"Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith." ~ 2 Timothy 3:8
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Reprobate Doctrine
1.
Introduction
2. Does God not will all to be saved?
3. Reprobate characteristics
4. Types of reprobates
5. Sodomites are reprobates?
6. How to tell a reprobate
7. Biblical examples of reprobates
8. Conclusion
Introduction: What is a reprobate?
A reprobate simply means someone who has been rejected.
Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them.
Jeremiah 6:30
The Bible makes the definition very clear and it not only applies to works or silver pieces, but can also (and mostly) apply to people! This means there is a possibility for God to reject a person so that the person is incapable of becoming saved! This is not a word to be used lightly. These people are guaranteed to go to hell and are not ones people should have fellowship with nor fraternise with. This may not always be easy, as it is possible that one may have reprobates in his family. However, we must also keep in mind that reprobates actually do make up a minority of the population: they are not the majority and most unsaved people still have the capacity to be saved.
Does God not will all to be saved?
For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Matthew 13:15
Yes, it is God's will to have all men to be saved. God already made the choice to save mankind through the death, burial, and resurrection of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. However, one cannot be saved unless one makes his own choice to believe. Everyone has that choice, but there is going to be some point where an unsaved person, who refuses God's call too many times, does not wish to retain the knowledge of God in his mind, and thus God, too, will reject him, making it impossible for that person to be saved. God does not preordain people to rejection, but the person makes the conscience choice to reject God enough times that God, too, just makes it easier for that person to never change his mind on it. God will never force a person to accept the truth, but rejecting it enough times will probably be steps closer towards rejection.
Because being a reprobate is a serious charge and not a word to be thrown lightly, we should also know that it is not always easy to tell if one is a reprobate. We should not even hope people are reprobate. However, the Bible is clear that this is mostly a heart issue and sometimes this will be manifest and in some cases, there are sure-fire ways to tell. First thing is first, anyone who died and went to hell are reprobate because they rejected the gospel and thus are rejected as they ended up in hell. A good way to see the path of a reprobate is in the latter half of Romans 1, which tells us the characteristics of reprobates.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Romans 1:18-19
The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness. It means it is possible for someone to actually know the truth but may lie and deny it, or use it to deceive those who are seeking the truth and make them believe a lie instead. This will be further expounded the further we go down this passage. God clearly shows people what is true, but these particular unrighteous group of people hold the truth in unrighteousness. Yes, it is possible for people to know the truth but choose to do wicked things with it instead, as this is how the corruption of this world is shown.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Romans 1:20-23
Paul writes clearly that the invisible things of him from creation of the world are clearly seen. It means everybody innately believes there is a God. In fact, they know there is a God. God left his marks everywhere with his special creation and unless there is a God, this world could not be. Therefore, everyone is without excuse. Nobody can tell God 'I didn't know you were real' when they face him. From the start, everyone understood it to be true. Since they knew God, as the large majority of the world will profess belief in some deity, these unrighteous people did not glorify him as God, meaning they did not think he was God, which led to ingratitude for his provisions for his creation, but instead followed their vain imaginations. It is an ever-growing descent towards the bottom.
Keep in mind all of this was a choice from the person himself. This had nothing to do with God darkening their hearts or hardening it, but these corrupt people have found themselves making imaginations out of their own wicked hearts (Genesis 6:5-7). These people would profess themselves wise, but have become fools. The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God (Psalm 14:1). Their twisted heart also perceived God differently, fashioning a god after their own image, changing the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man, into birds, fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. People all around the world who worship false idols often do create graven images, some even like animals (golden calves of Israel should be kept in mind). This also includes depicting Jesus where the Bible clearly says to not make graven images of God.
