Jude verses 1 through 25 The Book of Jude "Exposed"
"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: Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you."
"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. 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."
"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. 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; 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. Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. 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!" But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 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".
"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; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 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."
"These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit".
"But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh".
"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, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty",
NKJV
Introduction: Greeting The Saints (Verses 1-2)
Concerning Jude: Who was He?
Jude-was the brother of both Jesus Christ and James the son of Alphaeus and Mary. Jude called himself a bond-servant (a Christian committed to the spread of the Gospel) . There is the belief that Jude was converted after the resurrection of Jesus. Called by God and qualified to be an Apostle, in writing this 25 verse epistle, Jude focused on his service and the art of servitude to those he address, rather than writing or mentoring his earthly blood relation to stem the possibility of internal jealousy among other apostles.
Jude writes to the “called”, “sanctified” by God and “preserved” by Jesus Christ because the surviving Apostles and specific members who were defending the faith were facing pending danger. Jude writes: "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."
Note: The meaning of “preserved” in this verse means: These members who diligently contended for the "Faith" owed their preservation wholly to Christ; and if they were brought to everlasting life, it would be only by The Lord. What the apostle here says of those to whom he wrote, is true of all Christians. Every one of us would all fall away and perish if it were not for the grace of God keeping us.
As Jude continues in the greeting portion of the epistle, he pronounced "3 blessings”: love…peace…mercy! and that God would multiply each one of them. Here's what he said:
"Increased love in the way you live, Abundant love in what you experience with and from others and in fully comprehending the Agape love that comes from God".
The Abundance of Peace from the standpoint of their overall well being on a daily basis. The word peace really means: "to be a partaker of divine favor". It was another way of declaring a saying of King David: Let your eyes look to the hills from where your help come from, because all of our help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.
The Abundance of Mercy because God looked beyond their fault (sinfulness) and seen their need for a Savior to save them. Even the best of us have no merit without receiving anything we receive by the grace of God and tempered with His mercy as well.
Mission Challenge: “Contend for the Christian Faith”
In verses 3 and 4, Jude issues a "Pastoral challenge to the hearers and reader of this letter: Contend for the Faith. Hold on tight to the true principle of the Christian religion. We are challenged and charged by the Lord to defend the faith by maintaining belief in "sound doctrine".(God’s precepts, principles and biblical truths that lead to morals and ethics that are Bible based, Christ centered, Holy Spirit led. The “Common” Salvation mentioned here in this verse is the same salvation by grace in Jesus Christ offered to both Jews and Gentile by accepting what was said in the Gospel.
The reason they were challenged to contend for the faith was “Certain Men” – ungodly men and women( false preachers and teachers) had joined the church fellowships and were spreading false teaching and doctrinal heresies that was poisoning the growth of the church and causing them to become apostate in their beliefs and behavior, leaving the Gospel of Jesus Christ and turning to and believing "fables" and "old wives tales". The Apostle Paul elaborated on this tragedy because he experience the same thing happening in every church he established and everywhere he preached the Gospel and taught sound doctrine of the Faith..Paul raised "4 indictments": See (1 Timothy 4 and 2 Timothy 3) and in Peter’s prophecy (Jude v. 17-18) Look at what they did:
First, they crept in the church unawares They got within the church fellowship by false pretense, having a “form” of godliness but deny the power thereof. They openly refuted correct Biblical doctrinal teaching about Jesus Christ as Master, Lord, Messiah, and equal in divinity with God].
As a warning to show that we are fast approaching a form of Apostasy, In these last days, all kind of so-called church-like fellowships are popping up. Many of them are calling themselves “worship centers” rather than church, leaving the name "church" off their moniker.
Many of these false preachers and teachers had already been condemned publicly because they had a well known reputation for denying the true faith and teaching false doctrines and yet, they continued to "false" preach and teach, openly criticizing the apostolic teachings of the Apostles.
For an example:
One false belief they taught was based on misinterpreting Romans 5:20, telling the people "that because where sin abound, grace abounds more to cover sin, they can go on and live a sinful life because God’s grace already has them covered"…Romans 6:1-7 makes Jesus (God the Father’s) position on living a godly life perfectly clear- "A Godly life is a life that is to be free from sin". The purpose of the process of “sanctification” is to cleanse (save) us from the power of sin in order that "sin" would have no more dominion in our lives and by walking in the "Spirit" and not according to the dictates of the flesh. he power of sin would be broken in our lives as Christ delivers us from this power.
