God suffered Judas to fall away, and Saul, the first King He rejected, and you will find throughout the Scriptures that God oftentimes rejected those who in outward show were good and holy men.
If in these examples God seemth to be cruel, it was necessary that such fearful examples should be given, and also written. For this vice is naturally grafted in us, to highly esteem the persons and outward state of men, and more regard the same than the Word of God. Contrariwise God will have us fix our eyes, and to rest wholly upon the Word itself, He will not have us to reverence the apostleship in the persons of Peter or Paul, but Christ speaking in them, and the Word that they bring, and preach unto us.
Martin Luther, Kregel, Galatians 2:6, p. 50.
