A Man Surrendered to God to Those Held Captive for Christ

Introduction

I would like to begin working through the book of Jude in an expository fashion, that is, going through the book in a verse-by-verse, systematic manner. I am excited to preach through this book and excited to see what God has in store to teach us from His Word.

This message will be a little different because we are going to survey the background and context of the entire book of Jude (all 25 verses!). The reason for examining the background and context is so that we can understand who wrote this book, whom he was writing to, and the reason that he was writing this book. As it is so important to consistently apply a literal, grammatical-historical hermeneutic, we must understand to the best of our ability the history and circumstances surrounding the particular part of the Bible that we are studying as well as how it relates to the rest of Scripture.

I have entitled this message “A Man Surrendered to God to Those held Captive by Christ.” We are going to look at the background and context and then at the introduction that we find in the first two verses as well.

The book of Jude is interesting in that it is a short book, but it is dedicated entirely to calling attention to the Ungodly. Almost every book in the New Testament presents teaching on false doctrine or false teachers, but the book of Jude is dedicated to this.

I want to introduce us to the book first by outlining some of the background and giving context to the book of Jude.

Background and Context

The book of Jude is classified as an epistle, which is simply “a letter.”

Authorship

The author of Jude is (as you might think) Jude. But that doesn’t necessarily help in identifying this man. His name is more accurately Judas in Greek. There are three most likely candidates who are the author of Jude

1. The first candidate is Judas, the half-brother of Jesus and the brother of James. We find reference to this man in Matthew 13:55 and Mark 6:3.

- Matt 13:55 “Is not this the carpenter’s Son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

- Mk 6:3 “Is not this the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him.

2. The second candidate is Judas, who was called “Barsabbas.” We find reference to this man in Acts 15:22. This man was a leader who was in good standing in the early Church, and it is possible that he was the brother of one of the men who was nominated to replace Judas Iscariot – Joseph Barsabbas (Acts 1:23)

- Acts 15:22 “Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole Church, to choose men from among them to send to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas—Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leading men among the brethren,

3. The third candidate is Judas the apostle, whom we find reference to in Luke 6:16, John 14:22, and Acts 1:13. This was not Judas Iscariot, but rather another apostle of Christ who was named Judas.

- Luke 6:16 “Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.”

- John 14:22 “Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?”

- Acts 1:13 “When they had entered the city, they went up to the upper room where they were staying; that is, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas the son of James.”

It seems unlikely that Judas the apostle is the author of this epistle because, in Jude 17, the author writes, “But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.” If the author was an apostle, it would be rather strange for him to write this. It is also strange that if an apostle wrote this letter, he would have chosen not to identify himself as an apostle as many others did.

While it is possible that Judas Barsabbas could be the author, this is not as likely as is the possibility that it is Jesus’ half-brother, Judas, who is the author. The strongest reason to believe that the author was Judas, the brother of Christ, is:

- We know with certainty that Judas was the brother of James, just as the author identifies himself as. (Jude1, Matt 13:55) By default, this makes him the half-brother of Christ.

It is most likely that Judas, the brother of James and half-brother of Christ, is the author of this epistle.

We can’t know why he doesn’t identify himself as the brother of Christ, but perhaps it is out of humility. We know from Scripture that Jesus’ own brothers did not believe in Him at first.

- John 7:5 “For not even His brothers were believing in Him.”

Later on, however, we do know that his brothers did come to believe in Him.

- Acts 1:14 “These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.”

Finally, one reason that Jude might have identified himself as the brother of James could be due to the influence that James had among the Jewish Believers. James was a strong leader in the early Church in Jerusalem, and he wrote a letter to early Jewish Christians who were dispersed.

Audience

We don’t know the specific identity of the audience to whom the book of Jude was written with certainty. We do know, without a doubt however, that they were Believers. This is clear when examining verses 1, 3, 4, 17, and 25.

In verse 5, we see a clue that perhaps the audience is a group or multiple groups of Jewish Believers. Jude writes, “Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all….” He was reminding his audience of things that would have been very familiar to anyone raised in a Jewish background who would have knowledge of Jewish history. These examples that Jude brings up would likely not be as widely known by those of a Gentile background simply because it is not something they would be exposed to.

