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Opening Prayer
Father God, help us in this study as we continue in our efforts to know more of Your will for our lives. Lead our thoughts and words as we examine this letter written by a brother of Jesus. Help us in our understanding of those matters you would have us learn from this study, and to use what we learn to become better disciples for Jesus as we live day by day. Lead us now as we study The Epistle of Jude. In Jesus name we pray, amen.
Jude 1:12-16 Who are they?
12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm--shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted--twice dead.13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. 14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him." 16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.
Discussion
Jude is describing the false teachers. He says that they are brazen in their social life, feeling no guilt for their lies, promoting themselves, empty souls leading in whatever direction that profits them. They have no disciplined faith, and they do whatever their loose conscience tells them. They speak evil of religion and godliness speak evil of the things which they know not; for, if they had known them, they would have spoken well of them, for nothing but good and excellence can be truly said of the religion of which Jesus Christ is the head.
A religious life built on the faith that Jesus Christ is one's savior, is security for the soul, comfort in a world of chaos, and as honorable a life as anyone can live. But as it was, at the time of the writing of his letter, these men were most apt to speak evil of those persons and things that they know least of. They pledge their faith to no one except self, and they have no heavenly realm to seek after. They are consumed by their own darkness. We can easily understand from these words of Jude, that he has a very low opinion of these false teachers, We can easily understand how we might feel, if someone came to us here at Advent and began speaking about another faith, and speaking evil of the members, assuming some authority over our worship, teaching a doctrine other than the sufficiency of Jesus Christ for our salvation. But what these people were doing was openly brazen and was undermining the work the church.
Jude then mentions Enoch (Hebrews 11:5) who represents prophetically the true Church living at the close of the age, bearing witness to the coming of the Lord, and waiting in faith for the promised translation. The Spirit of God mentions Enoch for this purpose and for our encouragement. That God does indeed have the final say, The Good in Christ will endure, and sinners will suffer the judgment. Jude continues his criticism of them by describing their boasting of themselves and flattering of others for whatever advantage it will gain them.
Questions
1. Do such false teachers thrive in our world today
2. By what authority do these false teachers come to us?
3. Why does Jude feel justified in writing these things?
4. How does one recognize the false representations of one who would deceive us?
Pg.2
Jude 1:17-25 Remember whose you are.
17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.
18 They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. 20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. 24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy-- 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.
Discussion
The word of God is always the answer to dangers in or out of the church.The apostles had warned that just these things would happen; and even more so as the day approaches:(2Timothy_4:3-4) There would be mockers in the last time: Perhaps Jude had in mind those who mock the idea of Jesus’ return. Or he may mean the kind of men who mock those who don’t go along the same path of destruction that the mockers travel on. Those who live according to their own ungodly lusts love to mock those who want to please God.
What to do about the danger of the “certain men”.Significantly, Jude does not tell us to attack the certain men who are a danger to the church. Instead, he tells us to focus on our walk with the Lord, help others, and to focus on God. We simply are to pay the certain men no attention, except for what is necessary for our warning. God will take care of them.
We should understand what it means when the Bible says that God loves the ungodly. God’s love extends everywhere, and nothing can separate us from it. But we can deny ourselves the benefits of God’s love. An example of this is the Prodigal Son of Luke 15, who was always loved by the father, but for a time he did not benefit from it. We must keep ourselves in the love of God.
On some have compassion: Jude begins here to tell us what we must do with those who have been influenced by these certain men. We must approach different people in different manners. By being sensitive to their needs and being led by the Holy Spirit, we can know when we should comfort, and when we should rebuke. Christians should not abandon a friend flirting with false teaching. This means we should continue to love them. No matter how bad a person is, or how misleading and terrible their doctrine, we are not to hate them, or to be unconcerned for their salvation. We must have compassion for all. This often means watching over someone, helping them with accountability. “Meantime watch over others as well as yourselves; and give them such help as their various needs require.” Others save with fear: This second group must be confronted more strongly - but in fear, not in a sanctimonious superiority. You may need to pull them out of the fire, but never do it in pride. This outward look is important. It demonstrates that we are not only concerned for our own spiritual welfare. It proves that we genuinely care about other Christians who are edging towards significant error.
