter tears and turned back again to Christ. Saint Peter left us a living lesson: to turn again to God after our fall.
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