Sorrow Does Not Mean Salvation

Matthew 27:3: "When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders. 'I have sinned,' he said, 'for I have betrayed innocent blood.'"

As one reads this passage, one sees that Judas was remorseful for betraying "innocent blood." Yet earlier in Matthew 26:24, Jesus pronounced a curse upon Judas for his coming betrayal, proclaiming that it would have been better if he had never been born. Certainly this level of condemnation would have never been proclaimed by Jesus had Judas merely had a lapse of judgment and would soon be forgiven for his demonstration of genuine remorse.

Although Judas feels guilt for his wrongdoing of betraying Jesus and even takes steps to remedy the betrayal (returning the money to the priests), no where do we see a man who submitted to the Lordship of Jesus. We see that Judas recognized Jesus as an innocent man but not Lord!
There seems to be remorse but no evidence of submission to Jesus as the Lord of his life. Contra this with the thief on the cross in Luke 23:42 who is not only remorseful for the sins he has committed, but also recognized Christ's Lordship and asked that he be remembered when Jesus entered into His kingdom. There seems to be a willingness on the thief's part to yield himself, despite his short time remaining on earth, to serve Christ as his Lord. This seems to be the difference between salvation and damnation in these two cases. Awareness of sin and heartfelt remorse do not suffice for one's salvation. Submission to the Lordship of Jesus Christ is necessary.

Of course, the obvious recalcitrant ones in the Matthew 27 passage are the chief priests and elders who, "persuaded the crowd to . . . execute Jesus" [27:20]; who mocked Jesus on the cross by saying, "let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him" [27:42]; and who even after Jesus' death, referred to Him as "that deceiver" [27:63]. This is evidence of abject rebellion against Jesus as Lord. Their fate of eternal damnation was sealed with their quest for their own lordship over Jesus Christ.