The Twisted Fate of Twisted Faith
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We are diving in to the Book of Jude.
Jude being the half brother of Jesus, but he properly identified himself as a bondservant.
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:
A servant is more fitting of a title.
At first he didn’t consider himself a believer in Jesus. None of Jesus brothers did.
For even His brothers did not believe in Him.
Later they seen the resurrected Christ and was convinced.
These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Imagine having Jesus as your brother?
Imagine Mary telling her other sons. “Why can’t you be more like your brother!”
This book is written to first century Christian Jews of Palestine who were gathered into local fellowships.
Theres references to Egypt, Sodom and Gomorrah, Moses, Cain, Balaam, Korah, Enoch, Adam, and fallen angels all point to a those who are familiar with OT history with no explanation.
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.
Initially Jude wanted to write about a more joyful theme more pleasant theme. He wanted to write something concerning “our common salvation”.
Jude was forced to write an urgent theme.
Jude got right to the point!
I urge you to contend for the faith!
The word content is agonizomai- the same word we get for agony.
Essentially he is telling him to to strive to fight for the faith!
To fight for the preservation of the faith.
To fight for the holiness of the faith.
To fight for the integrity of the faith.
We are entrusted with this faith to guard and cherish.
Paul took total ownership and called it “my gospel” Romans 2:16, 2 Tim. 2:8, Romans 16:25.
Paul took it personal when there was an attack on the person and work of Jesus Christ.
How do we view the gospel?
Do we take it personal when theres an attack against it?
Or it is “well they have there thoughts I have mines we can agree to disagree?”
Its one thing when we get that from the world. Its another thing when it comes into the church.
vs 4 So he proceeds to tell them whats going on; godless men came into the church secretly.
infiltrated our ranks (our Scriptures warned us this would happen), who beneath their pious skin are shameless scoundrels. Their design is to replace the sheer grace of our God with sheer license—which means doing away with Jesus Christ, our one and only Master.
These are people who pretended to belong with them but actually there were enemies.
Essentially its people who came into the church and those who are looking to destroy the foundation of our faith which the church was built.
“The faith” that he talking about is things believed.
Galatians 1:23 (NKJV)
But they were hearing only, “He who formerly persecuted us now preaches the faith which he once tried to destroy.”
1 Timothy 4:1 (NKJV)
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
False teaching is caused for us to contend for “the faith”
Jude wanted just to write about the “common faith” lets fellowship around things we share in common. But in order for those relationships to continue in the same capacity we much contend right now!
“These apostates were not followers of Christ who had erred, but intruders who did not belong and who sought to wreck the believers’ faith.”
The way of an apostate.
Jude 11 (NKJV)
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.
“The have gone in the way of Cain” - Those who devise there own way of worship. Those who want to create there own means to God.
Those who are envious of others
Those who have hatred in there hearts.
not as Cain who was of the wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his works were evil and his brother’s righteous.
“have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit” The are greedy for money even if it means opposition to God. Just like Balaam rejected the voice of God and going to the prince of Moab to curse the people of God. Imagine God is speaking to you directly and you still go in opposition to him because money is more important.
“ perished in the rebellion of Korah.” Numbers 16. is Korahs rebellion.
and they rose up before Moses with some of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, representatives of the congregation, men of renown.
They gathered together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You take too much upon yourselves, for all the congregation is holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”
They recruited 250 of the top leaders of Israel as collaborators. The tribal affiliations of the two main conspirators (Levi and Reuben) show that this was a rebellion against both the religious and political leadership of Moses.
Their discontent centered on the allegation that Moses and Aaron were unjustified in setting themselves over all the people since, by virtue of Israel’s being the LORD‘s covenant community, all of them were equally holy and capable of being leaders. What they had neglected to point out was that the Lord Himself had appointed Moses and Aaron to their offices.
the brothren church