As I said, they openly challenged what Jesus said about himself They were called Gnostics because they openly denied the belief in the Trinity and Jesus’ “oneness” with Jehovah (YAHWEH) Jesus said “I AM”. They were so “ungodly” they openly practiced sexual perversion.
Concerning the "Apostasy": The “Old and New Apostates”
The following is a list of many of the “Old Apostates” in past history that were expounded upon in verses 5 through 11:
"Unbelieving Hebrews": God had delivered the Hebrews of the Old Testament from 430 years of Egyptian bondage by God, yet, despite the 10 plagues God unleased on the Egyptians, parting the Red Sea to give them an escape route to the promise land. feeding them in the wilderness and providing water out of a rock, they refuse to believe in HIM and follow his commandments. (The Book of Exodus) (vs.5)
Then, there were the “Fallen” angels: the angels that left their first estate in (Genesis 6) and cohabited with the Daughters of Men, thus violated their angelic office by pursuing and violated the office and dignity of man, who according to Psalms 8 were made a little lower than the angels. (They are currently since their fall in darkness, chained, and awaiting their final judgment from God.) (vs.6)
Note: Lust and pride will cause to give up your rightful position and pursue a lower moral position that in time will destroy you and those you violate. (1 John 2:15-17)
Sodom and Gomorrah: The people of these wicked cities suffered the wrath of God when God rained down fire and brimstone upon them and all the cities in the plains, including Zoar. ((Homosexuality and sexual deviation) The “raining” down of fire upon them served literally as a real example of the eternal torment a wicked people, cities and society will suffer at the hands of God’s wrath when they will not repent and turn from their wicked ways.) (Genesis 19)(2 Timothy3) Jude 4 expresses what is current in society and in the church. If you are truly born again, there is no way you can justify living in and remaining in a homosexual, pornographic or any other sexually deviated lifestyle. How can you truly live in sin and really feel the love of Our Savior Jesus Christ?(vs.7)
4. “Filthy dreamers” (false teachers and all who follow them) Both were compared to the fallen angels, the Israelites, and even the Sodomites. as of historic times: unbelieving, rebellious, disobedient, unholy and impure. They can expect the fall under the punishment of the wrath of God. There were 2 “primary indictment against them: (vs.8)
a. Despise dominion: They can’t stand to be told what to do by a “righteous” government. ( A government who’s laws and ordinances are based upon the sound principles, precepts and truths found in the word of God. Rebels that despise a “federated” Government misread the constitution and oppose the sovereignty and the authority God gave them to fairly govern all the people: One nation…Under God (Jehovah)…Indivisible….with liberty and justice for all! They will come under no restraints; they despise all law, and wish to live as they list.
b. Speak evil of dignities They blaspheme or speak injuriously of supreme authority. They treat governors. Presidents, judicial, congress and government with contempt and disdain as well as balk at and misrepresent all divine and civil institutions. (2 Peter 2:10-11) Simply put, they had “God” issues and voiced it in all they did. Now, by comparison…
5. Michael-the Archangel contention with Satan(devil) (vs.9)
Contention (over the body of Moses) does not bring a “railing accusation” against him (does not get into a back and forth argument) , not that the devil doesn’t deserve a railing accusation, but simply acknowledge him for who he is (the accuser) and said: “The Lord rebuke you Satan”.
Note: Arguring with the devil is counter-productive and a waste of your “valuable” time you could be using giving the Lord more praise and service! The devil likes to argue with you in your mind! That’s where the spiritual/psychological war takes place. The strongest thing you ever have to say to Satan (unless the Holy Spirit directs you to say more) is: “Satan, the Lord rebuke you! When you say this you are letting the devil know that God has him under restraint and has already censured him.
These (wicked men and women) speak evil against “things’ they don’t have real knowledge of: (vs.10)
Being so “carnal” minded and being at odds with God, they argue against everything, even those things that protect them as well as their personal property.
7. Jude’s response: Woe unto them! (vs. 11)
a. They have gone the “way of Cain.”
They are haters of their brethren, and they that are such are murderers; and by teaching and living according to their false doctrine they corrupt and destroy the souls of the people.
b. They are guilty of the “error of Balaam”.
For money, the corrupted the Word of god by watering it down in their false teachings and religious practices.
c. They are guilty of “the gainsaying of Core”.