Professing themselves wise sounds a lot like many university professors who may have doctorates but could not hold on to the simple truth because they believe in a different God or no God than what is in the Bible. The Bible states that the reason these people became this way is because they would not accept God as who he is. A lot of these people may have had Christian upbringings as well but have come to reject it. This attitude is prominent all around the world, especially in the western world. All the charges listed here are the offences of the guilty party: those who rejected God. God did not do anything to seal their fate yet.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Romans 1:24-25
At this point, this is where God starts to do something: he gives them up. Yes, God does not persist on holding onto people who have decided to reject him continually to the point where they would rather believe in a lie they made up than to humble themselves before the truth of God. God is basically telling these people they can have what they want. The uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts is what led God to give them up. Although God is patient and longsuffering, he will never force people to receive the truth. If a person would rather fall into the lust of his own heart and repeatedly rejects admonition or signs from God, he will give them up. To make things worse, these people also worship and serve the creature more than the Creator, and changed the truth of God into a lie to fit their own hearts. Make sure to remember that God does not will anyone to perish, but that these people made the choice to perish. We will see some examples later.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Romans 1:26-28
A darker chapter comes and this is the next stage of reprobation. After a person has decided that he does not want God, God will give them an accursed estate that is incurable: what the Bible calls vile affections, where one changes his natural use of his flesh to the unnatural. This is all because they did not like to retain God in their knowledge. The biggest defining trait of a reprobate are people who do not like to retain God in their knowledge, that is, the God of the Bible. Sodomites, or as we call them today, homosexuals, are not natural nor normal as everyone by default would have attraction to the opposite sex. The Bible defines sodomites as one who burn in his or her lust towards another of the same sex. Men with men working that which is unseemly, and the same with women. The Bible clearly states the reason a person would even have that burning lust towards the same sex is because he is a reprobate! More on this topic below, but keep an open mind about this before dismissing this.
Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Romans 1:29-32
Paul further expounds the traits of these reprobates. This may look like a laundry list of ungodly wicked things, beginning with being filled with all unrighteousness alongside a lot of other maladies. Some may say 'this is all of us if we are not elect' (typically Calvinists), but there is no indication even the generic unsaved average person would exhibit all of these traits. Being a hater of God, for example, is a serious condition. Being without natural affection is a psychopathic trait, and such people are very dangerous as they can break norms and do evil things without feeling a thing. Verse 32 says exactly what it is that separates these people from your average sinners: they know the judgement of God, commit such things that are worthy of death, but also have pleasure in doing it. There are people who will have no remorse whatsoever in committing sins that would not even cross the minds of the common people and yet to them they would not only be apathetic to it, but also may enjoy it. Such people one may find in real life are serial killers, paedophiles, psychopaths, and other lowest of the lows that even the unsaved average man would be disgusted even thinking about.
It is therefore clear that reprobation goes by steps. Between hearing and acknowledging that there is a God and even being given ample chances to hear the truth, a person may not want to retain the knowledge of God in his heart, but would rather create his own, not esteeming the Creator as God but instead change the truth into a lie, and God would be disgusted that such a person would be a devil that he would reject him after that wicked man has rejected God. There is also no mention of a reprobate ever being able to repent. They cannot believe. Such people do exist all throughout the Scriptures. Let's see some types of reprobate that one may be able to see.
But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
Jude 1:10-13
For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as their's also was.
2 Timothy 3:6-9
False prophets, who knowingly preach lies, are reprobates. There are many people who belong in false religions like one who identifies as a Roman Catholic or a Muslim, but they are not necessarily reprobates. It's always possible to convert most adherents of false religion into the truth, with some being much easier than others. However, this isn't true for spiritual leaders of false religions. Many of them have purposely darkened their hearts to ignore God, fashioning God after their own image and hold the truth in unrighteousness.
The Bible gives some example of false prophets, such as Cain, Core (Korah), and Balaam, all who have gone after their own lies. The same applies to Jannes and Jambres, who were never able to come to the truth. They withstood Moses and also resist the truth with corrupt minds. They are said to be reprobate concerning the faith, or had their conscience seared so they were rejected. Jannes and Jambres were not given names in the OT but they are the sorcerers or priests of the Pharaoh of Egypt who resisted Moses and refused to let God's people go. They believed in their own vanities instead and trusted their false gods, who had no power over God.
Personally, I have never met priests or the spiritual leaders of false religions ever converting to the true faith, and this lines up very well with the scribes and Pharisees who resisted Jesus in his days, but the common people heard him gladly. It seems most of them are reprobates and will refuse correction. Anecdotally there was a person who visited the Catholic church but the priest would tell him that the Bible he is holding was for children and that once you grow up, you do not believe in such faerie tales anymore. Such are those who reject the word of God.
