Contending for the Faith (Jude)

Scripture (Jude 1-25 ESV)

1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day– 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” 10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. 11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. 12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Introduction – Disorientation

Most of us who have served in the military know the experience of disorientation. Disorientation is a mental impairment involving the loss of one’s sense of direction, awareness, or relationship to the environment. Basic training puts recruits in a state of disorientation. We may experience disorientation when deployed to a foreign country. Culture shock is a form of disorientation. Today, some people admit they experience culture shock and disorientation when they observe an America they no longer recognize.

It is disorienting to see what is happening in many churches in this country when they preach and celebrate behaviors that God has clearly condemned. Churches that were formerly orthodox, churches that were commissioned by God to preach His Word and call sinners to repentance and faith have given themselves over to idolatry, paganism, moral depravity, and sexual perversion. The first century church in Jude’s day was in a similar condition. Jude may have been initially disoriented too. He did not intend to write this letter. He wanted to write about “our common salvation” (Jude 3). Threats to the church, however, forced him to write a potentially unwelcome but certainly necessary warning to his readers.

A Model of Modesty

Before we get to Jude’s warnings, read his greeting carefully. “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James” (Jude 1). James was a brother of Jesus and the leader of the Jerusalem church. Jude was also one of Jesus’ brothers, but that is not how he introduces himself. Think about the resume inflation, biographical embellishment, and self-promotion we have today. People must insert an alphabet soup of credentials after their names. If a writer sells five books somewhere in Canada, he will update his biography to say he is “an internationally acclaimed author.” If Jude were a modern celebrity pastor or bible teacher, he would probably promote himself as “God’s brother.” Yet, he does not do this. Jude is simply a humble “servant of Jesus Christ.” He is also willing to accept second place to his brother James. Jude displays for us a model of modesty that is uncommon, but worthy of emulation.

Jude follows his greeting with three amazing descriptions about what it means to be a Christian. Jude likes threes. This is the first of several triads that he writes in his letter. “To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ” (Jude 1b). Our English translations often change the order, but in the original Greek Jude writes that first, we are loved by God the Father. Second, we are kept by Jesus Christ. Third, we are called. God the Father loves us. Jesus Christ keeps us. God calls us.

A Warning to the Church

In verse three, Jude tells us why he is writing. The church is in danger and the faithful must “contend [ἐπαγωνίζομαι] for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). The Greek word Jude uses to ‘contend’ means ‘to struggle for.’ This represents an intense or strenuous effort. It is a strong word. The Christian faith is not always easy or assumed. This is not something that we normally think of in America. Christians have had it easy for a long time. Yet, Jude reminds us that defending the faith will be difficult, continuous, and potentially costly. Notice that Jude declares the faith “once for all delivered to the saints.” The faith delivered is final and complete. It represents what God intended for the church. We are not allowed to add, alter, or attenuate the gospel truths that God has delivered to us.

Jude is eager to write about positive things, but the church is in danger. “Certain people have crept in unnoticed” (Jude 4). He does not tell us how they crept in unnoticed. He does not give us names, but he describes them as “ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 4b). They pervert the grace of God. This is a danger to any church that preaches God’s free grace. False churches teach conditional grace. God’s grace is granted conditionally to those who perform certain works. Forgiveness is works-based and conditional. This is not biblical Christianity. God calls all sinners to repent and receive the forgiveness of sins apart from works. We are justified entirely and eternally based on the Person and work of Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, some people interpret God’s gracious pardon as a license for license. Presuming upon God, they ignore His statutes and do what is right in their own eyes; they become a law unto themselves.

As a law unto themselves, they have perverted God’s grace into “sensuality” [ἀσέλγεια]. The Greek word refers to a lack of self-restraint that leads to conduct that violates all boundaries of social acceptability. It is self-abandonment, often sexual in nature. It includes licentiousness, debauchery, indecency, and insolence.

Past Examples

Before Jude tells us more, he associates these people with three infamous examples with whom his readers would be familiar.

Jude’s first example in verse five is the desert generation of Israel (cf. Num. 14:1-38; Deut. 1:19-33). Despite their rescue from slavery in Egypt, and despite the miracles that God performed on their behalf, they failed to trust God. Despite God’s promise that He would lead them into the promised land, their fear of the people in Canaan drove them to rebel and try to return to slavery in Egypt. As a result, God “destroyed” that generation by having them wander the desert for forty years until they died off.