There are also a number of close similarities between Jude and 2 Peter 2:1-3:4. Many scholars believe that Jude was written after 2 Peter had been. This could possibly explain Jude’s appeal that his audience “remember what they had heard from the apostles.” Though this is conjecture, it does seem most likely that Judes’ audience was a group of Jewish Believers. We cannot know this nor their geographical location with any certainty, but we can know that they were fellow Believers to whom Jude had an important message.

Date

Just as we cannot know with certainty who the specific audience to whom Jude wrote was, we cannot know exactly when this letter was written. It must have been written late enough that the faith of his audience had been solidly fixed, given his appeal that they remember the faith and what they had been taught in Verse 3, 5, and 17. Most scholars are in agreement that this letter was written in the latter half of the first century and that it was most likely written after 2 Peter. This places the date somewhere between 65 and 80 A.D., which will be sufficient for our study.

It is most likely that this epistle was written between 65 and 80 A.D.

Purpose of the Letter

Though there are some unanswered questions regarding the audience and date of this letter, we can be certain of the purpose for which the author wrote. In verse 3, Jude clearly explains that he initially desired to write his audience about the Salvation that they had in common. Instead, he felt so strongly about a greater need that

Jude penned this letter so that his audience would “Contend Earnestly for the Faith” because “Certain Persons have crept in Unnoticed.”

These are two phrases that are very important in understanding this letter. “That you contend earnestly for” is a phrase that is one word in Greek. It is the word “Epagonizomai.”

Epagonizomai is a verb that means:

- “To exert intense effort on behalf of Something” (BDAG)

- “To strive for, to fight for, or struggle against something” (WSNDICT)

A synonym for this word would be “to fight” or “to struggle against” or “to fight in war” (WSNDICT).

The opposite of this word is “to be at peace” or “to make peace” or “to tolerate” or “to be quiet.” (WSNDICT)

This word is a strong word. An intense fight or struggle requires a great deal of effort. Jude’s use of this word indicates that he expects action from his reader. He understands that this is not something that will be simple or easy, and yet, it is something that is altogether necessary.

Jude goes on in verse four to explain why this intense effort must be exerted. He explains that “Certain persons have crept in unnoticed.” Again we see a phrase appear that is one word in Greek. This is the word

Pareisdyo is a verb which means:

- “To slip in stealthily, or to sneak in” (BDAG)

These individuals had snuck into the Church without anyone noticing. It is important to recognize that this was not an overt occurrence.

These people were in and among the Church, and they did not appear dangerous upon first glance.

Jude points to historical examples of the Ungodly; he points out that they are among his audience, and he points out that the presence of these men had been prophesied. Jude doesn’t leave his audience with just the bad news, but he gives them instruction on how they ought to live in light of the clear and present danger that these Ungodly present to the Church.

Textual Variants

One thing that you will notice throughout this study is that there are a few unique textual variants that we will come across.

Textual Variants are the different ways in which the different translations and versions render the text. What we have today are copies of copies.

The original manuscripts aren’t all in existence today, so translators must study and compare the many different manuscripts that are still around, and then they decide how best to translate the words into English. Different versions and translations attempt to convey things in different ways. Some try to be exact word-for-word copies, while others try to convey the thought that is being presented. Because of this, we have versions that don’t all read the same way.

1. Jude 1, there is a textual variant.

- The KJV says, “To them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.”

- The NASB reads, “To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.”

2. Jude 9 there is a textual variant. To notice this, you must first be aware that in verse 3, the word “contend” (really, the phrase contend earnestly for the faith) is from the Greek word “Epagonizomai.” In verse 3, the NASB, KJV, NKJV, NIV, ESV, and RSV all use the word “Contend.”

- In Verse 9, the NASB and NIV use the word “Dispute, or Disputing,” but the KJV, NKJV, ESV, and RSV all include the word “Contending.”

- This is interesting because the word “epagonizomai” is not present in verse 9. Rather, we see the Greek word “Diakrino,” which is best rendered as “to dispute.”

3. In Verse 19, there is another interesting variant. The KJV translators wrote, “These be they who separate themselves….” Whereas the NASB, ESV, NKJV, NIV, and RSV all render this as “cause divisions” or “Divide you.” Or “set up divisions.”

- This is interesting because, at first glance, the KJV seems to indicate that the Ungodly are separating themselves, whereas the other translations seem to indicate that the Ungodly are causing division among the Godly.

