Jude 1:1-25"To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen." Jude 1:25
Author: Jude
Theme: Contending for the faith
Date of Writing: A.D 68
The book of Jude is designed to warn us against seducers and their seduction, and to inspire us with a warm love to, and a hearty concern for - truth!
What is Apostasy?
An apostate has received light, but not life. He may have received, in some degree, the Written Word, but he has not received the "Living Word,"- the Son of God.
"Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and a brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:" 1:1 - This verse is specifically to distinguish between him and Judas Iscariot.
1. Occasion of the Epistle - Warning concerning Apostasy - 1:1-4
Christians are called out of the world, from sin to Christ. The apostle prays, not that Christians may be content with a little; but that their souls and societies may be full of these things. None are shut out from gospel offers and invitations, but those who obstinately and wickedly shut themselves out.
But the application is to all believers; we ought to contend earnestly for the faith, in opposition to those who would corrupt or deprave it; who creep in unawares; who glide in like serpents. And those are the worst of the ungodly, who take encouragement to sin boldly, because the grace of God has abounded, and still abounds so wonderfully, and who are hardened by the extent and fulness of gospel grace, the design of which is to deliver men from sin, and bring them unto God.
2. Historical examples of unbelief and rebellion - 1:5-7
a. Israel in the wilderness - It began in Kadesh-Barnea shortly after the Israelites had left Egypt for Palestine. Here at Kadesh-Barnea, they were influenced by the "mixed multitude" (an unsaved group of Egyptians and Non-Hebrews) - who had left Egypt with them, causing them to rebel against God's Word - "...having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not." 1:5
b. Disobedient angels - These angels, then, had fallen. Created holy, they had sinned and become wicked angels, or evil spirits.A great number of the angels were not pleased with the stations God allotted to them; pride was the main and direct cause or occasion of their fall. The fallen angels are kept for the judgment of the great day - "And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation..." 1:6
c. Sodom & Gomorrah - They were guilty of abominable wickedness, not to be named or thought of but with the utmost abhorrence and detestation;the destruction of Sodom is a loud warning to all, to take heed of, and flee from fleshly lusts that war against the soul - "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."1:7
3. False teachers described - 1:8-19
a. Rebellion against authority Vs.8-10
b. Greedy Vs.11
c. Hidden among true believers Vs.12a
d. Spiritually dead Vs.12b-13
e. Facing judgment Vs.14-15
f. Promoting personalities Vs.16 - literally boasting in self and complaining about self all the time; ugly---want to be beautiful, poor---want to be rich like others, sick---want to be well like others. g. Devoid of the spirit Vs.17-19 - under the influence of gross passions and appetites.
4. Exhortation to Christians - 1:20-23
Our duty (and ought to be the endeavour) of every Christian, is to build up himself, and others also, in the faith of the gospel; progress in Christianity is the best means to preserve us from apostasy.
5. Conclusion - 1:24-25
God is able, and as willing as able, to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory.
Personal Observation
The best way for Christians not to be losers of what they have, is to be labourers for what they want.
We as Christians, are to look for eternal life, as the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ; that is, to believe it, to meditate upon it, to have ardent desires after it, and patiently to wait for it: Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
All the wisdom of the wisest of men is nothing in opposition to his wisdom, nor in comparison with it.
Matthew Henry - "Now, our faults fill us with fears, doubts, and sorrows; but the Redeemer has undertaken for his people, that they shall be presented faultless. Where there is no sin, there will be no sorrow; where there is the perfection of holiness, there will be the perfection of joy. Let us more often look up to Him who is able to keep us from falling, to improve as well as maintain the work he has wrought in us, till we shall be presented blameless before the presence of his glory. Then shall our hearts know a joy beyond what earth can afford; then shall God also rejoice over us, and the joy of our compassionate Saviour be completed. To Him who has so wisely formed the scheme, and will faithfully and perfectly accomplish it, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever."
Victory in the Christian life reminds me of a pendulum swinging on a clock. Each movement of the arm swaying backwards and forwards signifies a second in time. Every moment of every day, our mind is filled with input. Filtered by what we allow ourselves to be exposed to, we are the sumtotal of what goes into our minds; what we read, watch on television, the music we listen to, the friends we hang around with, the food we decide to eat, the language we use, the habits we decide to maintain, the undisciplined lives we live, the "always do what you've always done" attitudes.
Being pure in all that we say, see, and sense matters to God!
Daily victory in our lives hinges on the input. "Rubbish in - Rubbish out!" Daily victory can be ours, if we stay in God's word, grow in our prayer lives, be faithful to church, and ensure that the content is pure - every moment of every day.
Assurance is the believer's full conviction that, through the work of Christ alone, received by faith, he is in possession of a salvation in which he will be eternally kept. And this assurance rests only upon the Scripture promises to him who believes.
I Love You,
Deborah
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