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
Revelation 22:18-19
Another surefire sign of a reprobate is one who adds or removes or changes the word of God. We see in Romans 1 that these people hold truth in unrighteousness, and changed the truth of God into a lie. Normal people would not be willing to change what one would deem the word of God to conform to their own imagination. This is also nothing new, but also written in Deuteronomy 4:2, stating that 'ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it', as God's words are pure and perfect. Anyone who chooses to change the word of God into their own fashion are judged by God, even to have his part taken away from the book of life, meaning that person is sealed unto damnation for his own wicked heart.
A lot of the people who are in charge of modern translations, deciding for themselves what is the word of God and what isn't based off of the scholarship of unbelieving knaves, definitely belong to this group of reprobates. If you talk to your average translators one may find that a lot of them holds surprising views, and their unbelief will even manifest. They put themselves in the place of God, believing their fallible senses are true, and eschew countless warnings of their own evils and do not believe that God preserved his perfect word on earth and believe it is their place to tell people what the word of God is and what does not belong. Bruce Metzger and Bart Ehrman co-authored the book The Text of the New Testament, Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration, implying that the word of God got corrupted as it was written throughout the centuries, denying that God would preserve his words, and that they are the people who will restore what may have been the closest thing to the originals. They are ever learning but will never come to the knowledge of the truth. Neither Bruce Metzger nor Bart Ehrman are believers, and are reprobate concerning the faith.
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
2 Peter 2:1-3
Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
Matthew 12:31-32
And the famous 'unforgivable sin', which is the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, is also mentioned. In order to understand what blaspheming against the Holy Ghost means, it should be looked upon in context. Mark 3:22-30 also has the same context, where Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for saying that his authority was coming from not God but Beelzebub the prince of the devils (Matthew 12:24, Mark 3:22). Some may say this sin is not possible to duplicate in our times as accusing Jesus' miracles of coming from the devil was then when there were literal eyewitnesses to Jesus' miracles while they had the law and the prophets, but similar traits can exist from reprobates today. This is denying that the power of Christ is coming from God, which is also tantamount to people who add and remove the Scriptures at will, and people who willingly teach lies against the spiritual truth which serve to deceive. What it entails is pretty much everything else that makes a person rejected by God, as these chief priests were the same who refused Christ. Even after Jesus resurrected, they would pay money to soldiers to spread the lie that the disciples stole his body. They would continue persecuting them when they preached Christ, telling them not to preach it. These same people have blasphemed the Holy Ghost by denying Christ and saying his works were from the devil, which can be found in the Jewish Talmud today when many lies about Jesus are written of with the utmost disrespect.
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
Revelation 14:9-11
Of course, something more pertinent, probably if this time does come sometime soon, is the receiving of the mark of the beast. Let us be clear: there is no way one accidentally receives the mark. The mark is a sign of worship for the antichrist, so their fate is sealed once they decide to worship the beast and receive the mark. This is the counterpart of a believer being eternally sealed by the Holy Ghost once he believes, as one is permanently damned for worshipping the beast and the dragon that gave him his power. No believer will ever receive this mark as it is impossible for one to serve two masters. It is mutually exclusive and those who receive the mark, worshipping the beast and his image, will be thrown into the lake of fire.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Romans 1:26-28
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
1 Corinthians 10:13
There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a Sodomite of the sons of Israel. Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God.
Deuteronomy 23:17-18
The Bible clearly states in Romans 1:26-28 that sodomites are given over to reprobate minds as a result of their unbelief and fervent rejection. It is punishment to degenerate a person into darkness where they are beyond salvation. If you know a sodomite who claims he is Christian, he is either lying or are not actually a sodomite. It is mutually exclusive. If one objects that sodomy is a sin just like anything else, yes, it is a sin, but not like any other sins, as it is not a common sin. Sodomy was always seen as an aberrant trait or abnormality throughout virtually every culture out there! It is not the act of sodomy that damns a person but the heart. Sodomy is defined as being given up unto vile affections, which is resultant from being given unto reprobate mind. Note that this this reprobate mind was to do things which were not convenient, or proper (verse 28), because they change the natural use into which is against nature (verse 26), burning in lust one toward another (verse 27), which doesn't sound like something a normal person would do. Nobody who is right in their mind would say homosexuality is normal, and in fact, God calls them dogs!
Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Leviticus 18:22
If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Leviticus 20:13
The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.