4. Another unique variant is in verse 22.

- The KJV ends with “making a difference.”

- The NKJV ends with “making a distinction.”

- NASB, ESV, NIV, and RSV end with “who are doubting” or “who doubt”

- The interesting thing in this verse is that the difference here also stems from the Greek word “diakrino,” which is the same word that we saw in verse 9.

These are all small differences, and yet it is important to pay attention to them. Sometimes the way that words are used will cause you to automatically interpret something in a certain way. Our goal is to carefully handle the Word of God, so these are things that we shouldn’t necessarily skip over but should examine and determine the most accurate reading for ourselves based on the Original languages, the context, and a consistent application of a literal hermeneutic.

Key Words

There are some important words and phrases that we need to pay attention to throughout the study of this book.

1. Any reference to the author

2. Any reference to the audience

3. Ungodly (or any reference to the Ungodly)

4. Keep (Kept) (Greek word “Tereo”)

5. Love (Beloved)

6. Mercy

7. Contend earnestly for the faith

8. Certain persons have crept in unnoticed.

Outline of Jude

Next, I would like to go through the outline of Jude that I’ve created with you. This is my own outline, so don’t expect too much, but my goal in this outline was to recognize the natural division of the book; to see the progression of the message that Jude was communicating. First, I’ve outlined the major divisions, as you see in the column on the left. Then, I broke those into minor divisions, as you’ll see in the center column. This is one way to do it, perhaps you would have done it differently, and perhaps, later on, this will need correcting and modification. The goal is to accurately recognize the message that Jude was communicating to his audience, to see the primary application that was intended for the original audience, and then to see the secondary application that is for us today.

1. The first part of this message is Jude’s Greeting.

He identifies himself and then identifies his audience, followed by a blessing that he is asking on behalf of his audience. In this introduction, we see clearly that Jude’s audience is saved and secure in Christ.

2. Next, we see that Jude explains the reason that he wrote this letter:

that they contend earnestly for the faith! Originally, he wanted to write an encouraging letter to them about the faith that they have in common, but it was much more necessary that he exhorts them to contend for their faith in light of the Ungodly who had snuck into the Church and were causing serious problems.

3. We then see Jude appeal to three historical examples of the Ungodly that God has already dealt with

- Those who didn’t Believe after God had led Israel out of Egypt and were destroyed

- The fallen angels

- Sodom and Gomorrah

4. Jude then gives warnings concerning the behavior of the Ungodly.

We see an example of how the Ungodly do not behave appropriately with respect to either the things that they know or the things they do not know. We see in this section of Jude another appeal to the Ungodly in history, followed by more descriptions of the Ungodly along with the recognition by Jude that the Ungodly are among his audience.

5. We see that the Ungodly have been prophesied about

as has their ultimate judgment. Jude expounds more on what behavior the Ungodly will exhibit.

6. We see a big shift in verse 17, where

6. Jude begins to more directly address his audience and how they should respond to his message.

The Believers should not be surprised by the presence of the Ungodly among them, but they should respond in a manner consistent with the calling by which they have been called.

7. Jude then gives his farewell

once again reminding his audience of their security in Christ and of the glory which will ultimately go to him.

Patterns in Jude

Throughout our study of Jude, pay close attention to how Jude communicates his message. It is interesting to observe the patterns that are present in his letter. He groups many things into “3’s”. For Example:

- Verse 1 (Called, Beloved, Kept)

- Verse 2 (Mercy, Peace, Love)

State of the Church Today

Now, I would like to look at a few different research studies that have been conducted fairly recently. I’ve put a few different research projects on the back of the outline; keep in mind that many organizations such as Pew research, Barna, or Lifeway that have the resources to conduct this kind of large-scale research, are not necessarily very conservative. These polls include a multitude of denominations, and so you need to take all of this research with a grain of salt. Personally, I believe that things might actually be worse than some of these surveys suggest.

1. In 2018 Barna released a study where they asked churchgoers “if they had heard of the great commission.” Pay attention to that again; they were asking people in the Church. 51% said that “they didn’t know that term,” half of the people in Church hadn’t even heard that! But it’s worse! 25% said they had heard of it, but they didn’t know what it meant…

only 17% of churchgoers knew what the great commission was!

