Jude - Contend for the Faith

  

The book of Jude was written by Jude.  Jude is short for Judas (this is not the Judas who betrayed Jesus).  This Jude was one of the four brothers of Jesus.  Matthew 13:55 records the names of Jesus’ brothers as James, Judas, Joseph and Simon.  (If my name was Judas, I think I would shorten it to Jude, too.  No one wants to be confused with the betrayer of Jesus.)  Jude, like James didn’t placed his faith or trust in Jesus until after the resurrection.

Do you have family members who don’t believe in Jesus?  If you do, you are in good company.  Jesus did and that should give you hope.  Jesus’ bothers didn’t believe who He was until after the resurrection.  If you grew up with Jesus and He was your bother, would you have believed?  Jude and his brothers saw everything and knew everything about Jesus, but didn’t know who He really was.  Are you making the same mistake?

Jude calls himself a servant of Jesus instead of a brother of Jesus.  I think it is because he showing humility and his acknowledgment of Jesus’ Lordship.

Jude is writing to Christians although we don’t know what audience of believers or to what location he is writing.  There is no doubt that he is writing to a region plagued by false teachers.  The purpose of Jude’s letter is the expose false teachers and to encourage believers to stand firm in the faith and fight for truth.   He writes to warn believers not to be led astray by these false teachers and to rescue those who have.

There are many Scripture that warn about false teaching.  False teaching is all around us today.  There are so many religions that have just a little bit of truth in them to convince people they are not cults but the true way to God.  They claim to be giving God’s message backed by Scripture.  Their message is all about works and not God’s work of grace in Christ. 

False teachers are even in Bible believing churches.  They distract Christians from obeying the truth of the gospel.  They replace the call of God with their own deceptive persuasiveness.  They gain control over the whole church just like a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.  Their negative influence can penetrate the whole church and can dominate every situation in the church’s life.  They cause confusion and discouragement.  That’s exactly what Satan wants.  He wants to steal our hope and destroy the foundation of our belief in Jesus.  It’s so important to know your Bible so you can know the truth and not be deceived.

(Jude 1-2)  He opens his letter by saying he is a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James.  He is writing to those who God has called to serve.  He tells them that God loves them and they are kept by Jesus.  He wants them to have abundant mercy, peace and love.

Believers are to remember what they have learned by remembering the apostles’ teaching, build each other up in the faith, pray, and keep themselves in God’s love.  We all need God’s mercy and forgiveness.  Believers have inner peace because God has forgiven them of their sins.  God has great love for believers and they are to show God’s love to others.  Believers can’t earn this love.  It is a free gift from God.

Principle:  Build each other up in faith, pray, and stay in God’s love.

(Jude 3-4) He urges them to contend for the faith.  He says there are certain men who have slipped in.  These men have taken advantage of God’s mercy and used it as an excuse for their wicked behavior.  They are godless men who use God’s gift as a license for immorality and deny Jesus.

To ‘contend for the faith’ shows that the Christian life is a continuous struggle.  Life is hard and it is hard work being a Christian.  We can ‘contend for the faith’ by living uncompromising lives and give credit to God in all things.  We can be faithful in prayer and in studying Scripture.  We must trust God’s truth and His promises.  Faith is for all people, the past saints and for us today.

These ‘certain men’ were false teachers.  There were false teachers then and there are false teachers today.  They are very dangerous, because they can go unnoticed.  They crept in then and can creep in now.  They teach what sinners want to hear.  They deny that Jesus is the only way.  They deny Him by their ungodly living.  They water down Scripture and Biblical doctrine.

Principle:  Contend for the faith by living uncompromising lives.

(Jude 5-7)  Jude gives examples of the people of Israel, fallen angels, Sodom and Gomorrah.  The Lord delivered Israel from Egypt, but later destroyed those who didn’t believe.  The angels who abandoned their home and didn’t keep their positions of authority.  God kept them in darkness and chains for judgment day.  Sodom and Gomorrah gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion.  They will suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

Even though God rescued the people of Israel, they didn’t trust God enough to enter the promise land so many died in the desert.  Because of pride some angels refused to obey God so God keeps them in chains for judgment day.  Sodom and Gomorrah are examples of all kinds of wicked behavior and God destroyed them with fire as He will wicked people on judgment day.  He is telling us that those causing trouble will be judged whether they are human or angels.  We must continue to walk with Jesus and be on guard for any false teachings.

 

Principle:  Those living for sin will suffer punishment of eternal fire.

(Jude 8-11) In the same way these dreamers pollute their bodies, reject authority and slander God’s angels.  He gives the example of the angel Michael who didn’t slander Moses.  These men speak against what they don’t understand and what they do understand, like unreasoning animals.  Woe to them.  They have taken the way of Cain.  They have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error.

These ‘dreamers’ or ‘certain men’ continue their wicked practice of sex like people of Sodom.  They insult God’s angels.  When Moses died God send Michael to bury his body, but the devil said the body belonged to him.  This was because Moses had murdered an Egyptian.  Michael didn’t argue with the devil, but said God would deal with him. 