They were as rebellious as Dathan, Korah, Abiram and those who associated with them. (Numbers 22) Again, Jude accuses them of murder, covetousness, and outright rebellion against God’s “intrinsic” authority
IV. The “state” of the Apostates: “Doomed and Depraved” (Verses 12-15)
A. They corrupted your “feast of charity.”Feeding themselves without fear. (vs.12)
Back in the day, the richer members of the church made an occasional general feast, at which all the members attended, and the poor and the rich ate together. The fatherless, the widows, and the strangers were invited to these feasts, and their eating together was a proof of their love to each other; whence such entertainments were called love feasts. The love feasts were at first celebrated before the Lord's Supper; in process of time they appear to have been celebrated after it. But they were never considered as the Lord's Supper, nor any substitute for it. At the “love” feast the false teachers didn’t eat to satisfy their natural appetite, they were gluttonous and stuffed their mouths with food, creating a problem, especially when this feast was celebrated in conjunction with communion. This may explain what the Apostle Paul meant in 1 Corinthians Chapter 11concerning not turning the celebration of the Lord’s Supper into a feast, telling them if they were hungry go home and eat.
Jude describes these wicked false teachers (Nicolatanes and Gnostics this way:
1. They were considered “clouds without water”. That is they look the part of true teachers but contained no real doctrinal truth to tell.
2. And “trees whose fruit withered. ”That is to say that they appear to be ministers on the outside, but have no real fruit to offer the people.
3. And “Twice dead” First, naturally and practically because they were dead in sin, from which they had been revived by the preaching and grace of the Gospel. Secondly, dead by backsliding or apostasy from the true faith, by which they lost the grace they had before received; and now likely to continue in that death, because plucked up from the roots, their roots of faith and love being no longer fixed in Christ Jesus. (vs.12)
4. Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own waves (vs.13)
The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. These are like the sea in a storm, where the swells are like mountains; the breakers lash the shore, and sound like thunder; and the great deep, stirred up from its very bottom, rolls its muddy, putrid sediment, and deposits it upon the beach. Such were those proud and arrogant boasters, those headstrong, unruly, and ferocious men, who swept into their own “cult following” the souls of the simple, and left nothing behind them that was not indicative of their folly, their turbulence, and their impurity.
5. Wandering stars, which never change their place, While the planets have their revolution round the sun; yet, properly speaking, there is no irregularity in their motions: they are ever continuing on a steady course through all their revolutions on their axis and in circumference around the Sun.. But these false wicked teachers are like uncertain, anomalous meteors, dancing about in the darkness which themselves have formed, and leading simple souls astray, who, now leaving the truth of the gospel and chasing after fables have ceased to walk in the light, and have no other guides but these Gnostics.
6. The blackness of darkness: They are just like the other wicked people that are going headlong into that outer darkness (hell and ultimately to the Lake of Fire) where there is wailing, and weeping, and gnashing of teeth.
7. Enoch’s prophecy concerning them: ”The Lord will come with 10,000 saints To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (vs. 14-15)
V. Apostates: “Predicted and Identified” (Verses 16-19)
1. Identified: “These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain (take) advantage”. (vs. 16)
2. Predicted: “But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the (Holy) Spirit”. (vs. 17-19)
VI. Your life with God: “Maintain it” (Verses 20-23)
1. Build yourself up on your most holy faith. (vs.20)
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. It means living your life according to faith in God for everything. Habakkuk 2:4 “As it is written: the just shall live by his faith”.(remember Psalms 1)
2. Praying in the Holy ‘Ghost. (read Romans 8:26)
The power behind sincere constant (prayers without ceasing) is the Holy Spirit who takes our petitions before the throne of God in intercession with “groaning” that we can’t utter . Romans 8:26-28 (KJV)
3. Keeping yourself in the love of God (vs. 21)
Living in God’s love and letting God’s love guard, guide and protect you. And then look for God’s mercy in the Lord Jesus Christ: now and when he comes back to receive us unto Himself.
4. And some having compassion: (vs.22)
The idea here is, Compassion, though shown to all people in this case was to be manifest toward a certain class of persons in seeking their salvation was tender affection and kindness. They were to approach them in the gentlest manner, appealing to them by such words as "love" would prompt.
5. Others were to be approached in a different manner, “with boldness” indicated by the phrase, "save with fear." (vs. 23)
When evangelizing others, some people need to be approached with boldness, yet with compassion, reminding them of the terrible judgments that await those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ and turn from wickedness. warning them to flee from the wrath of God that is shortly to come upon this earth .