- When you look at the responses by the age of the individual, you see that the elder generation (or silent generation) was the generation that was most likely to know what the great commission was, and each generation that followed was less and less likely to know it. I think that is incredibly notable. It seems as time progresses, each generation is less and less interested in having anything to do with God.

2. In 2017 Pew research released a study in concurrence with the 500th anniversary of the protestant reformation. This study looked at two of the “Solas” of the reformation – sola fide (the belief that faith alone is needed for Salvation) and sola scriptura (the belief that Scripture alone is the sufficient authority for the Believer.). The results of this are incredibly disturbing as well.

52% of protestants believe that both faith and good works are required for Salvation.

They found that 52% of protestants also believe that they need church teaching and traditions in addition to the Bible. In fact, only 30% of Protestants believe in both faith alone and the sufficiensy of Scripture alone!

3. In 2017, Lifeway conducted some research to look at young people between the ages of 18-22 and determine how many were leaving the Church and why.

In this survey, they found that 66% of young people between 18 and 22 quit attending Church.

These were people who, throughout high school, said that they regularly attended Church. That number is shocking. That means that for every 10 teenagers in Church, nearly 7 of them will quit attending Church when they leave home. But Why? What is the reason that young people are leaving the Church? What is going On?

- Lifeway asked that question as a part of this survey.

- Of those individuals who left the Church, there were 55 specific reasons listed as to why they left. These reasons were broken down into categories. Some responded in multiple categories.

- 63% had a problem with the youth ministry of the Church they were at. 70% cited “religious, ethical, or political” disagreements as to why they left.

- But pay attention to this one.

96%! Left the Church because their life just changed, and with it, their schedule changed. 96%! That means that 96% didn’t necessarily plan on leaving the Church; it just wasn’t compatible with the changes that were happening in their life!

Does that mean anything to you? That, in particular, is heartbreaking for me. These young people are at a point in their lives where Church is not important. They don’t believe that there is any reason important enough to keep them in the Church.

4. Perhaps the worst of all is this last slide. At the beginning of this past May, Barna released the results of a “worldview inventory.” A research project aimed at discovering the worldview held by the respondents. One of the demographics that was polled was that of Pastors. This research project polled a group of 1,000 Christian pastors between February and March of 2022. The questions that determined a “Biblical worldview” were:

- Does absolute moral truth exist?

- Is the Bible totally accurate in the principles it teaches?

- Is Satan a real being, not merely symbolic?

- Can a person earn their way to Heaven by good works?

- Did Christ live a sinless life?

- Is God the all-knowing, all-powerful creator of the universe?

If these questions were all answered correctly, this then determined a biblical worldview. Unfortunately,

only 37% of pastors were determined to have a Biblical worldview.

- 41% of Senior Pastors

- 28% of Associate pastors

- 13% of Teaching Pastors

- 12% of Children’s pastors

- 4% of Executive Pastors

I think that this is the most disturbing of all, and truthfully, I think the questions that were asked are so basic that they are really not an adequate set of questions to determine whether someone’s worldview is actually Biblical. I would be terrified to see the results of a much more stringent test, but unfortunately, that is where the Church at large is at right now. The “Church” is led by men who are not living their life in a Biblical manner.

This presents us with a frightening reality, a reality that must be faced and dealt with. The Church at large is not well, and it is dying. We are suffering a true pandemic of Biblical illiteracy. For a nation that has more wealth, prosperity, and education than anyone on the face of the planet has ever known, we are failing to make the study and application of God’s Word our main priority.

Each of us in the Church has a responsibility to respond to act in response to the reality of the current state of the Church. Just as Jude saw a need for the Believers to whom he wrote to “Contend earnestly for the Faith,” we must also contend for that same faith that we hold today.

Although these studies and statistics look grim, we are not without hope. Jude presented his audience with some frightening truths about the danger that had lurked in their midst. But, at the beginning of his letter, he first ensured that he communicated the security that each Believer in Christ has through their faith in Christ.

Jude 1-2

In October of 1993, the U.S Army had a small detachment in Mogadishu, Somalia. On October 3, they launched Operation Gothic Serpent, which would later come to be known worldwide as “Blackhawk Down.” The goal of the operation that became so infamous was to capture a warlord named Mohamed Farrah Aidid.