Cain was the first person to kill someone.  He killed his brother Able.  The way of Cain is unbelief, jealousy, and murderous anger.  False teachers are killing the beliefs of people. 

Balaam was a prophet who attempted to curse Israel.  He was willing to compromise everything for money.

Today there are those who reject authority meaning they want to be in authority.  We see this when people choose to only believe certain passages of the Bible.  We see it by our lifestyle and by making our own rules.  We see it in sex outside marriage, drugs and alcohol abuse, rape, murder, lying, greed, and in those seeking power at any cost.  We see rebellion, perversion, arrogance, and corruption for personal gain.  There are those who don’t recognize God’s established authorities.  They do nothing to help others grow in their trust of Jesus.

Principle:  Don’t let false teachers kill your beliefs.

(Jude 12-13) These men are blemishes at your love feasts and are like shepherds who feed only themselves.  They are clouds without rain and autumn trees without fruit.  They are wild waves of sea foaming up their shame and like wandering stars for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

Love feasts are meals shared together where everyone brought something – like our potlucks.  These ‘dreamers’ or ‘certain men’ came to serve only themselves.  They were selfishly and greedily while others went hungry.

Clouds without water are good for nothing.  They bring no life-giving rain.  These wicked men exist for themselves.  They are like trees that bear no fruit.  They are very busy like raging waves of the sea that brought up only foam.  They are like wandering stars or comets that streak through the sky and astonished the world for a time.  They are deceivers and useless.

The ‘blackest of darkness’ describes their destiny.  Unless they repent they will end up in hell and forever punished.  Man must pay the price for his own sins.  BUT because of Jesus who offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins, we don’t have to spend eternity in hell.  If we repent and ask God for forgiveness and believe in Jesus, we will spend eternity in heaven with God.

Principle:  Jesus offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sins.

(Jude 14-17)  Enoch prophesied about these kinds of men.  He said the Lord is coming with thousands of holy ones to judge everyone and to convict the ungodly and all the ungodly words spoken against Him.  These men are grumblers and faultfinders who follow their own evil desires.  Remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.

Jude is telling us that grumbling, arrogant speech and flattery are sins of the mouth.  The tongue is telling what’s in someone’s heart.  It reveals the true nature.  “If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.” – James 1:26. 

If you have trouble with your speech like gossiping, lying to your parents, cursing your boss, and using profanity – you need to stop it!  Keep your mouth shut.  What comes out of your mouth in from your heart.  We must be careful to have our hearts continually devoted to God.  “But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.” – Matt. 12:36.  

Principle:  Focus on the words of the apostles instead of sinful words.

(Jude 18-19)  In the last times there will be scoffers who follow their own ungodly desires.  These men who divide, follow their natural instincts and don’t have the Spirit.

He is warning us that as the last days progress there will be more and more people who ridicule believers and the teachings of God’s Word and follow after their own lusts.  These kinds of people have a sinful problem.  They are afraid to believe the truth, because of their ungodly actions.  They cause division in the church and are doing the work of the devil.

Does this sound familiar?  Believers today are definitely ridiculed and made fun of by unbelievers.  We can’t talk about God in our schools and government, because we might offend someone.   People seem to be following the desires and lusts of their minds and bodies.  There is no regard for decent behavior.  Just look at what TV and Hollywood promote.  Violence, sex, horror and bad language fill up our homes and theaters.  When are we going to WAKE UP?  

Principle:  Be aware of scoffers who divide and follow their own ungodly desires.

(Jude 20-21) “Build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.   Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternity life.”

How can we keep ourselves in God’s love? 

We can’t make God stop loving us, but we can take ourselves out of the place where He can show His love to us.  “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love.  If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”- John 15:9-10. 

If we are Christians, Jesus will abide in us if we keep His commandments.  We must continue hearing, reading, and studying the Word.  We must spend time with Him.  We can continue to build our faith and pray asking the Holy Spirit to help us.  We can stay away from and reject false teachings.  Then wait anxiously for the return of Jesus.

Principle:  Build yourselves up in faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.

(Jude 22-23)  Be merciful to those who doubt and snatch others from the fire and save them.  Show mercy mixed with fear.

 There are those who doubt so we must be merciful and loving to them.  Encourage them in faith and share the Word of God.  Maybe they have fallen into false doctrines by false teachers.  We must point them to the truth.  If they have fallen into sin, we must be forgiving and merciful.  However, we must also be alert and not be sucked into their beliefs.  In can be dangerous when you see their pleasures, which can drag you down quickly.

Principle:  Be merciful to those who doubt and show them mercy.

(Jude 24-25) “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence with fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forever!  Amen.”

Jude finishes with a benediction.  He ends with a great shout of joy.  God is able to keep us from stumbling and falling.  If we continue running the race and abiding in His love, we will stand before Him blameless and with joy.  We will never be able to praise God enough.  In love He controls and rules over all.  He supplies every need of all who trust Him.

Principle:  Give God glory through Jesus Christ for He provides our every need.

Have a blessed day and thanks for visiting my site.  Hope to see you here again.  --  I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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