Warning: Reminders of God's righteous judgment
Warnings to the sanctified - Book of Jude • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 54:17
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Contend for the faith!
Contend for the faith!
Previously we started into this series “Warnings to the sanctified” and from the start the writer’s intentions and then the writers purpose changed. A few quick reminders for us tonight before we start.
4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Warnings certain men have crept in unnoticed (v.4)
These are ungodly men who turn God’s grace into licentiousness
1. (a.) Lacking moral discipline or restraint, especially in sexual conduct; passing due bounds; excessive; abusive of freedom; wantonly offensive; as, a licentious press.
2. (a.) Unrestrained by law or morality; lawless; immoral; dissolute; lewd; lascivious; as, a licentious man; a licentious life.
Here is a scripture illustration of licentiousness
18 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error,
Not only were these ungodly men turning God’s grace to licentiousness they were denying the Lord God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
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 intended to write regarding common salvation (v.3), but these apostates, false teachers had to be dealt with.
The church had the faith that was once handed down (v.3)
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.
Jesus had been handed down, the way the truth and the life. Jesus the only begotten Son, the propitiation of God’s wrath.
These ungodly men had previously been marked out for this condemnation (v.4)
Some want to link this to predestined condemnation as in God caused them to do evil. That would be against God’s character to condemn them like that, for God does not create evil.
The previously marked out, God has always been righteous and just and judges the unrighteous and the judgment has not changed. These are people that knew the truth, knew what they had yet they went the other way and are condemned for it. One day judgment is going to be handed down on all unrighteousness and you will see three illustrations from history given to us tonight.
Jude like Peter uses illustrations, history as examples of those who had victory and gave victory away. Peter uses angels, Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah, Jude will use Israel, angels and Sodom and Gomorrah. If you want to look up Peter’s references check out (2Pt2:4-9)
So, here is where we are at this evening and what we are looking at with our illustrations:
Israel’s wilderness experience (v.5)
Angels who left their position (v.6)
A look at Sodom and Gomorrah (v.7)
First our passage and gleaning from it then will get to the points
5 Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day,
7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
What was Jude’s desire (v.5)
That he would remind them what they already knew (all things)
What was the result for those who did not believe (v.5)?
They were destroyed
How about them angels who abandoned their proper abode, what was result for them (v.6)?
Kept in eternal bonds under darkness
Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed as a what? And for what reason (v.7)?
They were an example, destroyed because of immorality and going after strange flesh
(Transition) OK, we have looked at the scripture guess we can go home now. Oh wait, hold on, we are to “study” the scripture to show ourselves approved (2Tim2:15); and we need to learn the “so that” you know application, so I think we will get into the passage now and look why Jude is using these historical events to warn the sanctified.
Israels wilderness experience
Israels wilderness experience
Experience, history can be a good teacher. We can look back to see good, bad and learn from the past on things to do, or not to do, or how things turned out historically in the past. Jude goes back to history that they (the recipients) would have known.
5 For even though you know all this, I want to remind you of how the Lord once rescued the people of Israel from Egypt, but afterwards destroyed those who did not believe.
Jude, as well as Paul (1Cor10) and the Hebrew writer (Heb3-4) use the wilderness experience to teach, to illustrate spiritual truths for application for the N.T. Church.
God saved the nation (people) bringing them out of Egypt.
It did not require faith, it required obedience to be saved, delivered from the slavery they were in while in Egypt
Brought to the border of the promised land they did not have the faith to go in and receive what God had given them. Only Caleb, Joshua and Moses had the faith (Num13-14) but even Moses would not enter due to rebellion. Israel rebelled against God, the word of God “to and posses” and the will of God “I have given you.” and God does not tolerate rebellion. Their unbelief led to their destruction.
God’s grace delivered them, but unbelief destroyed them.
Grace given to 603,550 men and they were saved
Yet 603,448 were destroyed because of lack of faith, disobedience, rebellion to God.
Take away: Be careful of false teachers who can lead you astray even to a point of destruction. For with privilege (grace) comes responsibility (faith) and God cannot overlook the sins of His people then or sins of people today.
12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.
The people in Egypts day had been entrusted with the promise “go and receive” we have the gospel, the whole counsel of God (Act20:27) that which was delivered to all the saints, we have a responsibility with it. Jude is reminding them of it. Why, because certain men had crept in unnoticed (v.4).
I think there are some more points to make from this illustration so here we go.
Some points for application, contemplation, consideration
God may destroy those He saved (1Cor10:1-12, Heb3:12-4:2, 11)
To summarize 1Cor10:1ff
Paul reminds the Corinthians that the Jews (the fathers) were all saved through the water (v.1); all had the same spiritual food (vv.2-4); but God was not pleased with all (v.5); God passed judgment on the unbelievers and set as an example for us so not to do the same (v.6)
The admonishment, don’t be like them is found (v.7)
Then the illustration of the type of rebellion, unbelief that was judged (vv.8-11) and ends with one more admonishment
12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.
Remember in Jude’s letter the false teachers crept in unnoticed, the same can happen today if we are not actively watching and being careful.
