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A short, but powerful book.
1Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:
2Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.
3Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. 4For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
Introduction: Jude introduces himself as a servant of Jesus and brother of James. He then tells to whom he is writing: Christians. He calls his readers ‘his friends’ – meaning they were very special to him.
Although Jude seems anxious to write to his readers about salvation, he felt led to warn them instead about certain immoral men circulating among them perverting the grace of God.
Apparently these false teachers were trying to convince believers that being saved by grace gave them license to sin since their sins would no longer be held against them.
Jude felt it was important that his readers be on guard against such men and be prepared to oppose their perverted teaching with the truth about God’s saving grace.
Sometimes even today, some who call themselves Christians have the attitude that being ‘saved’ gives them the freedom to live any way they please as long as they confess once a week or ask forgiveness now and then.
The “once saved, always saved” theology has given them a false security.
Jude’s message is opposition will come, and godless teachers will arise, but Christians should “contend for the faith” by rejecting all falsehood and immorality, and by remembering God’s acts of rescue and punishment.
Some people avoid studying the Bible because they find theology dry and boring. But those who refuse to learn correct doctrine are susceptible to false teaching because they are not fully grounded in God’s truth.
We must understand the basic doctrines of our faith so we can recognize false doctrines and prevent wrong teaching.
Many people think how they live has little to do with their faith. But what a person truly believes will show up in how he or she acts.
5Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered
his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 7In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.Jude gives three examples of rebellion:
1. the children of Israel, who although they were delivered from Egypt, refused to trust God and enter the promised land (found in Numbers 14:26-39);
2. fallen angels, although they were once pure, holy and living in God’s presence, some gave in to pride and joined Satan to rebel against God (2 Peter 2:4);
3. Sodom & Gomorrah, whose inhabitants were so full of sin God wiped them off the face of the earth (Genesis 19:1-29).
Verse 6 is one of only two scripture references to the Fall of the Angels. The other is 2 Peter 2:4 (and Revelation 12:9 seems to refer to their later defeat)
8In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. 9But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" 10Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals—these are the very things that destroy them. 11Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion.
Verse 8's "celestial beings" is probably referring to angels.
Jude warns we are not to scoff at the authority or power of angels, even the fallen ones. We cannot take Satan’s supernatural powers of evil lightly.
Playing around with supernatural things we don’t understand, even when it seems like a harmless game (like a oujia board or pretend seyonce) is dangerous.
Don’t get arrogant about knowing Satan will be destroyed in the end. Although we know this to be true, he is still at work now trying to make Christians complacent and ineffective. So be on guard.
Verse 9 is the only place in scripture Michael is referred to as the archangel.
Moses buriel is told in Deuteronomy 34:5-7, but Michael’s dispute with Satan about Moses’ body is not mentioned. Verse 9 apparently refers to something recorded in the Assumption of Moses, a book written around the time of the birth of Christ. There was a story in it about Michael being sent to bury Moses and meeting the devil who claimed his body because Moses was a murderer. Michael left the decision with God.
Historians from that period say God hid Moses’ body so it would not be made an idol. Jude may have had knowledge of this incident from other sources. The fact he mentions this event brings credibility to it being factual.
Jude gives three examples of men who did whatever they wanted.
1. Cain, who murdered his brother out of vengeful jealousy (Genesis 4:1-16);
2. Balaam, who prophesied out of greed, not out of obedience to God’s command (Numbers 22-24);
3. Korah, who rebelled against God’s divinely appointed leaders, wanting the power for himself (Numbers 16:1-35).
These stories illustrate attitudes typical of false teachers: pride, selfishness, jealousy, greed, lust for power, and disregard of God’s will.
Jude’s point here is God will deal with them. He did it before, He will do it again.
12These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. 13They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
Jude’s words refer to certain leaders within the church who were ‘ungodly men’ that deny Christ, and like Sodom, were given to fornication, they defile the flesh, and corrupt themselves like brute beasts.
He describes them as shepherds who feed themselves, clouds without water, they were useless as trees without fruit, raging waves of the sea foaming up their own shame, wandering stars for whom the blackest darkness has been reserved forever.
Obviously being a leader of a church doesn’t mean you’re a good person or possess salvation. These men are in deep trouble on judgment day because they aren’t even believers and will be rooted up and burned.
Love feasts: When the Lord’s Supper was celebrated in the early church, believers ate a full meal before taking part in Communion with the sharing of bread and the cup. This meal was called a love feast and was designed to be a sacred time of fellowship to prepare one’s heart for the Communion. False teachers came in and made them parties of gluttony, and drunken revelry. No church function should be an occasion for selfishness, gluttony, greed, disorder, or other sins that destroy unity or take one’s mind away from the real purpose for gathering together.
14Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him." 16These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
This is the only Scripture allusion to the prophecy of Enoch. The brief story of his life is told in Genesis 5:18-24, but there is no mention of any of his words.
Jude’s quotation is from the Book of Enoch, which was written about 100 BC. This was a popular religious book which was quite well known in those days. He evidently regarded it as a genuine word of Enoch. Enoch lived during the time of Adam and prophesied of the eventual Coming of the Lord, with his angels, to execute judgment upon the disobedient.
Jude is saying Enoch got it right!—The Judge will come and take care of these false teachers.
17But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." 19These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
20But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22Be merciful to those who doubt; 23snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
Jude says the apostles warned about false teachers—they said bad times will come and to
watch out for the worldly.
We have a responsibility to protect our church from Godless people.
How can we protect ourselves from becoming self-absorbed like the people Jude warns us against?
We witness, not only by telling others about Christ, but by showing compassion and kindness. Hate the sin, but love the sinner. Unbelievers, no matter how successful they may be by worldly standards, are lost and in need of salvation. Witnessing is a matter of eternal life and death. In trying to find common ground with those to whom we witness, we must be careful not to fall into the quicksand of compromise. When we reach out to others, we must first make sure our footing is safe and secure. God will deal with false teachers as he's dealt with others who opposed Him. True Christians will be on guard by fighting for the faith, being loyal to the Master, remembering the promises, going on and living it out, and rescuing some if we witness. 24To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
What a closing! Jude begins and ends his letter with assurance.
“to him who is able to keep you from falling”: God keeps believers from falling prey to false teachers. We have no need to fear them if we trust in God and are rooted and grounded in His truth.
“and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy”: To be sinless and perfect is the ultimate condition we will obtain when we finally see Christ face to face. God promises us new bodies and that we will be like Christ.
Interesting feature: Jude uses quotes not only from the Old Testament and the apostles, but from books which we do not have in our Bibles.
Question: Does this mean Jude thought of these books as being as important as the books we now have in our Bible? Or was he using these well-known writings as illustrations the same as a preacher today might use quotes from Shakespeare or other famous writings?
Jude’s Key Points:
There are enemies on the inside of the Church who wormed their way in, spoiled the fellowship, and divided the group.
They proved they are counterfeit Christians by denying the faith, opposing what we believe, and living evil lives.
1. What to look for:
False teaching
Scoffing
Ungodliness
Refusing authority
Permissiveness and lust
Selfishness
Unbelief
Lack of fruit
Pride
Grumbling
Irreverence
Boasting
Flattery
Divisiveness
Worldliness
Pretended spirituality
2. How to fight back:
Hang on to Biblical teachings
Check out their teaching to be sure it’s Biblical
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