06 - But You, Beloved By Pastor Jeff Wickwire

Last time in verses 12-16, we saw that apostates (those that have turned their backs on known truth to embrace a lie) are tremendously deceptive, ultimately disappointing, spiritually dead, terribly dangerous, and eternally doomed.

Now this time, Jude addresses the church. He calls us “Beloved,” a term reserved for the believer, not the apostate. In scripture, we are “believers,” “disciples,” “Christians,” and “brothers.” But above all we are God’s “beloved.”

It is the name for His Son (Eph.1:6). It was the name by which many of the disciples were known. It is the name above all names in the Song of Solomon. God never calls an angel His beloved. Lucifer prior to his tragic fall was not known as God’s beloved. But we, the church, have been called His beloved.

“But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ:”—vs.17

Jude calls us back to the Book (Bible) and reminds us of what Luke calls “the apostle’s doctrine” (Acts 2:42). By the time Jude wrote, most of the books of the N.T. had been written and were in circulation. The church had no excuse for being deceived by the apostates. The great word is “Remember!”

But you can’t remember something you’ve never known. God expects us to know, study, and memorize His Word. Why? Because apostates and all other false teachers and cults trade on ignorance. So what are we to know?

The Apostle’s Doctrine can be grouped into three main themes. We have, first, a series of writings that deal with the Christian and his beliefs. And we also have those writings that deal with that which is fundamental. Thus, the four Gospels set before us the person of Christ, and Romans sets before us the principles of Christianity.

These two comprise the foundations of the faith. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John give us the essential facts concerning the Virgin Birth of Christ; His sinless life; His miracles; His teaching; His atoning death; and His burial, resurrection, ascension, and promised coming again.

The Christian faith stands or falls with these doctrines. Paul takes these great truths and formulates them in his epistle to the Romans into the great salvation doctrines of the Christian faith. Romans can indeed be called “the gospel according to Paul.”

Then come a series of epistles dealing with that which is false. These letters deal with antagonism to the faith. Legalism, Gnosticism, and Judaism raised their heads, and Paul dealt with them in Galatians, Colossians, and Hebrews—The liberty of the Christian (in Galatians), the lordship of Christ (in Colossians), and the legitimacy of the church (in Hebrews) are all vindicated by the Holy Spirit.

Next, there are those writings that deal with that which is future. The rapture of the church, the rupture of society, and the return of the Lord are the themes of 1 & 2 Thessalonians and the book of Revelation.

Next, we have a group of writings that deal with the Christian and his brethren. The Book of Acts gives us the origins of the church. Then the operation of the church is the subject of both 1 Corinthians (which deals with truth concerning the local church), and Ephesians (which deals with truth concerning the universal church).

The officers of the church are ordained in 1 Timothy and Titus, the emphasis being on spiritual and moral fitness. One does not become an officer of the church by popular vote or because of one’s education, social status, or success in business. Rather, an officer of the church should be called by God, and be morally and spiritually fit.

The remaining epistles deal with the Christian and his behavior. The epistle to the Philippians deals with situations. Philemon deals with slavery. James emphasizes sincerity. 1 Peter deals with suffering. 1 John has to do with sonship, 2 John emphasizes separation, and 3 John deals with strife.

Every believer is expected to know these books and the doctrines they contain!

“Remember!” Jude says. To do so is to save yourself many a heartache and to guard against the predatory attacks of false teachers and prophets. Once again, Jude brings a warning:

“…how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.”—vs.18

Again and again we are warned in scripture of the proliferation of mockers in the last days. Peter wrote, “…knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts,”—2 Pet 3:3, almost a perfect echo of Jude.

Paul likewise warned, “But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;”—2 Tim 3:1-8

Jude says they are immoral. They, “walk after their own ungodly lusts.”—vs.18 Notice…mockery and immorality are placed side by side. The Bible often makes the connection between unbelief and a breakdown in the moral fiber of individuals and nations.

In verse 19, Jude points out, “These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.” As a pastor of many years, I have observed this pattern time and again. A wrong spirit in a person always results in separation from the body of Christ or certain members thereof. Apostasy is seen as a great source of divisions among God’s people.