VII. Benediction: “Now unto HIM” (Jesus) who is able… (Verses 24-25)
1. Keep you from falling.
2. Present you before the throne of God faultless with exceeding joy
“To the only wise God our Savior: Glory, Majesty, Dominion, Power, now and ever…….AMEN”.
Concerning Jude: Who was He?
Jude-was the brother of both Jesus Christ and James the son of Alphaeus and Mary. Jude called himself a bond-servant (a Christian committed to the spread of the Gospel) . There is the belief that Jude was converted after the resurrection of Jesus. Called by God and qualified to be an Apostle, in writing this 25 verse epistle, Jude focused on his service and the art of servitude to those he address, rather than writing or mentoring his earthly blood relation to stem the possibility of internal jealousy among other apostles.
Jude writes to the “called”, “sanctified” by God and “preserved” by Jesus Christ because the surviving Apostles and specific members who were defending the faith were facing pending danger. Jude writes: "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."
Note: The meaning of “preserved” in this verse means: These members who diligently contended for the "Faith" owed their preservation wholly to Christ; and if they were brought to everlasting life, it would be only by The Lord. What the apostle here says of those to whom he wrote, is true of all Christians. Every one of us would all fall away and perish if it were not for the grace of God keeping us.
As Jude continues in the greeting portion of the epistle, he pronounced "3 blessings”: love…peace…mercy! and that God would multiply each one of them. Here's what he said:
"Increased love in the way you live, Abundant love in what you experience with and from others and in fully comprehending the Agape love that comes from God".
The Abundance of Peace from the standpoint of their overall well being on a daily basis. The word peace really means: "to be a partaker of divine favor". It was another way of declaring a saying of King David: Let your eyes look to the hills from where your help come from, because all of our help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.
The Abundance of Mercy because God looked beyond their fault (sinfulness) and seen their need for a Savior to save them. Even the best of us have no merit without receiving anything we receive by the grace of God and tempered with His mercy as well.
Mission Challenge: “Contend for the Christian Faith”
In verses 3 and 4, Jude issues a "Pastoral challenge to the hearers and reader of this letter: Contend for the Faith. Hold on tight to the true principle of the Christian religion. We are challenged and charged by the Lord to defend the faith by maintaining belief in "sound doctrine".(God’s precepts, principles and biblical truths that lead to morals and ethics that are Bible based, Christ centered, Holy Spirit led. The “Common” Salvation mentioned here in this verse is the same salvation by grace in Jesus Christ offered to both Jews and Gentile by accepting what was said in the Gospel.
The reason they were challenged to contend for the faith was “Certain Men” – ungodly men and women( false preachers and teachers) had joined the church fellowships and were spreading false teaching and doctrinal heresies that was poisoning the growth of the church and causing them to become apostate in their beliefs and behavior, leaving the Gospel of Jesus Christ and turning to and believing "fables" and "old wives tales". The Apostle Paul elaborated on this tragedy because he experience the same thing happening in every church he established and everywhere he preached the Gospel and taught sound doctrine of the Faith..Paul raised "4 indictments": See (1 Timothy 4 and 2 Timothy 3) and in Peter’s prophecy (Jude v. 17-18) Look at what they did:
First, they crept in the church unawares They got within the church fellowship by false pretense, having a “form” of godliness but deny the power thereof. They openly refuted correct Biblical doctrinal teaching about Jesus Christ as Master, Lord, Messiah, and equal in divinity with God].
As a warning to show that we are fast approaching a form of Apostasy, In these last days, all kind of so-called church-like fellowships are popping up. Many of them are calling themselves “worship centers” rather than church, leaving the name "church" off their moniker.
Many of these false preachers and teachers had already been condemned publicly because they had a well known reputation for denying the true faith and teaching false doctrines and yet, they continued to "false" preach and teach, openly criticizing the apostolic teachings of the Apostles.
For an example:
One false belief they taught was based on misinterpreting Romans 5:20, telling the people "that because where sin abound, grace abounds more to cover sin, they can go on and live a sinful life because God’s grace already has them covered"…Romans 6:1-7 makes Jesus (God the Father’s) position on living a godly life perfectly clear- "A Godly life is a life that is to be free from sin". The purpose of the process of “sanctification” is to cleanse (save) us from the power of sin in order that "sin" would have no more dominion in our lives and by walking in the "Spirit" and not according to the dictates of the flesh. he power of sin would be broken in our lives as Christ delivers us from this power.
As I said, they openly challenged what Jesus said about himself They were called Gnostics because they openly denied the belief in the Trinity and Jesus’ “oneness” with Jehovah (YAHWEH) Jesus said “I AM”. They were so “ungodly” they openly practiced sexual perversion.