Deuteronomy 22:5
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
Jude 1:7-8
Every single instance of the sodomites since their namesakes in the Bible has been negative. There is no instance of a sodomite who has converted, simply because they are the result of being of reprobate mind. God personally burnt down Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone without sending a foreign army, unlike other nations (Genesis 19), as this was an abomination to the Lord. Leviticus 20:13 still applies, not in the way that we go out and kill them ourselves as vigilantes, but the government should have laws executing them, but our current society has become so depraved that in many developed nations the sodomites are a protected class, which will spell doom for such nation.
Paul's 1 Corinthians 6 example of arsenokoitai (translated as abusers of themselves with mankind) are not sodomites, but a word Paul made up with men + bed, which could easily be explained as prostitutes or whoremongers. The same word is found in 1 Timothy 1:10. Whatever one believes, one should be consistent with the rest of the Bible, and sodomites are not natural nor can they repent, so they logically cannot refer to sodomites. Not one man in the Bible was once a sodomite and converted, just like false prophets and the likes.
But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: and they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.
Genesis 19:4-5
And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.
Genesis 19:9
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Matthew 18:6
And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
Mark 9:42
Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
Luke 17:1-2
Note the first depiction of the sodomites: they went after the two angels who visited Lot, whom the sought to 'know' (NIV puts it in a more explicit way 'have sex', which is what they wanted). When Lot refused them, the sodomites got angrier and said they would deal worse with thee, which conforms with what Romans 1 says regarding the vile evil that is in their hearts. These are not normal people. They turned this way, becoming freaks of natures, after rejecting God. The matter was sealed and God judged the cities as there was not found ten righteous people in the city. Multiple kings of Judah who did right in the eyes of the Lord removed the sodomites from his land, which were also often tied with worship of false deities or being cult male prostitutes of some sorts.
Sodomites recruit not by reproduction but by recruitment. They will molest children into making them one of them, and Jesus told these who offend the little ones to drown themselves with a millstone hung on their neck (Matthew 18:6, Mark 9:42, Luke 17:1-2). Yes, Jesus told paedophiles to kill themselves, along with anyone who offend the little ones. The same will go and try to redefine marriage and make the entire world bend over to their depraved manner of deathstyle. If God made Adam and Eve in the garden, they are in full rebellion against God's design by being filthy dogs and spreading their disease through molestation and recruitment and going against nature. Paedophilia is highly correlated with sodomy and in fact are known as one and the same in various different cultures and languages. This is not limited to same-sex love but anything beyond that such as transgenderism (with the made-up gender dysphoria diagnosis), bisexuality, bestiality, and any other disgusting unnatural sexual deviance: no normal man will think this way.
While a young child who grew up in our depraved society may believe himself to be gay or whatever craziness that is around, he is more likely than not just confused and not actually burn in lust after his same sex, as according to Biblical confusion. That young child should immediately be snapped out of this delusion and given the gospel lest he turns out to become another sodomite like the other reprobates, as he is in real danger of becoming one! This does not apply to all of them as there are some who are actually depraved in their hearts and have turned reprobate. It is not the act of sodomy that damns a person: it is the heart that damns them. If it still doesn't make sense and why sodomites cannot convert, believers know that it is only faith that justifies. However, when people try to convert a sodomite, they always tell them to repent of their sodomy and believe, which is works based salvation. They cannot believe: they have seared their conscience and as a result became as an unnatural beast. They are rejected and therefore one should not even attempt to win over actual sodomites.
Most of the time you have no way
to tell if one is a reprobate or not, so give everyone else who is
identifiably an average sinner a chance to hear and receive the gospel!
Remember, however, that every non-believer has a chance to become a
reprobate. The majority of them are not reprobates, but the moment they
die without believing on the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, they
will go to hell for their sins! Some are quite obvious, such as obvious
sodomites or false prophets, and those who grew up in a God-fearing
household and was taught the right doctrines, but ends up rejecting and
despising it, having never believed. This is not only limited to
spiritual authorities, but the powers that be, as they are put up in our
governments by the devil himself, who is called the god of this world (2
Corinthians 4:4), may also be reprobate. A lot of them are too rich for
their own good, having sold their souls to the devil, gained power in
this world and wage war against God and mankind, doing the bidding of
the devil himself. Chances are a lot of the politicians in the high
places are reprobate, but there may still be some exceptions.
