But the seven sons of Sceva in Acts 19 were described as "some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists."
We see accounts of Jewish exorcism in the rabbinic writings and apocryphal writings from 200 BCE to 200 CE. Many were clearly not Christian.
Clearly, every believer has the type of authority demonstrated by the 12 and 70. But why assume that it is exclusive to Christians? It seems that Priest, Rabbis, and itinerant exorcists, had some abilities to expel some demons.
If this is true, then Judas isn't necessarily an example of someone who lost his salvation.
Again, a deeper conceptual study of how well-defined or loosely-defined salvation is in the scriptures needs to occur before we try and force Judas into the "saved" category.
No you don't seem to be reading it right. These men were different than the ones that the apostles said did not follow them but cast out devils IN JESUS NAME. these group here in Acts 19 cannot be shown to be the same ones. Jesus said without him no man can do anything John 15:5, of spiritual power or life etc . Jesus gave the 12 apostles power to cast out devils that is such a powerful correction to the eternal security crowd that try to say Jesus did not give power to them and specifically to Judas. Scripture is very clear that he did.
But lets look at the story in Acts 19 again
"13 Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you
by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.
[This shows that they were just using a formula and they did not know jesus themselves, they simply tries to imitate Paul and whom he cast devil out by. Today there are many who claim to be in connection to spiritual power and who call themselves exorcist and mediums etc, and they are not in Christ but deceivers this may be similar even them. ]
14 And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
15 And the evil spirit answered and said,
Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye? [Clearly the devils did not recognize these men and they were not in the power of God in Christ. So they did not fear these so called exorcist]
16 And the man in whom
the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. [this is the result of what can happen if men are not actually IN the NAME (character life power authority) of Jesus Christ and what happens if they are not in the spirit and born again.]
17 And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling at Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.
18 And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.
19
Many of them also which used
curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men: [some were practicing curious arts perhaps as we see today mediums, exorcist diviners etc. and they realized that this was false and they were not in the truth and name of jesus Christ and reprinted and got saved]and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver.
20 So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed."
So as you can see no man had any abilities outside of being in the name of jesus Christ. as Jesus said,
"without me ye can do nothing" ( referring to spiritual power and life and ministry etc.
