The Sorrow of Judas

Some say that Judas was never saved, citing the verse (Matt. 26:24), which says it would have been better if he had never been born. I always looked at this as it would have been better not to be born than to sell out Jesus. After all, Judas was very sorry and tried to make it right, and then when he couldn’t, he committed suicide. The Bible says in verse 3 of chapter 27 that he ‘repented himself’, which I took to mean he repented betraying an innocent man. But the word there doesn’t mean ‘repented’ as we think of today; it literally means he regretted what he did, was sad about something done, but not true repentance. Knowing the context of the word changes everything. Judas felt remorse and regret but didn’t repent. How in the world is that possible??? But yet, the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it’s easy to do. How many times do I regret actions in my life, yet I really do nothing about them? It’s pretty easy to be judgmental about Judas, and yet I am guilty of the same thing. May I live a life of true repentance, turning from MY ways, and working to please Jesus in all I do. When I mess up (and I will, as part of being human), may I truly repent and take action rather than just be sad/sorry and do nothing.