Sometimes one may wonder and ask the question 'Am I a reprobate?' A
convert may be worried he may have had a fallout or have hated God in
the past or, God forbid, was in the receiving end of sodomite
intercourse or the likes. Sin is wicked, of course, but one should
consult the Bible and examine his own heart. The litmus test of one
being a reprobate is if he wishes to completely remove God from his mind
and want nothing to do with Him, not wanting to retain God in his
knowledge. If one even worries about the possibility of being a
reprobate, there is a high chance he is not one. You cannot be a
reprobate if that kind of thing is a concern. Reprobation is a serious
charge and actually a minority of people are actually reprobate while
still living in the flesh. This word should not be thrown lightly.
Biblical examples of reprobates
Asides from the few that have been mentioned in the passing, keep in mind there are many more references to reprobate throughout the Bible. The term 'sons of Belial' are also used to describe reprobates in the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 13:13 speaks of certain sons of Belial that enticed others to worship false gods, in correspondence to the false prophets of reprobate mind. Judges 19 has instances of sons of Belial (mirroring Genesis 19) who have done awful things to the Levite's concubine, eventually killing her. Nabal in 1 Samuel 25 may have been a reprobate, and his wife Abigail pleaded David not to be angry at him nor to count him as a man of Belial (1 Samuel 25:25), as David did call him a son of Belial (1 Samuel 25:17). The sons of Eli in 1 Samuel 2:12 are described as sons of Belial, and Eli is punished for keeping his sons and not removing them, as their hearts were wicked and it caused the ark of the covenant to be taken by the Philistines, causing Eli to fall back and die out of shock.
Some of the rulers of the Bible were also reprobate concerning the faith. Asides from Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses (2 Timothy 3:8), the Pharaoh himself was a reprobate. He hardened his heart first (Exodus 5:2), and God sped up the process of his doom by hardening his heart even more. The Pharaoh hardens his heart many times by himself (Exodus 7:4, 7:22, 8:15, 8:32), and God helps along. Queen Jezebel, who was a priestess of Ba'al, delighted in killing the Lord's prophets (1 Kings 18:4, 19:2), bore false witness to kill and steal from the innocent Naboth, using children of Belial to do the task (1 Kings 21:5-15), which caused God to sentence her to being eaten by dogs (1 Kings 21:23). It seems king Ahab himself was not reprobate as he even repented of this evil and humbled himself, but the matter was closed on his more wicked wife. When the day of her sentence finally came, she remained proud and defiant, as her father the devil was, putting up make-up on herself, mocking the Lord's chosen king Jehu who at last slew her (2 Kings 9:30-37).
King Herod had his chance to hear the word of God through John the Baptist, but he instead imprisoned him, and later when he had the chance to meet Jesus, he was glad but Jesus would not speak to him, for the matter was closed and he knew that Herod's heart was closed as well (Luke 23:8-11). Pilate was in the same way, but was in an earlier stage, having been invited by Jesus himself (John 18:37), but Pilate makes the infamous quip telling him 'What is truth?' (John 18:38), rejecting his offer. Pilate would follow the steps of Herod later on sadly, and fearing men rather than God, sentenced an innocent man to crucifixion. King Agrippa in Acts 26:28 tells Paul that he almost persuaded him to become a Christian, which is one of the saddest admission found in the Scriptures, where he could have accepted then but he did not.
Most infamously, there is the one who betrayed Jesus, Judas Iscariot, who was amongst the twelve disciples, sold Jesus for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16). He was chosen not because he was some true believer and fell away, as that is impossible, but Jesus took a man whom he knew was a devil himself from the start (John 6:70-71). Jesus said himself that it was better off that he had never been born (Matthew 26:24). In addition, he is called the son of perdition (John 17:12), the very title that is also only reserved for the antichrist himself (2 Thessalonians 3:3)! Many of the chief priests and scribes themselves were certainly reprobate, as Judas' name itself represented the nation of Judah, who rejected their own Christ. These are the same spiritual leaders who blinded the generations and actively worked against the Messiah while he was here on earth, and continued to do the same when he ascended up into heaven.
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
Titus 1:16
Reprobation is a real topic in the Scriptures and a very important one. It is important to know that evil is real, and while God does will all men to be saved, it will not happen when not everyone are kind or even normal. A lot of devil possessed freaks exist in our world today, who do things that are unnatural that we could never imagine it ourselves. Ultimately, take this doctrine as secondary. It is helpful to know about this as it is true, but asides from the obvious ones, we are not to witch hunt people whom we merely suspect are reprobates, but know that they are very real.