Jude’s second example in verse six is harder to identify. Some people believe that Jude is referring to the fall of angels in Satan’s rebellion. Pride drove them to leave their position of authority and revolt against God. Other people believe that Jude is referring to the “sons of God” mentioned in Genesis 6:1-4 who left their heavenly dwelling to cohabit with the “daughters of men” on earth. Lust drove these angels to leave their proper dwelling in heaven. In either case, God has kept these rebellious angels in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the final judgment.

Jude’s third example in verse seven is more familiar to us. The fate of Sodom and Gomorrah was proverbial. It would have been well known to Jude’s readers (cf. Gen. 19:23-29). In Jewish tradition, Sodom is mentioned as a warning to others. Because of their sexual immorality and perversion, God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities.

Condemnation

In verse eight, Jude connects these three infamous examples “in like manner” to the ungodly people who have crept into the church. Relying on dreams, they “defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones” (Jude 8). They rely on their dreams (ἐνυπνιάζομαι). Likely, these people were claiming revelation in dreams like earlier prophets. This was how they justified their teachings and practices. This so-called revelation was nothing like true revelation from God.

Is our situation different? Are we any better? One modern writer has sold millions of devotionals where she claims she “listens” to Jesus and then writes what He supposedly tells her. Her claim to receive revelation from God outside of the Bible has not hurt her book sales. Prominent bible teachers sometimes claim that God has said this or that to them. That does not reduce their popularity in the evangelical community. The problem is the same. People claim to receive divine communication from God apart from the one means that He has promised to speak us, through His Word given in the Bible. Once un-anchored from the rock of Scripture, there is no limit to where you can drift. According to Jude, these people have drifted far. Like the unfaithful Israelites, the prideful angels, and the wicked Sodomites, these people are driven by irreverence, rebelliousness, and lust. In like manner, they too will be destroyed by God.

In verse nine, Jude illustrates with a contrast – the archangel Michael, the devil, and Moses. This story comes from a Jewish tradition his readers would have been familiar with called The Assumption of Moses. According to this story, when Moses died, the devil contended with Michael over his body. (You can read about the death of Moses in Deuteronomy 34.) The devil argued that Moses should not be allowed into heaven because he murdered an Egyptian. In response, as Jude writes, Michael “did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you’” (Jude 9). Jude’s point may be confusing, and we may miss its significance. Helpfully, English scholar Richard Bauckham explains Jude’s point.

“The errorists wanted to be autonomous, to please their licentious selves and to have no truck with the Law and its angelic guardians. The story of Michael shows that even an archangel is not autonomous. The devil was certainly bringing a slanderous and malicious accusation against Moses, but the archangel did not take it on himself to repudiate it. Moses was indeed a murderer, so Michael did not attempt to dismiss his charge as unjustified on his own authority. He could only appeal to the Lord for judgment and say The Lord rebuke you (words drawn from Zech. 3:2). What a contrast to Jude’s opponents who set themselves up over against the Law, and against God who gave it.”[1]

This choice is before all of us. What is our ultimate and final authority? Is it ourselves, based in our dreams, feelings, and opinions, or is it God, based in His Word? The archangel Michael submitted to the authority of God and His Law, “but these people” we read in verse ten, “blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively” (Jude 10). By divorcing themselves from God’s Word – hence His authority –, by blaspheming all that they do not understand, by following their dreams and doing what they feel like, they find themselves living by animal instinct. They are the participants in their own destruction. Does it seem like Jude is describing our current situation? This is not just an indictment of the church two thousand years ago, but it is also a warning to us any time we demote the Scriptures.

Starting in verse eleven, Jude unloads on them with both barrels.

11 “Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. 12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever” (Jude 11-13).

Jude concludes his condemnation by reminding us of where they are headed. Starting in verse fourteen, he quotes from the pseudepigraphal book of 1 Enoch.

14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.’ 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage” (Jude 14-16).

God’s patience is great, but it is not indefinite. Just as God executed judgment against the unfaithful Israelites, the rebellious angels, and the lustful Sodomites, God will execute His judgment against these people who have crept into the church with their “deeds of ungodliness.”

Application

Jude has given his warnings. Starting in verse 17, Jude gives his commands. Here we come to the central message of the letter. Remember that Jude is writing to faithful believers who are under assault from false teachers in the church. They need instruction; they need assurance. In verse three, Jude appeals to them to contend for the faith. Having described the danger, now Jude instructs them to how respond.

Remember that we began this message with the idea of disorientation and how disorienting it can be to observe what is happening in the church. Jude’s commands help us to reorient ourselves and respond to the dangers in the church just as the early church.