Questions
1. The phrase “Scoffers who follow their own ungodly desires”means what?
2. What are these natural instincts in vs.19, of which Jude speaks?
3. We are to contend for the faith against false teachers, means what?
4. Is there a time when we are to have an end to our care and compassion?
5. Contending for our faith, is one matter, yet compassion for the ungodly, are these mixed signals?
Pg.3
Scripture Readings
Hebrews 11:5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: "He could not be found, because God had taken him away." For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.
2Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
Closing Prayer, Father God protector of our faith, strengthen our faith as we pass through this world that we may not be drawn into temptations snare. Strengthen our faith that we may be proper witnesses to a firm faith and a Christian example in our daily life. We pray now for those of our friends and those in our fellowship of believers who need your healing touch_________ We pray for healing for those mentioned here and those still on our hearts, that you will give them strength, and hope and peace to help them in their healing process and sustain their faith in your healing power. Be with us now as we leave this place and help our faith, that we may continue in service to you until we meet again. We pray these things in the name of Jesus Amen
Pg.4
Meditation
Jude's main purpose for writing this epistle is to combat the false teachers who have "crept in" unawares to the church (v. 4). Jude establishes his authority to speak upon the subject of false teachers not by making an appeal to his family relationship with Jesus Christ as one may expect, but instead prefers to appeal to the faith that has been received as his foundation (v. 3). This faith, Jude argues, must be contended for against determined opposition, and it is because of false teachers that Jude feels as though he is compelled to write (v. 3).
Although Jude does not offer to the reader the identities of those who have "crept in," he spares the reader no details regarding the nature of their sin, their motives, their fruit, as well as a description of their final judgment by our Lord when he comes in power. Jude's urging his readers to “contend for the faith” against “certain individuals”, does not necessarily mean the “Gnostics”. Jude does not name them. The issue of who it might be makes no difference in what Jude is saying.
The teaching to be understood is this: A Christian, or group of Christians will normally receive a new convert or a new member into our faith without question. Christians want to be known as peace loving, and supportive. They will exhibit these and other Christian virtues to strangers who come, humbly seeking Christian fellowship and acceptance. Christians welcome the opportunity to help the destitute and the down trodden. These are all things that Jesus taught during His ministry on this earth. Thus for some who are clever and scheming, with unrighteous, ungodly motive, it is an easy task to blend in with the believers and convince them of their need to have whatever evil they are selling.
Remember this, from 1st Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” The devil cannot just come to you and capture your soul, he is looking for the vulnerable soul, the weak and desperate ones who seek after the worlds delights. The Christian, should always be alert and of sober mind. Not given to ease or sloth, nor given to distractions of this world in which Satan delights. The lesson here is for Christians to be on their guard against false teaching and clever individuals who would lead them astray. We cannot be too careful. Jude gave us a very vivid description of the character of these “certain individuals” in the first eleven verses. So we are to contend for the faith which is our salvation, be compassionate yet careful not to allow our faith to waiver. Once the matter becomes known, be merciful and show compassion. We must approach different people in different manners. By being sensitive to their needs and being led by the Holy Spirit, we can know when we should comfort, and when we should rebuke. Christians should not abandon a friend flirting with false teaching. They should help him through it in love. This means we should continue to love them. No matter how bad a person is, or how misleading and terrible their doctrine, we are not to hate them, or to be unconcerned for their salvation. We must have compassion for all. This often means watching over someone, helping them with accountability.
Why did the Archangel Michael not rebuke the devil? What we learn from the illustration Jude used in verse 9, is that Michael did not rebuke the devil when he had every right to do so18 because Michael knew that ultimately it was not his place to do so. For it is the Lord's place to rebuke the devil Rom 12:19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
Then Jude finishes with these verses 21 keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. 22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh............Amen
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