The Fight for the Faith

William H. Banegas July 1, 2012

Theme: Fight for your faith as apostates abound

Introduction: The June 17th 2008 edition of Our Daily Bread relays this story - When an English robber called Captain Thunderbolt escaped the law and moved to the eastern US in 1818, he began practicing medicine. He took on the name Dr. John Wilson. Often he wore three suits of clothes to escape recognition by making himself look larger and covering up a deformed leg. Just before the man died, he asked his friends to bury him without removing his clothes. But to prepare his body for proper burial, that request could not be honored. The mortician was surprised to find scars from wounds and a withered leg. A search of “Dr. Wilson’s” house revealed a stash of watches, jewelry, and diamonds. The sheriff learned that the doctor was in fact Thunderbolt, a thief in disguise. Tonight we’re going to take a look at a book that addresses how we are to recognize and respond to spiritual impostors, who similar to Captain Thunderbolt, want to steal the Truth of God’s Word and then turn it into a license to commit all kinds of awful sins. I want us to consider this theme for our study of Jude: Fight for your Faith as apostates abound.

Book Background: Before we dive into the passage, I’d like to take a little time to consider the background and author of this letter. The phrase that the author uses, the brother of James, gives us the most concrete insight into who the author is. The James referred to here is none other than the first leader in the church at Jerusalem who also happened to be a half brother of Jesus Christ, which also indicates that Jude was a half brother of our Lord also. This letter was written during a vulnerable time for the church as it was under attack externally from Rome and internally from apostates-those who defect from true, biblical faith-and libertines-those who turn God’s grace into a license to sin-probably before Rome sacked Jerusalem in AD 70. This letter has been aptly titled The Acts of the Apostates as it is the only epistle devoted exclusively to confronting apostasy.

Scripture Passage: Jude 1-25

Salutation (V. 1-2)

Who is the Author?

Jude, the servant (the Grk. word doulov) - meaning “bondslave”, through the blood of Jesus we are bonded to Him in forgiveness of sins unto eternal life, but we have a particular service to render as Eph. 2:10 reminds us) of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,

Who is the audience?

to them that are sanctified (term trans. “beloved”) by God the Father, and preserved (term trans. “kept”) in Jesus Christ, and called (those who’ve answered God’s call to salvation, reflects on the past-God’s sovereign call to salvation):

Consider the reference to the Trinity here: The calling is the active work of the Holy Spirit; the love emanates from the Father; and the keeping work is the ministry of the Son [TBKC]

Greeting

Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied - Common Jewish greeting, the term “love” was added to make it distinctly Christian. Beloved

Theme

when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation (Initial Theme, Jude was going to initially write to them about the salvation they have in Jesus), it was needful for me to write unto you, and (THEME) exhort you that ye should earnestly contend (This carries the idea of a soldier entrusted with a sacred task of guarding a holy treasure) for the faith (This refers to the whole body of revealed salvation truth contained in the Scriptures and carries with it at least 3 imperatives: 1) know what you believe 2) discern truth from error 3) willingness to confront and attack error) which was once delivered unto the saints (We have God’s completed special revelation to us through His Word). For there are certain men crept in unawares (This is the idea of slipping in through a side door and attempting to blend in), who were before of old ordained to this condemnation (Their doom was pre-written, marked down in the Scriptures before they came on the scene), ungodly men (They don’t have any respect or reverence for God as demonstrated by the fact that they infiltrated the church of God to corrupt it and gain riches from its people), turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness (Lasciviousness is unbridled lust, this s a shameless lifestyle of one who abuses God’s grace by indulging in unchecked and open immorality), and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ (could also be translated - “and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ”, both have the same referent - It’s JESUS! Consider how Jesus is the most controversial part of Christianity. People will claim to believe in God to some extent and accept Jesus’ moral teachings).

SONG: #75 How Can it Be?

Warnings to and about the Ungodly (V. 5-19)

The Warnings of History to the Ungodly (V. 5-7)

Warning to the ungodly unbelievers (V. 5)

I will therefore put you in remembrance (This is a reminder), though ye once knew this (This group has heard God’s Word before - they are familiar with the message), how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not (Consider how the nation of Israel responded to God’s salvation from Egyptian bondage - Some did not believe, doubted, and defected from faith in God even to the extent of worshiping an idol of their own making, as well as complaining against God’s providing for their needs).

Warning to the ungodly who follow after their ungodly lusts (V.6-7)

And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation (Believer referring to the great rebellion that Satan led referred to in Revelation 12:9, they refused to submit to God’s leadership and chose to follow their own desires), he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day (final judgment when all demons and Satan are forever consigned to the lake of fire, Rev. 20:15).

Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh(meaning not other women besides their own wives, but men; and designs that detestable and unnatural sin, which, from these people, is called sodomy to this day; and which is an exceeding great sin, contrary to the light of nature and law of God, dishonourable to human nature, and scandalous to a nation and people, and commonly prevails where idolatry and infidelity do - John Gill), are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire (preview).

The Warnings of the Upcoming Judgment to the ungodly (V. 8-16)

Likewise also these filthy dreamers (Their teachings were the direct result of their imagination, their teaching had no real source but their own thinking) defile the flesh (referencing the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah), despise dominion (reject human institutions of authority), and speak evil of dignities (reject God’s authority).

(There’s some question as to where the next narrative came from - pseudepigraphal Assumption of Moses that describes Michael burying the body of Moses to thwart some unstated nefarious intent of the devil)Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. (This account makes it clear that when and if we encounter demons we seek the Lord’s intervention against them, which the NT makes it clear they respond to Jesus! This account reinforces the arrogance of the apostates who speak against all heavenly authority but Michael would not dare slander the devil.)

But these speak evil (blaspheme) of those things which they know not (they speak evil of something that they don’t understand, *Windows 95*): but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves (acting like animals giving into whatever they desire, they are destroyed). Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain ( 1) disobediently devised their own ways of worship, 2) were envious of others, or 3) hated others with a murderous spirit), and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward (leading others into error for profit; Balaam devised a plan for Balak, king of Moab, to entice Israel into a compromising situation with idolatry and immorality which would bring God’s judgment), and perished in the gainsaying of Core (Korah in addition to 250 Jewish leaders rejected the God-appointed leadership of Moses and Aaron in an attempt to impose his will upon God and the people). These are spots (filth on the garments of the church, pollute the church and give it a bad name) in your feasts of charity (GILL - the design of which was to maintain and promote brotherly love; to refresh the poor saints, that they might have a full and comfortable meal now and then: their manner of keeping them was this; they began and ended them with prayer and singing), when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear (RWP - Shepherds that feed themselves (εαυτους ποιμαινοντες). "Shepherding themselves."): clouds they are without water (apostates promise spiritual life but are like empty clouds who bring the hope of rain but in turn delivers nothing but dryness and death - they preach a false gospel leading only to hell), carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots (Dead condition of apostate leaders was indicated by two things: 1) didn’t bear spiritual fruit in others and 2) were without spiritual roots themselves and thus faced judgment - they know not Christ); Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame (promise of power and dynamics but produces shameful works); wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever (shooting stars that give a brief moment of brilliance and beauty but then vanish without producing lasting light and direction, consider fixed stars help guide navigators but wandering stars are useless to them; apostate leaders lead unwary followers astray, pretending to be what they are not). And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his 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 (four-fold use of the term “ungodly” indicates the core problem: failure to reverence God). These are murmurers (his word was used in the LXX to describe to describe the murmurings of Israel against God; finding fault with God’s plans, purposes, and doings), complainers (fault-finders persons whom neither God nor man can please), walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words (always having something great to say, about themselves), having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage (Telling people what they want to hear in order to get something out of it; Vocally discontented, sinfully self-centered, extravagantly egotistical, and deceptively flattering).

The Warning of the Scripture about the ungodly to the godly (V. 17-19)

But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ (They’re familiar with the Scriptures); How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves (cause divisions), sensual (worldly-minded), having not the Spirit (in testimony to not being saved).

Keep Yourselves in the love of God (V. 20-23)

Build your relationship with Jesus

But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith(giving attention to your relationship with Jesus, strengthening your relationship with Him), praying in the Holy Ghost (praying in the power of the Holy Spirit - directly to Him for aid as He is the agent of Christ in this world), Keep yourselves in the love of God (obedience to God’s Word, for the test of love is obedience to God), looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life (Christ is coming again bringing eternal life to those who trust Him).

Your relation to others

And of some have compassion, making a difference (better translated - who are doubting, the Greek word: diakrinw, refers to the questions one would pose when they are unsure of something; don’t strike out at those who are genuinely struggling through doubts about God and His Word because of apostates who’ve filled their heads with teachings they’ve dreamt up that lead to ungodly living) And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh (better trans. “save others, snatching them out of the fire - firemen today literally do this rescue work, this is evangelism in action for there are those who are moments from hellfire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh” - these are those polluted apostates; giving them the Gospel with great fear let the deliverer be contaminated; defiled garment identifies the apostate’s debauched life which can spread to the well-meaning Gospel giver).

SONG: #315 Nearer, Still Nearer

Closing

Who is Jesus

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling (also trans. stumbling: RWP sure-footed as of a horse that does not stumble), and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory (right down before the eye of His glory) with exceeding joy,

Our Great God

To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. (As complete a statement of eternity as can be made in human language - RWP)

SONG: #13 Crown Him with Many Crowns