Jude starts by telling his readers to remember. “But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 17). It is easy to become disoriented when we experience the unexpected. Yet, what did the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ tell the church? Verse eighteen, “They said to you, ‘In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.’ It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit” (Jude 18-19). Jude’s readers should have remembered the warnings of the apostles and should have expected scoffers, devoid of the Spirit, who would divide the church. With the advent of Christ, the apostles knew that they were living in the last days (cf. Acts 2:17; 2 Tim. 3:1; Heb. 1:2; 2 Pet. 3:3; 1 John 2:18), which would be marked by these people creeping into the church. By knowing to expect false teachers, Jude tells his readers how to prepare for them in verses 20-21.

First, build yourselves up in your most holy faith(v. 20a). We must study the Scriptures if we are to build ourselves up in the holy faith. The Bible is our only infallible source of divine truth, and we cannot contend against error if we do not know the truth. Sadly, surveys show that Christians are ignorant of the Bible and the basics of the Christian faith. In the 2022 State of Theology survey conducted by Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway Research, 22% – almost a quarter – of evangelical respondents agreed with the statement, “The Holy Spirit can tell me to do something which is forbidden in the Bible.”[2]60% of evangelical respondents agreed with the statement, “Religious belief is a matter of personal opinion; it is not about objective truth.”[3]People exchanging the authority and certainty of God’s Word for personal opinion. Men and women grasping to be like God, knowing good and evil (Gen. 3:5). People doing what is right in their own eyes (Judges 17:6). Guard against making a shipwreck of “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” by committing to a study of and obedience to the teachings and truths God has given us in the Bible.

Second, pray in the Holy Spirit (v. 20b). Even if we are grounded in the Bible, we do not contend against false teachers through arguments alone. The weapons of our warfare are not flesh but divine power (cf. 2 Cor. 10:3-5). We need the power of the Holy Spirit to illumine minds and convert hearts. Only the Holy Spirit can destroy enemy strongholds and transform lives. Moreover, as we build ourselves up in the most holy faith, our prayer life builds and matures.

Third, keep yourselves in the love of God (v. 21a). God has done all that is necessary to save us. How do we keep ourselves in the love of God? In John 15:9-10, Jesus says, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” We keep ourselves in the love of God by keeping His commandments. By building ourselves up in our most holy faith, we will know His commandments. By praying in the Holy Spirit, we will be empowered to keep His commandments.

Fourth, wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life (v. 21b). Jude directs our ultimate attention towards our future hope. We are called to contend for the faith, but with a keen eye on the awaited day when Christ will return and bring us the final victory and deliverance of eternal life.

It is fascinating that these four commands are encompassed in two important Christian triads. The first is faith (along with prayer), love, and hope. The second is the holy trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

As Jude prepares to close his letter, he is wise to caution to his readers. It would be easy to take Jude’s warnings and then go off full-bore in search of scoffers to fight. We are prone to overreact. Not everyone is at the same level of knowledge and maturity in the faith. Jude tempers our zeal with the admonition in verse 22 to “have mercy.” There are three groups to consider and we must treat each one differently.

For the first group, “have mercy on those who doubt” (Jude 22). If someone in the church is unsure and flirting with false teaching, we are far more likely to keep them within orthodoxy through mercy and gentle counsel rather than a harsh rebuke and condemnation.

For the second group, those who are farther along the road of false teaching and in danger of destruction, we must try to save them “by snatching them out of the fire” (Jude 23a). This group needs a more direct approach. They are on the path to eternal destruction and need to be told as much.

For the third group, “show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh” (Jude 23b). Jude is not explicit about who fits in this group. His language suggests that he is referring to the false teachers themselves or at least church members who are allied with them. This mercy may be that we should pity them. Most likely, we should pray for them, that even they would be turned back to the truth by the Holy Spirit. Yet, this mercy must be tempered by fear. This is not the reverential fear that we give to God, but the caution and alarm that we may catch the poison of their false teaching.

Jude closes his letter with one of the most beautiful doxologies in the New Testament, and the best way to close this message. “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” (Jude 24-25).

[1] Green, Michael. 1987. 2 Peter and Jude: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 18. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. [2] Ligonier Ministries. "Ligonier State of Theology 2022." Lifeway. 2022. https://research.lifeway.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Ligonier-State-of-Theology-2022-Full-Report.pdf (accessed July 23, 2023). [3] Ibid.