Fate?

Hello,

It is I, the raving lunatic, once again to challenege you to think.  Today, I would like to question your idea of FATE.  Fate is the belief that things are destined to unfold in a certain manner.  Most believe that FATE is unchangeable, others believe that it is determined by your own actions.  I am here to give my own opinion. 

     The Bible speaks to us about the Last Supper.  The Last Supper was the meal that Jesus had the night before he died.  It is believed by many to have been a Passover Seder.  Jesus goes on to share his meal with his 12 apostles.  He had forseen the events that would occur between the meal and his imminent death.  He annouced to his apostles that one of them would betray him.  One by one they each said "It won't be me."  Finally, Judas Iscariot, having already agreed to hand over Jesus to the Sanhedrin, said this as well and Jesus told him "Yes, it will be you."  Having said this, why was Judas allowed to hand Jesus over to be killed?  Would the other apostles simply allowed Jesus to be taken away?  Could Judas have changed his mind at the last moment, and saved Jesus? 
   
     To this day Judas being called with the other disciples is somewhat mysterious. Judas Iscariot is noted in history as the one who betrayed Him (Jesus). Yet Judas was first numbered among the Twelve apostles (Lk.6:13, 22:3; Acts 1:16-17 numbered with us), “chosen” by Christ Himself, the “Apostle Judas” became a traitor? How could they not know a betrayer was in their midst. How could Judas go out and minister with them and see the same results and yet turn Jesus over in the hands of those who hated him?  Jesus would have known his fate, and still went ahead with it.  The fact that Jesus had to die so mankind could be absolved of its sins is a crucial core belief of Christianity. Very few people ever wonder if Judas was fated to be a traitor, or pawn of God. What would have happened if Judas had not turned over Jesus to be killed? Would Jesus no have to die to absolve humanity of its sins? Was Judas a pawn, or fated to be a betrayer? After the traiterous act, Judas tried to return the silver to the Sanhedrin, but they refused it. Judas went mad and hung himself in Potter's field. This suicide would have been a sin against one's self, and prevented him from going to Heaven. The case for Judas being forgiven for his transgressions would have been moot. Judas is universally hated and misunderstood for centuries, but the role he played was absoultely crucial. It was not Jesus who had to die for our sins, it was Judas Iscariot who needed to die. DID JUDAS have any say over how his FATE was sealed?

     At one point in Jesus’ ministry He speaks some strong statements that few understood and many began to leave him. As recorded in John 6 he asks the question to his close disciples (the 12) about their leaving him like the others disciples. But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. “Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil? “He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve (John 6:68-71.) Now we understand how Judas was included with the twelve. Jesus knew all along who he was - yet he chose him. And by doing so it was fulfilling the Scripture that cannot be broken.

I am a beliver in fate, in the sense that things happen for a reason. I believe that if you are thinking about me right now, its because i am supposed to help you with something. I believe that if I see a friend I ahve not seen in a long time, its because that friend has something I need, or vice-versa. I relate this to the concept in fate as such. The fact that I was not born with wings, eliminates any fate where I was destined to soar like an eagle in the sky. So of the millions of possibilities that exist, my future will unfold in a handful of ways because of the resources at my command or disposal. Within this handful of fates, I can work to realize goals, dreams, and hopes. The amount of work that I put in to realizing those goals, helps determine how close I will come to reaching them. In short, Fate and Effort co-exist.