Beware the Sneaky Creeping CrudPart Four
By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.
© July 9, 2010
www.godsbreath.net
Copies of this and
other homilies available by sending requests to: mikefarrar@aol.com
We now embark on the
fourth and last part of our study of the book of Jude. We have seen Jude’s
concern for the invasion of false teachers within the local church. We have
heard numerous descriptions of their ungodly character, sinful behavior, false
beliefs and malicious treatment of others. Now we come to his recommendations
and commandments for avoiding the influence of such sneaky individuals and
instead, how to grow in the Christian faith.
In verse seventeen Jude
begins with a huge “BUT.” This word emphasizes what Jude is instructing
Christians to do “instead of” listening to and following after the false
teachers.
“BUT, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord
Jesus Christ foretold.”
Jude’s first
recommendation is to remember what the apostles had predicted. Many of Peter’s
comments regarding the invasion of false teachers among God’s people can be
found in 2 Peter 2. The title of “apostle” is a divine one and represents the
authority of God. While Jude is not an apostle, his reference to the teachings
of the apostles demonstrates the divine origin of Jude’s warning of the false
teachers. The point is that forgetting the teachings of the apostles and God’s
warnings of false teachers in scripture can be a major cause of spiritual
deterioration in the lives of Believers.
In verse eighteen Jude
shares that the apostles spoke of scoffers that would come into the church.
“They said
to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their
own ungodly desires."
The “last times” spoken of here refers to the last days of
the Christian age that the first century Christians lived in and in which we
live in today. This is the period just before the second coming of Jesus
Christ. The Gnostics and these false teachers were scoffers and denied the
second coming would ever take place. This allowed them to live as they pleased
because they didn’t want to believe in any final judgment for their behavior.
Jude can’t help but make one last comment about the
activities of these evil false teachers. I get the sense if Jude were reading
this passage out loud he would be shouting the first two words of verse
nineteen.
“THESE
MEN are the men who divide
you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.”
I sense a righteous anger in the tone of this verse as Jude
describes how these false teachers are trying to undermine the faith of
Christians. These ungodly individuals are causing divisions in the church for
some selfish perverse reason. Possibly
they are trying to gather a crowd of admirers as they lead them down the sinful
path. Possibly they enjoy the drama of causing problems among Christians, like
an arsonist likes the notoriety of starting destructive fires. Whatever the
case, they are causing disunity in the church.
A second accusation Jude makes is that their benchmark for living is
whatever their natural sinful fleshly instincts tell them to do. This
establishes the fact that they do not have the Spirit of God living within
them. Romans 12:1,2 commands us to not live according to the world but to be
transformed and 2 Corinthians 3:18 states the same command because we are to
become Christ-like in all we do. The Holy Spirit works within us to accomplish
this and since the false teachers lack the Holy Spirit they live according to
their worldly instincts. These false teachers are blind to the things of the
Spirit because they have never committed themselves to Christ and therefore
fall under the influence of demonic forces. 2 Corinthians 4:4 describes how Satan
blinds the minds of people and therefore they fail to accept Christ as Savior
and their only recourse is to live by sinful worldly instincts. Jude next
shares another big “BUT.” He has just mentioned how the false teachers live by
worldly instincts and he now contrasts this with what Christians are called to
do in verse twenty.
“BUT you, dear friends,
build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
Jude is commanding the
Christians to do the opposite of what the false teachers are doing. The false
teachers want to tear down their Christian fellowship. Jude wants the
Christians to build each other up. What is implied here is a mutual support
system within the church fellowship. As each Christian grows in faith, they
help others grow as well. As each Christians uses their spiritual gifts, others
benefit and are ministered to. As each Christian strives to grow in their
dedication to the Lord they are building themselves and others up in the holy
faith. The strength and ability to build ourselves up comes from the Lord and
has the power to change lives. Jude also commands the Christians to pray in the
Holy Spirit. If we pray in the Spirit we will pray in accordance with the Word
of God. If we pray in the Spirit we will be in constant fellowship with the
Lord as well.
In verse twenty-one
Jude commands Christians to “keep” in God’s love.
“Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the
mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”
While we are always in
the love of God as His children, there is a responsibility we have to avoid
straying away from His love. Jude is reminding the Christians that we have a
responsibility to keep ourselves in the love of God and not wander off into
sinful behavior. When we fail to stay under the protection of God’s love, we
not only place ourselves in danger, we also put ourselves in a position of
possible discipline from our Heavenly Father. Neither situation is a good place
to be.