This is why Paul wrote early in the history of the Christian church, “Brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which you have learned; and avoid them” (Rom.16:17). The word “separate” here means “complete separation.” A wrong, critical, judgmental, murmuring spirit is virtually always accompanied by some level of separation and isolation. The future trouble-makers pull away, then begin to sow their seeds of discord.

Jude says that the apostate is “sensual, having not the Spirit.” They may be educated, smooth, convincing, charismatic, and persuasive, but the acid test is whether or not they have the Spirit of God. The apostate in Jude’s crosshairs does not.

Next, Jude proceeds with his second use of the phrase, “But you, beloved.”

“But you, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,”—vs.20

First, we have an inward look: “Building up yourselves,” Jude says, “on your most holy faith...” Jude is encouraging that we become actively involved in building Christian character, conviction, and commitment into our lives on top of the foundation already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

“According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.”—1 Cor. 3:10 One great way to do this is through meditation in God’s word.

Second, we have an upward look: “Praying,” Jude says, “in the Holy Ghost.” We are to watch and pray. Watching sights the enemy; praying fights the enemy.

Third, we have an outward look: “Keep yourselves in the love of God…”—vs.21 When engaging the apostate in battle, it is easy to become angry, bitter, to dislike them, or to become fleshly in the fight. So Jude warns, “Be careful that you maintain your love toward others, remembering that they have been duped by the enemy and are his unwitting tools.

And finally, there is the onward look: “Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”—vs.21b The word “Looking” is from a Greek word meaning “to wait for.” It carries the idea of expectation. The Lord Jesus used the same word when speaking of His return. He urged us to be “like men that wait for their Lord, when He will return from the wedding…” (Luke 12:36).

Next, Jude encourages us to distinguish between the apostate whose doom in sealed, and the unfortunate people they have deceived. Hence, the need for soul-winners to lead them to Christ.

With some people, compassion is needed. “And on some have compassion, making a distinction;”—vs.22 Some people have sincere doubts. They have false misconceptions about God. They have been lied to. To these we must show compassion. Love, says Jude, can touch a person where words cannot.

But with others caution is needed. “But others save with fear,” Jude says, “pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.”—vs.23 One must be very wise in dealing with some people because their lifestyles can be contaminating.

There are some that would be thrilled to corrupt the would-be soul winner, or to put him in an embarrassing situation where he could be accused of improper behavior and ruined. For instance, those trapped in deep immorality can be very contaminating should they go into detail concerning their lives. Indeed, even their very presence—the way they dress or talk—can be contaminating.

And those trapped in the darkness of drugs do not hesitate to involve others in what has snared their own souls. Peter warned about the danger of what Jude is addressing: “With an appeal to twisted sexual desires, they lure back into sin those who have barely escaped from a lifestyle of deception. 19 They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.”—2 Pet 2:18-19

“Caution!” says Jude. Churches that minister to the deeply bound must exercise more than ordinary care. The temptation to be lured into the very things that have bound others is ever-present. This includes the offended as well. It is an easy thing to, rather than helping them out of their offense, fall into the same offense leaving both counselor and counselee contaminated.

Hence Jude warns, “…but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” The word used for “fear” is phobos, which means “dread” or “terror.” While we are not to be afraid of people who practice extreme forms of sin, we do need to have a healthy fear of the dangers that surround them as we seek to win them to Christ.

“Pulling them out of the fire” says Jude. The word for “pull” is “to seize,” or “to snatch away.” It is the same word Paul uses to describe the Rapture of the church. We will literally be “seized” and “pulled out” of this world in a blink!

The idea here is that there should be no dalliance in dealing with these kinds of sinners. We do not discuss the details of their lifestyles. We do not show any curious interest in their sinful behavior. If we are going to get the job done, we must do it swiftly and surgically, ensuring that we ourselves do not get burned by the terrible fires that they have kindled in their own souls.

“Hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” The picture here is of a leper and his clothes. Who would want to put them on? The word for “spotted” is “stained” or “defiled.” This might refer to diseases that can be transmitted from a person’s body to his clothes, and then passed on to others. Or, it might be a warning about establishing too close an intimacy with people who are trapped in particularly vile forms of sin.

All of Jude’s warnings encourage extreme caution when we are dealing with certain kinds of people. We can love them, but must utterly detest what they do.

“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.”