Last time we saw that Judas was an unbeliever because Satan actually took up residence inside of him in Luke 22:3. Let’s look at another passage about Judas.

John 13:1-11

1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

2 During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,

3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,

4 got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.

Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet

5 Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

In the ancient world, this was work that was done by a servant. You have to love the fact that this passage says Jesus knew what was going to happen to Him, and instead of thinking about that, His first thought is to teach the disciples a less. That’s the attitude of a servant that we are to emulate; always putting others first. Anyway,…

Notice also that Jesus washed ALL the disciples’ feet, including Judas. Now of course the disciple who put his foot in his mouth the most speaks up:

6 So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, "Lord, do You wash my feet?"

7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter."

8 Peter said to Him, "Never shall You wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me."

In the Greek, this negative Peter expresses is even more emphatic. He says, NEVER will you wash my feet “unto the ages,” or for all of eternity.

Jesus answers and says that unless He washes Peter’s feet, Peter cannot have fellowship with Him. This is exactly what confession of sin is for the believer. Dirt, of course, refers to sin. When you are dirty, you have to take a bath and be completely washed. But think about this analogy Jesus is using. Once you have taken a shower in the morning, do you have to wash your hands during the day? Of course! But if your hands become dirty, do you have to take a shower again? No!

Of course Peter still fails to recognize what Jesus is teaching him. Even though Jesus already told Peter that He would not recognize it now, but later he would. (Verse 7)

9 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head."

10 Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean;

Now Jesus gives them further clarification: If you have taken a bath, and you step in something (think sin), then you just have to wash your feet, and then you are completely clean.

When you believe in Jesus Christ, you are completely bathed and cleaned, and have no need to bathe again. However, you still need to have the partial cleaning provided by confessing your sins.

Titus 3:5

5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

Back in John 13:

10 Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you." (Peter was clean; Judas was not!)

11 For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, "Not all of you are clean."

Judas was in need of being BATHED, because he was an unbeliever. Peter had bathed, and was a believer! One interesting point: The Lord washed the feet of Judas, but IT DID HIM NO GOOD. Confessing your sins does nothing for the unbeliever!

Look at this example of Judas, after he had betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver:

Matthew 27:1-5

1 Now when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death;

2 and they bound Him, and led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate the governor.

3 Then when Judas, who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,

4 saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." But they said, "What is that to us? See to that yourself!"

5 And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself.

Judas felt remorse, and repented. Does remorse and repentance save you? Absolutely not! Remorse, repentance, and confession WITHOUT faith alone in Christ alone are unable to save the unbeliever!

Notice what else Judas does – he tries to make up for his sin. He gave back the money. He was trying to make up for the sin he had committed. Feeling guilty and making up for your sin has no value with God.

The only solution for the unbeliever is to believe in Jesus Christ. It’s simply faith in Him, as the One who paid the price for your sins.

John 3:15

15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.