followHIM - "Was Judas foreordained to betray Jesus?" • follow HIM Favorites • May 29 - June 4

Episode Date: May 25, 2023

Hank Smith and John Bytheway answer a question from this week's Come, Follow Me study.Show Notes (English, French, Spanish, Portuguese): https://followhim.coFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/followhimpodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/followhimpodcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/FollowHimOfficialChannelThanks to the followHIM team:Shannon Sorensen: Executive Producer, SponsorDavid & Verla Sorensen: SponsorsDr. Hank Smith: Co-hostJohn Bytheway: Co-hostDavid Perry: ProducerKyle Nelson: Marketing, SponsorLisa Spice: Client Relations, Editor, Show NotesJamie Neilson: Social Media, Graphic DesignWill Stoughton: Video EditorKrystal Roberts: Translation Team, English & French Transcripts, WebsiteAriel Cuadra: Spanish Transcripts"Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise" by Marshall McDonaldhttps://www.marshallmcdonaldmusic.com/products/let-zion-in-her-beauty-rise-piano

Hello, my friends. Welcome to another Follow Him Favorites, where John, by the way, and I, Hank Smith, take a look at this week's lesson and a single question from this Come Follow Me. John, this question comes up time and time again for me, and I'm sure it has for you. Did Jesus need Judas to do what he did? Was. So was he foreordained to do something evil? How do you answer that question? I think the Lord knew it would happen. But did he foreordain him to do it? I think we have to think there was agency involved and that he chose to do what he did.

We know that later on, he seems to have regretted it, tried to give the money back and everything. So I think the Lord in his wisdom knew what would happen, but I wouldn't want to say he forced him or foreordained him to do it. How do you answer that, Hank? I think so too, John. I think you're right on. Agency is an eternal principle. It's a pillar. President Nelson saying that agency is a gift almost just as precious as life itself. So I would say no, that he doesn't have to do what he does. Jesus could easily just turn himself in. He could go from the Garden of Gethsemane, walk into Jerusalem, go to the house of Caiaphas and just say, are you looking for me? And it would continue. The story would continue exactly the way it played out. I think

you're also right that God's omniscience is there. He knows he's going to do it. I think Judas, like all of us, has a personal plan, a personal relationship with God that he's got to work out. If we're comfortable with the idea of prophecy, we have to be comfortable with the idea that God knows what's going to happen. Where we get messed up is we're trying so hard to think, well, if he knows what's going to happen, is he forcing it to happen? And that's where we get kind of a headache. But no, his knowledge of what is going to happen does not force us to do things. Absolutely. Someday maybe we'll understand how he can be omniscient that way. But we still have free

will. And I love what you said. Yeah. That's a huge thing, agency. Agency. Absolutely. And the question I think that comes up for me as I read this account is, man, someone in that kind of position in standing use their agency to do something horrible. And that should be a warning to all of us to use your agency carefully and to think through your decisions. And kind of an endure to the end thing too, because, you know, up to that point, he was an apostle and we will let God use his omniscience and his being. He can read everybody's heart. Yeah, we want to stay in a meek place.

I think what you're leading to, Hank, is when Jesus says, one of you will betray me. And what's the question all of them ask? It's Matthew 26, 22. What do they all say? Instead of pointing to everyone in the group saying, I bet it's him. I bet it's him. They all say, Lord, is it I? Is it me? Yeah, which is a great meekness of, oh, could I?

And I think in marriage, in our interpersonal relationships, did I do something to hurt your feelings? Did I do that? I'm so sorry. There's a wonderful lesson from those three words. Lord, yep. Is it I? Is it I? So instead of worrying about Judas, which I can understand the curiosity, let's focus in on our own agency and what we're doing to make sure that we're staying on the right side of the line. And have that meek attitude. Any of us can be tempted and let's try to be where we're supposed to be doing what we're supposed to be doing, asking for help, repenting every day, try to stay on that covenant path we've heard so much about.

Absolutely. And be listening. If Judas just would have been listening, Lord, is it I? Wait, I think he's talking about me. I think I'm in the wrong place here. Right? Having that, like you said, that me-cumble attitude goes a long way. That idea of could that happen to me? I remember hearing President Hinckley talk about a man who served in the presidency of

this church. And I've learned later it was J. Reuben Clark. So it's a long time ago. But his daughter was going out on a date or something. And he said something like, remember who you are? And she said, Daddy, don't you trust me? It is the best answer I've ever heard to that question. Remember the first presidency, J. Reuben Clark looked at her and said, I don't you trust me? It is the best answer I've ever heard to that question. Remember the first presidency,

J.R. McClark looked at her and said, I don't entirely trust myself. One never gets too old or too high in the church that the adversary gives up on him. Isn't that a great answer? Yeah. I've got to be meek and know I can be tempted too. So I don't entirely trust myself.

The adversary is not going to give up on me either. Yeah. Well, thanks for joining us for Follow Him Favorites. Please join us on our full podcast. It's called Follow Him. You can get it wherever you get your podcasts. This week, we're with Dr. Camille Olson. She is fantastic. You're going to love what she has to say. And then join us again for another Follow Him Favorites.