Concerning the "Apostasy": The “Old and New Apostates”
The following is a list of many of the “Old Apostates” in past history that were expounded upon in verses 5 through 11:
"Unbelieving Hebrews": God had delivered the Hebrews of the Old Testament from 430 years of Egyptian bondage by God, yet, despite the 10 plagues God unleased on the Egyptians, parting the Red Sea to give them an escape route to the promise land. feeding them in the wilderness and providing water out of a rock, they refuse to believe in HIM and follow his commandments. (The Book of Exodus) (vs.5)
Then, there were the “Fallen” angels: the angels that left their first estate in (Genesis 6) and cohabited with the Daughters of Men, thus violated their angelic office by pursuing and violated the office and dignity of man, who according to Psalms 8 were made a little lower than the angels. (They are currently since their fall in darkness, chained, and awaiting their final judgment from God.) (vs.6)
Note: Lust and pride will cause to give up your rightful position and pursue a lower moral position that in time will destroy you and those you violate. (1 John 2:15-17)
Sodom and Gomorrah: The people of these wicked cities suffered the wrath of God when God rained down fire and brimstone upon them and all the cities in the plains, including Zoar. ((Homosexuality and sexual deviation) The “raining” down of fire upon them served literally as a real example of the eternal torment a wicked people, cities and society will suffer at the hands of God’s wrath when they will not repent and turn from their wicked ways.) (Genesis 19)(2 Timothy3) Jude 4 expresses what is current in society and in the church. If you are truly born again, there is no way you can justify living in and remaining in a homosexual, pornographic or any other sexually deviated lifestyle. How can you truly live in sin and really feel the love of Our Savior Jesus Christ?(vs.7)
4. “Filthy dreamers” (false teachers and all who follow them) Both were compared to the fallen angels, the Israelites, and even the Sodomites. as of historic times: unbelieving, rebellious, disobedient, unholy and impure. They can expect the fall under the punishment of the wrath of God. There were 2 “primary indictment against them: (vs.8)
a. Despise dominion: They can’t stand to be told what to do by a “righteous” government. ( A government who’s laws and ordinances are based upon the sound principles, precepts and truths found in the word of God. Rebels that despise a “federated” Government misread the constitution and oppose the sovereignty and the authority God gave them to fairly govern all the people: One nation…Under God (Jehovah)…Indivisible….with liberty and justice for all! They will come under no restraints; they despise all law, and wish to live as they list.
b. Speak evil of dignities They blaspheme or speak injuriously of supreme authority. They treat governors. Presidents, judicial, congress and government with contempt and disdain as well as balk at and misrepresent all divine and civil institutions. (2 Peter 2:10-11) Simply put, they had “God” issues and voiced it in all they did. Now, by comparison…
5. Michael-the Archangel contention with Satan(devil) (vs.9)
Contention (over the body of Moses) does not bring a “railing accusation” against him (does not get into a back and forth argument) , not that the devil doesn’t deserve a railing accusation, but simply acknowledge him for who he is (the accuser) and said: “The Lord rebuke you Satan”.
Note: Arguring with the devil is counter-productive and a waste of your “valuable” time you could be using giving the Lord more praise and service! The devil likes to argue with you in your mind! That’s where the spiritual/psychological war takes place. The strongest thing you ever have to say to Satan (unless the Holy Spirit directs you to say more) is: “Satan, the Lord rebuke you! When you say this you are letting the devil know that God has him under restraint and has already censured him.
These (wicked men and women) speak evil against “things’ they don’t have real knowledge of: (vs.10)
Being so “carnal” minded and being at odds with God, they argue against everything, even those things that protect them as well as their personal property.
7. Jude’s response: Woe unto them! (vs. 11)
a. They have gone the “way of Cain.”
They are haters of their brethren, and they that are such are murderers; and by teaching and living according to their false doctrine they corrupt and destroy the souls of the people.
b. They are guilty of the “error of Balaam”.
For money, the corrupted the Word of god by watering it down in their false teachings and religious practices.
c. They are guilty of “the gainsaying of Core”.
