Posts: Jude

Jude

“I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation.” (Jude 3). Jude made a small pun to illustrate a point. “Common” was used to describe both that which was shared and that which was unclean. The rescue provided by God was equally accessible by all, a great number of whom were among “the great unwashed.” As Jude continued, he described those who brought complex arguments that bad things were really good to deceive the “common” folks. If it sounds complicated, focus on mercy, peace, and love.

“Contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all time handed down to the saints.” (Jude 3). Earnestly describes the level of effort. But patience and gentleness are still required (2 Timothy 2:24 – 25), not contentiousness. The message was delivered once in its entirety, so this is not an evolutionary revelation. The characteristics of Biblical faith have not changed, still being based on physical evidence, promises from God, confident expectations in both this life and the next, and a compulsion to tell others.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God…” (Jude 20 – 21) The faithful build themselves up not by superior self control but by building their trust in God through evaluating the physical evidence and by reading and acting upon the many promises of God. Communicate with God in the knowledge of the translation help provided by the indwelling Spirit (Romans 8:28 – 27). Stay in tune with the love that same Spirit pours into the hearts of the faithful (Romans 5:5).

[God] “is able to protect you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless with great joy.” (Jude 24). The faithful can rightly be without fear because, if they trust the promises of God, nothing can force or tempt them out of God’s family. Of course, the faithful retain the ability to reject God and walk away, but no outside force is sufficient. The faithful can stand in the presence of God, unlike those who were afraid that they would die in such a circumstance. Redemption has made them blameless. The result is joy.

Jude 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.” In this verse, “common” means “the same for all.” But that was also a figure of speech for “unclean.” Jude injected a bit of humor: the salvation we share that others see as being fit only for the great unwashed.

Jude 6, “The angels not having kept their own domain, but having left their own abode, He keeps in everlasting chains under darkness into the judgment of the great day.” By the time Jude wrote in the late 60’s AD, the angels who had rejected God’s leadership were already locked up, only to be released at Judgment, which would be worse that where they are now. Jude’s point in the context is that God, in addition to being the dispenser of mercy, peace and love for the faithful, has already restrained the rebellious angels until Judgment.

Jude 12 – 13, “These [self-centered church-goers] are hidden reefs in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” Even the first-century church had its bad apples, those enamored of themselves, full of ignorance and transient ideas, spoiling the family atmosphere for all.

Jude 18 – 19, “…that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are worldly persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.” Jude was writing about his own time, just before the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD. Congregations have been repeating the process ever since, always blaming the opposition. Division is caused by worldly church-goers, those who do not have the indwelling Spirit. God has promised that faithful people will find resolution (Philippians 3:15).

Jude 20 – 21, “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” The foundation must be the seven characteristics of Biblical faith. Prayer must employ the editing and delivery tasks of the indwelling Spirit. Reformat thought processes to be about others instead of myself (love). Given the opportunity, Jesus will fix the flaws that hold us back (which is mercy). The objective is to live forever in God’s family.

Jude 22 – 23, “On some have compassion, who are doubting, but on others show mercy with fear, hating even the clothing having been stained by the flesh.” The faithful look out for each other not just physically but also spiritually. On those who develop doubts about their own faith, have compassion rather than treating them as weak or defective. On those who fall prey to the worldly attractions from which they had escaped, jump in and fix the root cause (which is mercy), but be cautious not to fall into the same trap as they did.

Jude 24, “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy…” Many church-goers live in fear of falling away, often because they are fed a steady diet of lamenting their pasts rather than promoting their progress. If the faithful were trusting themselves to remain faithful, they would fail simply because they had become conditioned to it in their pasts. Rather, the faithful should trust God who promises both development of character and limits to temptation.