Called, sanctified and preserved!
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LOOK OUT!
LOOK OUT!
Can you find the book of Jude? A small book with not much popularity among the brethren, but a couple of verses in the doxology (Jude24-25) but yet it is an important letter.
I think we can agree that there are several writers that warn about apostates, about false teachers and prophets. Those who were to come, well with Peter and with Jude, as well as John they were there, they were among them. Jude changes his plans to address an issue, to offer some warning and tell-tale signs of a problem within the church right then.
Jesus warning of false prophets (Mt24:11-13)
11 “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12 “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold. 13 “But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.
Paul spoke of effectiveness of false teachers/prophets to draw the disciples away (Act20:29-30).
29 “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.
Peter even speaks of them being present and many will follow (2Pt2:1-3)
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
John adds to be sure to best the spirits to see if they are from God (1Jn4:1)
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Now, we have a small foundation there about the problem, but let’s build some more on the foundation with some background.
(Insert Lay the groundwork picture here)
Author: Jude (v.1)
But what Jude we do not know with certainty, except is the brother of James. The name is also translated in Greek to Judas and there are several in scripture by that name. Most scholars accredit the writing to Jude the brother of James and the brother of Jesus.
Recipients: To called, the sanctified, and the preserved in Christ Jesus (v.1)
We are going to go back and focus on that more shortly, this is just groundwork for the moment.
Date: No date known
Wide variety of dates are thought of as early as A.D. 40 and as late as A.D. 80. With no reference to A.D. 70 and Peter referring to Jude, some have deducted it was before Peter’s death so around A.D. 60. This was confirmed by writers of the Muratorian Canon (about A.D. 170) Eusebius (4th century) or Origen (3rd century)
Purpose: Contend for the faith, false teachers have crept in (Jude3-4)
(Below not on the screen, just read it, encourage everyone to read from their bible)
3 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. 4 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.
Jude wanted to encourage the Christians to standfast in their faith and give them some signs, warnings about the false teachers and the false doctrine and sinful lifestyle they are living and trying to lure others to.
I do not think we are surprised there are dangerous heresy's today. False teachers giving false gospel that are offering no real salvation at all.
Important distinctions:
bond-servant of Jesus Christ
Jude does not want to draw to the fact that He is Jesus brother; but Jesus servant, Jesus slave (bond-servant); He wants the attention to be on the warning given. - He had a place of humility.
Preserved in Jesus Christ
Some versions like the (NKJV) says kept for Christ Jesus and this phrase brings about the “once saved always saved,” theology. Meaning no ability to fall away.
(Transition) So, with some groundwork in place may we turn back to our passage tonight and look at (vv.1-2)
1 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: 2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
So, I’m sure you can see the key words here, called, sanctified and preserved and that is what we are going to key in on tonight.
To those who are called
To those who are called
Called, who are the called, how are they called, and what are they to do with the calling, let’s talk about that for a few minutes.
First off, you were called by grace (Gal1:6)
6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;
Called by His own glory and excellence (2Pt1:3)
3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
Called with a holy calling (2Tim1:9)
9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity,
Called to be saints (Rom1:7; 1Cor1:2)
7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
And you can look up (1Cor1:2) and see the same thing
Called with a purpose (Rom8:28; 1Pt2:9)
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
and the purpose
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
Called according to God’s eternal plan; His scheme of redemption before the world was created.
Called through the gospel (2The2:13-14)
13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Call available to all (Mk16:15-16)
15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.
God’s desire us all to come to repentance and be saved (ref: 1Tim2:3-4)
God’s desire that none should perish (ref: 2Pt3:9)
The call comes with responsibility (2Pt1:10-11; Rev2:10)
Responsibility to make your election sure, by diligence
10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
Responsibility to be faithful to the end
10 ‘Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
(transition) so the called, then comes the sanctified (v.1) and that is what we want to look at next
Sanctified by God the Father
Sanctified by God the Father
Sanctified, set apart not just by something, but by someone, God the Father. An event and a process. Jude uses this great term in addressing the readers, recipients of this warning!
1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
Sanctify - Greek word “Hagiazo” - to make holy, to set apart for a special purpose. - This is to the called in our verse!
