When Jude; a half-brother of Jesus Christ writes it is to the early Christians because false teachers had crept into the church, turning from God’s grace by teaching they could do as they pleased. It is unfortunate that this same idea is still present today. Many who think they can do what they want without adhering to the truth. As a Christian never be caught off guard, always remember the importance of knowing the truth and adhering to it.
There were those who were guilty of APOS'TASY, which is the abandonment of one's religious faith, principles, or cause. This same thing occurs today when Biblical truth in faith and principle is abandoned.
It’s all about the truth and that is what must be remembered. Jude begins with a pronouncement that is found in verses 1-2:
1 Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ, and a brother of James: To those who are the called, loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ.
2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
He pronounces to those who are called, loved and kept that they enjoy the mercy, peace, and love that as believers they were to have. Why is it that after all these years that even today there are believers who struggle?
So Jude then states a premise as to why there is such an issue. When in verses 3-4 he writes:
3 Dear friends, although I was eager to write you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write and exhort you to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all.
4 For certain men, who were designated for this judgment long ago, have come in by stealth; they are ungodly, turning the grace of our God into promiscuity and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jude identified that in the church, the bride of Christ, there have been some who have come in and done harm. We will do well to heed these words today. Contending for the faith maybe even more important today than when Jude wrote these words.
As the world has continued its downward spiral, unfortunately, this same condition has come into the church of today. It was already happening in Jude’s day. We see it today where the promiscuity mentioned here has multiplied and thus caused a denial of Scriptural truth to be followed by many. Can it get worse, will it get worse? Sadly yes it will, it can and it will get worse.
For that reason, He then reminds them of God’s punishment. In verses 5-7 that follow he tells them:
5 Now I want to remind you, though you know all these things: the Lord, having first of all saved a people out of Egypt, later destroyed those who did not believe;
6 and He has kept, with eternal chains in darkness for the judgment of the great day, angels who did not keep their own position but deserted their proper dwelling.
7 In the same way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them committed sexual immorality and practiced perversions, just as they did, and serve as an example by undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
The readers and hearers of Jude’s words would understand the historical references made here. He is reminding them of how God dealt previously with those who were His and He loved.
How hard would it be then to understand and conclude that the same God would not deal accordingly with them? More to the point that today He would deal accordingly with you or me?
Jude clearly shows them the problem is people. We are the problem and in verses 12-13, 16 he shows us that:
12 These are the ones who are like dangerous reefs at your love feasts. They feast with you, nurturing only themselves without fear. They are waterless clouds carried along by winds; trees in late autumn-fruitless, twice dead, pulled out by the roots;
13 wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shameful deeds; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever!
16 These people are discontented grumblers, walking according to their desires; their mouths utter arrogant words, flattering people for their own advantage.
There is a clear and profound word as to what is going on and why. My great grandfather had a saying. It was not good English but it is good preaching, “ain’t no accounting for people”. Now Daddy Will had it right. People will do and say things that we might never think they would. Let’s be honest here and admit we might be guilty of something ourselves in this regard.
I mean verse 6 sums it all up, doesn’t it? ...discontented grumblers, walking according to their desires; their mouths utter arrogant words, flattering people for their own advantage.
Listen and be led by the Holy Spirit right now. This is not the way you or I are to live as believers. There is no way that God can do and accomplish His desire through us if this is the way we act.
So His challenge through the words found here in Jude is to maintain life with God in prayer. When you read verses 20-23 you find out quickly that in order to be who God desires you to be you have to pray in faith. You are also responsible for others. We need to help one another out. I will grant some may need it more than others but there is no doubt we all need some help each day.
Look at how Jude explains this:
20 But you, dear friends, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
21 keep yourselves in the love of God, expecting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life.
22 Have mercy on some who doubt;
23 save others by snatching [them] from the fire; on others have mercy in fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
As he comes to the end he closes the letter with one of the most quoted prayers from God’s Word. It is from the heart of Jude to the ear of God. As you read the following verses 24-25 you can feel the passion and sense the hope in the words of Jude as he calls out to God.
24 Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless and with great joy,
25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now, and forever. Amen.
When it is all said and done. When this life is over and the next one begins it will not be because of what we have done. Rather, because of His glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now, and forever. It will be because of what Jesus did on Calvary and the grave for us.
So that we stand in the presence of His glory, blameless and with great joy,
It’s all about the truth.
A thought to ponder,
Elbert Nasworthy
Comments