The plan was to fly in a security element to sit at each of the four corners of the target building while a smaller team went into the building to extract the warlord. This group would then be met on the ground by a convoy of trucks, and they would all drive out of the city. The entire operation was planned to last less than an hour.

Unfortunately, the operation did not go as planned. Two separate helicopters were shot down, 18 U.S. troops were killed, and an estimated 1,000 militia members were killed in the battle that raged throughout the night.

A staff sergeant named Jeff Struecker was chosen to be the convoy leader because he had spent so much time studying maps of the area that he knew the roads in Mogadishu better than anyone else that was there. Throughout the battle, SSG Struecker made multiple trips from the base back to the battleground, attempting to rescue the wounded, extract the dead, and resupply the guys still in the fight.

Jeff Struecker went on to become an Army Chaplain, and after he retired, he moved to Columbus, GA, where he pastored a local Church. When I was at airborne school, I had the opportunity to go to his Church and attend a few Bible studies with him. Because of his background, he emphasized ministry with the military guys who were all stationed there.

Something that he said stuck with me throughout my career in the Army. He said, “a Believer should be the best, most fearless soldier in his unit.” Because of the security that the Believer has in Christ, it doesn’t matter where you are. Whether you are on a battlefield, jumping out of a plane, walking in a park, or relaxing in a retirement home, you are equally secure in Christ. He rightly recognized that he was just as secure driving through the middle of Mogadishu in a gunfight as he was at home in Georgia. Wherever you as a Believer are, whatever situation you find yourself in, you can and should live in a way that reflects the eternal security that you possess as a Believer in Christ.

John explains in John 3:16 that whoever places their faith in Christ has eternal life.

“Have eternal life” is in the present tense. That eternal life is possessed at the moment of faith in Christ.

We Believers already have eternal life. Although our bodies are decaying, and one day we will experience physical death (should Christ not call the Church home first!), we will never experience eternal separation from God.

This awesome reality is of primary importance for the Believer to recognize. In this epistle that Jude is writing, he is careful to begin by recognizing and reminding his audience that they are secure in Christ. Given the nature of his strong warning that will follow, it is important that his readers understand that it is not hopeless. Believers have the greatest hope to look forward to.

Sometimes it can seem that an emphasis on false doctrine or false teaching is pessimistic because it is so negative. We know that there is false teaching, we know that there will be false teachers, but we also know that Christ is ultimately the victor. It is not up to us to defeat once and for all, all of the false teaching or false teachers out there; that is an unrealistic expectation. It is entirely realistic, however, for us as Believers to faithfully study and apply Scripture, and it is important that we stand wholly on the authoritative Word of God as the standard for the way we live our lives!

Verse 1

Jude1 , a bondservant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

Jude 1 NASB95

Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

Jude: We know that this epistle was written by Judas, the brother of James and the half-brother of Christ.

- Rather than identifying himself as the brother of Christ, Jude identifies himself as a bondservant of Christ. (in the ESV, KJV, NIV, and RSV, this is rendered as “Servant”)

Bondservant: This is the Greek word “Doulos.”This word means:“A slave, one who is in a permanent relation of servitude to another, his will being altogether consumed in the will of the other”

1. Here, Jude is describing his relationship with Christ. He is in a permanent state of servitude to and dependence upon Christ. This is not to be associated with the idea of slavery that most Americans have. This is a willing submission to Christ, his master.

- We see this idea of a Bondservant appear in Exodus chapter 21:1-6 and in Deuteronomy 15:12-18.

- Ex 21:1-6: “Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them: “If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment. “If he comes alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. “If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone. “But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,’ then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently.”

Exodus 21:1–6 (NASB95)

“Now these are the ordinances which you are to set before them: “If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment. “If he comes alone, he shall go out alone; if he is the husband of a wife, then his wife shall go out with him. “If his master gives him a wife, and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out alone. “But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,’ then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently.

- Dt 15:12-18: “If your kinsman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him free. “When you set him free, you shall not send him away empty-handed. “You shall furnish him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat; you shall give to him as the LORD your God has blessed you. “You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. “It shall come about if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you; then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also you shall do likewise to your maidservant. “It shall not seem hard to you when you set him free, for he has given you six years with double the service of a hired man; so the LORD your God will bless you in whatever you do.”

