The Book of Jude
Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: 2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." 16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. 24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, 25 To God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.
In the book of Jude the writer of this epistle describes himself by his name, Jude; by his spiritual condition, "a servant of Christ"; and by his natural relation, "a brother of James"; and inscribes it to persons chosen of God, secured in Christ, and called by grace. Next, the author gives the occasion of writing this epistle, in which he "..found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." Jude is warning about the character of evil and perverse men, who had already sprung up in that infant state of the church, and would be succeeded by others (v. 4). Next an example is given and a caution against listening and following after such evil men: from the severity of God towards the unbelieving murmuring Israelites at their coming out of Egypt, the angels that fell, the sin and punishment of Sodom and Gomorrah (vs. 5-7). To these the apostle likens the seducers against whom he was warning them, and describes them at large, (vs. 8-10). Then he cites an ancient prophecy of Enoch foretelling and describing the future judgment (vs. 14-15). Next he enlarges on the seducers' character, and admonishes to guard against the offence from these evil doers, by showing that it was foretold long before that it would come about (vs.16-19). Then Jude exhorts his readers to perseverance in the faith, have fervency in prayer, be watchful against falling from the love of God, and to look for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life (vs. 20-21). Lastly Jude teaches them not only to be concerned for themselves, but for others also, who were in danger from these deceivers; to deal with some in a tender and compassionate way, with others more roughly, expressing an hatred to a filthy conversation, and then the epistle is concluded with a doxology, or an ascription of glory to the only wise God our Savior, who is able to keep his people from falling into such pernicious principles and practices, and to present them faultless before his glorious presence with exceeding joy (v. 24).
What stands out to me today is how Jude intended to write a more general letter, but the present crisis demanded this short, pointed attack on doctrinal error. When Jude speaks of common salvation, he is referring to the unity all believers have in Christ. But due to the crisis, Jude does not dwell on the subject of the common salvation. "Contend earnestly" translates a Greek word that is the basis of the English word "agonize". Christians are not called to passive service, but to vigilance in the cause of Christ. Before writing about salvation, then, Jude felt he had to set his readers back on the right track, calling them back to the basics of their faith. Then the way to salvation would be clearer.
Jude was warning against these false teachers. Their primary tactics were to pervert God's grace "turn the grace of our God into lewdness", and to deny the authority of the Lord. They were clever enough to have infiltrated the Christian community, even though they were ungodly. Jesus anticipated this kind of people when He spoke about wolves in sheep's clothing (see Matthew 7:15). These false teachers not only lived immorally, they rejected the authority of Christ.
We can learn much from this book. These false teachers are alive and well today. We have people practicing immorality and calling themselves Christians (Christ-like). Guard your heart against those who "turn the grace of our God into lewdness".
My prayer for you today is this scripture:
Phil. 1:27 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind
Love in Christ,
Alan J. Schrader