Jude speaks of the “waiting” that must be done in our
Christian lives for the completion of our salvation. The intent of the Greek
word for “waiting” here is one of “anxious” waiting. We should have the same
attitude waiting for the completion of our salvation in heaven as a young child
does waiting to open his or her Christmas presents on Christmas morning. We are
waiting for the mercy of the Lord that will be finalized when we reach our
heavenly home. This gives us a holy focus. Just as soldiers are told to focus
on how they will be permitted to go home to their families after a tour of
duty, we should focus on our heavenly home as we serve out our tour of duty on
this earth. Soldiers are to remember who they are fighting for and as
Christians; we are to remember “Who” we are living for.
It is interesting in
verses 20-21 the reference to our triune God. We are told to first pray in the
SPIRIT, then told to keep in the love of GOD and finally to wait for the mercy
of JESUS.
Jude now gives
instructions on what our duty is as Christians when false teachers have
infiltrated the local church. In verses twenty-two and twenty-three we see him
give encouraging and cautious instructions on how to save victims of the
influence of false teachers.
“Be
merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the
fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear-hating even the
clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”
There are three
categories of victims and there is a specific manner in which you can intervene
to rescue each of them from the clutches of false teachers and ungodly
doctrine.
First Jude says to save the
doubters with gentleness. These are people who
apparently have begun to be influenced by the false teachers and are doubting
“the faith once delivered to the saints.” Jude wants the Christians to have
tender mercy when dealing with these Christians that are struggling and help
them strengthen their faith. They are at a crucial point of decision and they
could choose rightly or wrongly. They are in a precarious position and careful
attention must be made for their spiritual care.
Secondly Jude instructs how to
minister to the second group of individuals. He recommends to snatch the
deluded with strong warnings. This second group of people have gone beyond
doubting and are about to walk into a firestorm of sin and rebellious thoughts
and behavior as they follow after the false teachers. They have no idea how
deeply they will be spiritually burned and scarred. Much like a fireman would
snatch a child from burning flames, Jude is commanding Christians to snatch these
people from a horrible fate.
Finally Jude gives cautious
instructions on how to deal with the third group of poor souls. These individuals have fully committed
themselves to following the false teachers and in some ways may be
indistinguishable from them. They have developed a lifestyle and belief system
patterned after their false teachings and sinful behavior. With this group Jude
advises lots of mercy mixed with a healthy fear of their sin. Often when people
have chosen a bad path in life we feel like abandoning them and letting them
get what their choices deserve, but Jude is recommending mercy. But Jude is no
dumb cookie. Christians are to be merciful but not stupid. When ministering to
those who have both feet in sin, the rescuer can become a victim as well. Much
like someone drowning can pull under a lifeguard attempting to save them, this
situation can result in the loss of faith of two individuals. So while mercy is
given to this third group, a certain amount of fear of the seriousness of the
sinful behavior must be possessed. In other words we “love the sinner and hate
the sin.” Jude is telling these faithful Christians to go after these people
with mercy while despising the sin they have allowed to invade their lives.
Jude ends with some amazing verses
of encouragement and hope.
“To him who is able to keep
you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without 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
forevermore! Amen.”
Jude says here that despite all that is going on with these
false teachers invading the church God is still in control and a Christian’s
security rests in Jesus Christ. While there is a serious threat, God is able to
keep anyone from falling. And not only that, but Jesus can present us to the
Father as sinless and perfect because of what He did for us on the cross. What
a joy to have that security and promise.
Jude next shares beautiful words of praise for God. “Glory” denotes the divine nature and
splendor of God. “Majesty” communicates God’s grandeur, divine nature and
kingly majesty. “Power” illustrates God’s ability to rule and control all of
creation. “Authority” carries with it God’s divine sovereignty to rule. Even
the last few words of Jude carry with it amazing truth. Jude speaks of three
time periods that encompass all of eternity. “Before all time” refers to the
time before the earth, the heavens and all of creation were made. “Now” refers
to the time within the physical realm. “Forevermore” refers to the eternal
future.
Jude
demonstrates several major points:
1. There is a strong need for Christians to contend for
the faith.
2. There is punishment for those who rebel against God or
break faith with Him.
3. There is reward for those who will maintain their
relationship with God.
4. There is an evil vileness about false teachers.
5. There is a need for Christians to snatch others out of
the clutches of false teachers.
6. There is true salvation in obedient faith in Jesus
Christ.
7. Earthly decisions have eternal consequences.