A. God outlined rules that the Israelites were to follow in having slaves. In Ex 21 verse 5, God describes a situation where the slave loves his master and his family. He does not want to depart because he recognizes that his life is much better with his master. The Slave is then marked by having an awl pierced into his ear.

o This is what Jude is communicating about his relationship with Christ. His life is much better with Christ than it ever could be apart from him, and so, Jude will permanently live his life in service to Christ.

B. This is the same principle that Paul was communicating to the Galatians in Gal 2:20. He writes: “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Galatians 2:20 NASB95

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

o This idea is that because of the new life that we possess in Christ; our lives should be changed. Paul and Jude both recognized that their new life in Christ was so much better than it ever could be apart from Christ. Living in service as slaves to Christ is far better than living as slaves to sin.

2. So,

Jude was a man whose life was committed to and surrendered to God.

The next point I want to ensure that we grasp is that his audience was saved; they were held captive by Christ.

A. This letter is to the “called.” The called are then described as both “Beloved” and “Kept.”

o Those who are called are also “Beloved” by God (The KJV reads “sanctified by God”)

o This is the word “Agapao” (G25). It is the state of being loved. This is the same word that Paul used in Gal 2:20 when he wrote: “I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me….” Paul recognized that as he was now a Believer, he is a child of God and is loved by God.

o Here we see that Jude wants his audience (the Called) to recognize that they are loved by God because they are children of God.

B. Not only is Jude’s audience called by God and loved by God, but they are also “Kept” by God. This is a key word in the book of Jude.

o “Kept” is the word “Tereo” (G5083) which means: To retain in custody, to keep watch over, to guard, to hold, or to preserve.

o In Jude 6, we see this word appear two more times. There are angels who did not keep their domain, and as a result, God has kept them in eternal bonds until the day of judgment.

Jude 6 (NASB95)

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,

o This idea of being kept conveys permanent captivity. In the situation of these fallen angels, this captivity, this keeping, is a negative thing. They are being held captive until they are judged. On the other hand, Jude wants his audience to recognize that they, too, are kept captive, but in a much different, positive light. They are held captive by God because of their faith in Christ.

C. John was abundantly clear in explaining that those who have placed their faith in Christ are secure in that faith.

o Just as we have seen in John 3:16, those who place their faith have eternal life. This is a present reality; if you have placed your faith in Christ, you can be sure that you have eternal life.

o A few pages later, in John chapter 10, we see this expounded on by Christ. Starting in John 10:25: “Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 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. I and the Father are one.”

John 10:25 NASB95

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me.

o Christ is very clear. He gives His Believers Eternal life, nothing is able to take this away from one who has placed his faith in Christ.

o In 1 John 5:10-12, John writes: “The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”

1 John 5:10–12 NASB95

The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

3. Look now to Jude 2. Jude writes: “May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.”

Jude 2 NASB95

May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you.

o Mercy is kindness or compassion

o Peace is a state of harmony

o Love is… love!... affectionate regard, goodwill, or benevolence

o Each of these attributes originates from God. As Jude’s audience is saved, they have had Mercy from God, they have Peace from God, and they are loved by God. But what is interesting is that Jude is asking for the blessing of more mercy, more peace, and more love for his audience.

o Jude’s message is indeed very weighty, and in light of the threat facing his audience, it is easy to see why Jude wishes for them to have mercy and peace and love abundantly.

Conclusion

Jude has been very clear in his introduction.

He is a man who is wholly surrendered to God, and he is writing to a group of Believers who, because of the faith that they have placed in Christ, are kept wholly captive by Christ, secure for all eternity.

Jude wrote this letter not because it was what he had originally desired to do but because it was altogether necessary that his audience be exhorted to contend for the faith. Their faith was under siege, and the threat of the Ungodly was in and among them.

Just as ungodliness was a dangerous threat in the Church at the time this letter was originally penned, the Church today still faces the threat of ungodliness. The Church in America is not healthy; instead, it is rotting from the inside out.

This is a heavy and very serious reality that both the audience of Jude’s day and we today must face, but we must also begin facing this threat by realizing that we who have placed our faith in Christ are kept eternally captive and secure in Christ. Nothing ever can, and nothing ever will remove that from us.

We have great hope, and because of this great hope that is within us, we too should earnestly contend for the faith.