They were as rebellious as Dathan, Korah, Abiram and those who associated with them. (Numbers 22) Again, Jude accuses them of murder, covetousness, and outright rebellion against God’s “intrinsic” authority
IV. The “state” of the Apostates: “Doomed and Depraved” (Verses 12-15)
A. They corrupted your “feast of charity.”Feeding themselves without fear. (vs.12)
Back in the day, the richer members of the church made an occasional general feast, at which all the members attended, and the poor and the rich ate together. The fatherless, the widows, and the strangers were invited to these feasts, and their eating together was a proof of their love to each other; whence such entertainments were called love feasts. The love feasts were at first celebrated before the Lord's Supper; in process of time they appear to have been celebrated after it. But they were never considered as the Lord's Supper, nor any substitute for it. At the “love” feast the false teachers didn’t eat to satisfy their natural appetite, they were gluttonous and stuffed their mouths with food, creating a problem, especially when this feast was celebrated in conjunction with communion. This may explain what the Apostle Paul meant in 1 Corinthians Chapter 11concerning not turning the celebration of the Lord’s Supper into a feast, telling them if they were hungry go home and eat.
Jude describes these wicked false teachers (Nicolatanes and Gnostics this way:
1. They were considered “clouds without water”. That is they look the part of true teachers but contained no real doctrinal truth to tell.
2. And “trees whose fruit withered. ”That is to say that they appear to be ministers on the outside, but have no real fruit to offer the people.
3. And “Twice dead” First, naturally and practically because they were dead in sin, from which they had been revived by the preaching and grace of the Gospel. Secondly, dead by backsliding or apostasy from the true faith, by which they lost the grace they had before received; and now likely to continue in that death, because plucked up from the roots, their roots of faith and love being no longer fixed in Christ Jesus. (vs.12)
4. Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own waves (vs.13)
The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. These are like the sea in a storm, where the swells are like mountains; the breakers lash the shore, and sound like thunder; and the great deep, stirred up from its very bottom, rolls its muddy, putrid sediment, and deposits it upon the beach. Such were those proud and arrogant boasters, those headstrong, unruly, and ferocious men, who swept into their own “cult following” the souls of the simple, and left nothing behind them that was not indicative of their folly, their turbulence, and their impurity.
5. Wandering stars, which never change their place, While the planets have their revolution round the sun; yet, properly speaking, there is no irregularity in their motions: they are ever continuing on a steady course through all their revolutions on their axis and in circumference around the Sun.. But these false wicked teachers are like uncertain, anomalous meteors, dancing about in the darkness which themselves have formed, and leading simple souls astray, who, now leaving the truth of the gospel and chasing after fables have ceased to walk in the light, and have no other guides but these Gnostics.
6. The blackness of darkness: They are just like the other wicked people that are going headlong into that outer darkness (hell and ultimately to the Lake of Fire) where there is wailing, and weeping, and gnashing of teeth.
7. Enoch’s prophecy concerning them: ”The Lord will come with 10,000 saints To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (vs. 14-15)
V. Apostates: “Predicted and Identified” (Verses 16-19)
1. Identified: “These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain (take) advantage”. (vs. 16)
2. Predicted: “But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the (Holy) Spirit”. (vs. 17-19)
VI. Your life with God: “Maintain it” (Verses 20-23)
1. Build yourself up on your most holy faith. (vs.20)
Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. It means living your life according to faith in God for everything. Habakkuk 2:4 “As it is written: the just shall live by his faith”.(remember Psalms 1)
2. Praying in the Holy ‘Ghost. (read Romans 8:26)
The power behind sincere constant (prayers without ceasing) is the Holy Spirit who takes our petitions before the throne of God in intercession with “groaning” that we can’t utter . Romans 8:26-28 (KJV)
3. Keeping yourself in the love of God (vs. 21)
Living in God’s love and letting God’s love guard, guide and protect you. And then look for God’s mercy in the Lord Jesus Christ: now and when he comes back to receive us unto Himself.
4. And some having compassion: (vs.22)
The idea here is, Compassion, though shown to all people in this case was to be manifest toward a certain class of persons in seeking their salvation was tender affection and kindness. They were to approach them in the gentlest manner, appealing to them by such words as "love" would prompt.
5. Others were to be approached in a different manner, “with boldness” indicated by the phrase, "save with fear." (vs. 23)
When evangelizing others, some people need to be approached with boldness, yet with compassion, reminding them of the terrible judgments that await those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ and turn from wickedness. warning them to flee from the wrath of God that is shortly to come upon this earth .
VII. Benediction: “Now unto HIM” (Jesus) who is able… (Verses 24-25)
1. Keep you from falling.
2. Present you before the throne of God faultless with exceeding joy
“To the only wise God our Savior: Glory, Majesty, Dominion, Power, now and ever…….AMEN”.
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