The process of having been and being sanctified
So, is sanctification an event or a process and the answer to that is YES.
By the Father through the work of the Spirit you were (Heb10:10, 10:14; Rom15:16; 1Cor6:11)
When you made your confession upon your hearing and believing and surrendered to the work of God, through the sacrifice of Jesus, in baptism you were sanctified
10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
You can read more on that just a few verses later in (v.14) you can do that one on your own.
By the Father through the means of the Spirit (2The2:13; 1Pt1:2)
13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.
The means, the power of our sanctification is through the Spirit.
2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.
The power of sanctification and being sanctified continually is through working of the spirit to those who obey Jesus Christ!
By the Father by the Word (Jn17:17; Eph5:26; Eph6:17)
The Word we know brings faith (Rom10:17) but it also sanctifies
17 “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.
For the word is truth and the word sanctifies by the truth.
Paul says it like this
26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
Sanctified by the washing of the water with the word!
(Transition) I think we can deduce from this is the God the Father through the working of the Spirit using the word of God (you know the sword of the Spirit - (ref: Eph6:17) that helps to bring out our sanctification (on going)
The progress of sanctification (1Cor1:2, 6:11, 3:1-3; Heb2:11; 1The5:23)
Having been sanctified
2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours:
The church at Corinth consisted of people who have been sanctified, in Christ Jesus!
11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.
Sanctified and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now, sanctification does not mean perfection for it is a process too, for many in the church are “babes” and are still carnal.
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?
Staying with the thread of being sanctified, the progress of it consider
11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,
Thank You Lord that when we fall short, He sanctifies us, those who have been sanctified. It started with our conversion and will last until our exaltation.
We can still have the assurance of our sanctification
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The called by the gospel, the God of peace, sanctifies you, and does it entirely, and the He preserves us too, and that is our next point.
The preserved in Christ
The preserved in Christ
Preserved (Greek: tereo) meaning to guard from loss or injury. This can be good (v.1) and well, not so good (v.6, 13). Our focus now is (v.1).
1 I, Jude, am a slave to Jesus Christ and brother to James, writing to those loved by God the Father, called and kept safe by Jesus Christ.
Kept safe, preserved by Jesus Christ, in Jesus Christ (consider 1Pt1:5; 2Tim4:18; Jn10:27-29)
Peter used similar word to convey same thing.
1pt1:5
5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
Here we see the word protected! Protected for our final salvation waiting to be revealed. The guarding, preserving in (v.6-13) is for judgment, but for the faithful, it is for final blessings.
Paul, well look at Paul’s words to Timothy
18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
bring me safely! - what a great Christian assurance and if that were not enough look at Jesus own words
27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
(expand on this, be very careful for some use this for once saved always saved)
I think we should think about, it do we have some personal responsibility in the preservation? May we look at that for a moment.
Personal responsibility in being preserved (Jude21; 1Pt1:5)
I do not think we need to look far regarding personal responsibility
21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
Keep yourself! Meaning you have a choice, you have an action as you wait! I love how the Message puts it
21 staying right at the center of God’s love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. This is the unending life, the real life!
Preserved by the power of God, as Peter puts it, but look what more he says.
5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
How are we protected (preserved) according to (1Pt1:5)?
Power of God through faith!
Jesus teaching on security, no one can snatch you, is for those who believe, those who hear, those who follow. And Jesus would not say it, nor Jude, Paul, Peter if there was no ability to fall away. Even the Hebrew writer warns about that.
12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God.
What is the possibility of happening in (Heb3:12)?
A heart that falls away from the living God
SO, keep yourself in the love of God, the protection and preservation of God, through the Word of God and the Spirit of God.
(Drawing the conclusion)
May we remember those who are in Christ Jesus are called, called by the gospel in which we believed and obeyed.
Having obeyed the gospel we were sanctified (set apart for a holy purpose) as He continues to sanctify us through the Spirit and the Word
We can know, be assured that we, as believers are kept, we are preserved in Christ Jesus unto eternal life.
Stay tuned as we look at the warnings! given in this small but very powerful book.
(Prayer) (Exit)