In writing to the Hebrews about apostasy in (Heb3:12ff) you can see this.
12 Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
We have become partakers of Christ, by grace through faith, we need to hold fast to it. (v.14) then there is the reference to the wilderness days (vv.15-19)
I would be remiss if I don’t give a little more scripture and less summary.
1 Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. 2 For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.
God’s destruction will be on those who left the faith (Jude5; Heb3:18-19)
5 I’m laying this out as clearly as I can, even though you once knew all this well enough and shouldn’t need reminding. Here it is in brief: The Master saved a people out of the land of Egypt. Later he destroyed those who defected.
Left faith, defected faith. not a good thing.
With the Hebrew people in the wilderness they could not enter the promised land because of lack of faith, consider
18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief.
God does give promises, assurances to the believer (1Pt1:3-5)
While what we are looking at is a warning, let me give an assurance to the one who has faith, to the believer.
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
So, be sure to check yourself, where you stand lest you fall (1Cor10:12)
we already read the 1Cor10:12 passage so this just serves as a reminder.
So church, remember what happened to Israel! To those in Jude’s day and to us today!
Angels who left their position
Angels who left their position
As mentioned before Peter uses the same illustration and Jude does, but add’s a little more, lets see what we can learn.
Some words from Peter on the fallen angels (2Pt2:4)
4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;
There is the Peter reference now the Jude one (Jude6)
6 And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day,
Peter and Jude about the angels (2Pt2:4; Jude6)
Peter says the angels sinned; Jude says they abandoned their proper abode
Peter says committed to to pits of darkness reserved for judgment; Jude says in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment.
There are some assumptions that some make in this verse and linking it with (v.7) about the fallen angels; that they also link this back to (Gen6:1-4) I will expand on this just FYI in a few minutes, but think it is important to get from scripture itself before making leaps and assumptions.
God has them in “everlasting chains under darkness” for the judgment on the great day.”
That would go hand in hand with the Rich man and Lazarus (Lk16:19ff) where the rich man is in torment
In the Peter reference the angels are “cast down to hell” - the actual word is Hades or in Greek “Tartarus” a subterranean place where divine punishment was meted out.
Some points for application, contemplation, consideration
God is ready, prepared to render eternal, everlasting punishment to the wicked, the rebellious
Just as there is a place prepared for the angels who sinned (v.7) there is a place for the wicked and unbelievers (Rev21:8)
8 “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
(Transition) we have seen judgment on the faithless, the rebellious in the wilderness; we have seen a place of holding and judgment to be delved out on the sinning angels, the wicked and the unbelievers. Yet Jude is not done, we have one more to look at.
A look at Sodom and Gomorrah
A look at Sodom and Gomorrah
You can find the historical events of Sodom and Gomorrah in(Gen18-19). Jews knew the history as did the Jewish Christians and now Jude is bringing it up as an example regarding apostasy, rebellion and judgment.
7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
The reason for the judgment is their sin was exceedingly grave (Gen18:20)
20 And the Lord said, “The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah is indeed great, and their sin is exceedingly grave.
In Gen18:24-28 is the judgment
in summary you would see the Lord rained down brimstone and fire from heaven. He overthrew the cities, the valley, and all the inhabitants and everything that grew.
Now in case you are wondering why Jude used this historical illustration lets read the verse again, in context and see what we can learn,
6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Notice that it says in (v.7) “in similar manner, so the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah is in similar manner, so is this about sexual immorality? For in Gen19:4-11 we can see the sexual immorality, the strange flesh;
5 and they called to Lot and said to him, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have relations with them.”
Was the grievous sin unnatural sexually immoral sin? Now the term strange flesh, some have attributed this to fallen angels and and relations with daughter of men (Gen6:1-4) but that is a very long, very old thought that there are many arguments against and if you would like to discuss sometime let me know. I will go with the strange flesh was men with men.
Some points for application, contemplation, consideration
So why did Peter and Jude both use Sodom and Gomorrah? They are for an example for the readers then and the readers now.
An example of those who would live ungodly lives
6 and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter;
In Jude and example of those who are “undergoing the punishment of eternal fire” (Jude7)
7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.
God has given us these examples of the eternal fire awaiting those who will be subject of His righteous judgment (vengeance).
Drawing a conclusion
Drawing a conclusion
This is written as a reminder (Jude5)
We, like they, may know the stories, the examples, the history, but we need to be reminded so to not to fall away, not to be deceived.
This is written as a reminder of the results of what happen to Israel, those saved, who then were destroyed for lack of faith.
This is written to remind us that God has a place prepared for the wicked.
This is written to remind us of God’s righteous judgment comes when the time is right.
So, be sober and alert (1Pt5:8) our enemy is not only just out there. The enemy can be in our midst and have crept in unnoticed (Jude4) and try to teach heresies like Jesus did not or is not coming in the flesh (2Jn7). Some closing words from scripture
11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Let us be diligent together today, as long as it is called today.
(Prayer) (Exit)