Jude: Man vs Wild

By Jason E. Robertson http://fide-o.blogspot.com

Since the beginning of time (Jude 14-15), the church has had her enemies, but the alarming revelation of Jude's epistle is that the enemy has infiltrated the ranks of the redeemed. Jude says that certain people have crept into the church unnoticed. The enemy now sits in the pews next to us, teaches Bible study classes, and/or influences the weakest among us with their false Christianity. Jude notices that we allow them to participate in the Lord's Table (Jude 12) because we have no idea that they are not of us. So Jude admonishes the church to continuously contend for the faith (Jude 3), facing the "wild at heart" apostates among us with spiritual courage and biblical fortitude.

Jude provides for us a guide to surviving this threat.

First we must RECOGNIZE those who threaten the faith:

• Jude 4 = “ungodly” people = irreverent = Don't take God seriously = Have no fear of God, just like Cain (Jude 11). They know the Bible is true – but don’t respect God enough to submit to it.
• Jude 4 = “sensual” = Self-centered, a “do whatever makes you happy” ethic. Practice hedonism – live for one’s own pleasure rather than God’s. They may be antinomian. They are licentious, turning their Christian liberty into a license to sin. Jude says that they pervert the grace of God into sensuality; they pervert, twist, and misuse the Bible to defend what they do. Jude 8 says that they defile the flesh, and Jude 16 says they follow their own sinful desires. They are very self-centered and selfish.
  
• Jude 4 = rebellious, denying the Master, denying the Lordship of Jesus. Like angels who have left their proper dwelling (Jude 13) these professing Christians deny their "appointed positions," hating to submit to God's rule and authority in their life. This could be evident in their despising of their role in the home and in the church. They despise authority (Jude 8). Like wandering stars (Jude13) they have rebelled against their divinely appointed place and purpose in Creation. Rather than submitting to authority they rely on their dreams (Jude 8), formulating their kind Christianity on figments of their own imagination. In fact, they have the gall to blaspheme angels by assuming authority in areas that even angels find appalling (Jude. 8-9). You may wonder why these people would act in such an unbiblical way. Jude explains that they do not have spiritual minds but rather think like animals (Jude10)
• Jude 16 = "grumblers" = complain about everything
  
• Jude 16 = "malcontents" = constantly dissatisfied; fault finders; blamers
• Jude 19 = "cause divisions" = argumentative because they think they know better than everyone else (in their church and in church history)
• Jude 19 = "worldly people" and "devoid of the Spirit" = not true Christians
• Also see Romans 16:17-18; 2 Timothy 3, Hebrews 12 and 2 Peter 2-3
  

Second we must REMEMBER:

1. The Past (Jude 5-7) = Remember that God judge some of the same people numbered among the Covenant nation of Israel, God judged some who were numbered among holy angels, and God judged Sodom and Gomorrah. Why are Sodomites listed among Israel and angels? Because God is no respecter of persons. There are apostate in all kinds of places, even among those who are outwardly identified with the holy!
2. The Prophecies (Jude 17-18) = The apostles warned us in advance that apostasy will constantly attack the New Covenant Church. So if this stuff catches you by surprise it is your own fault. Wake up and realize there is a spiritual war going on, even within your own church!

Third we must REMAIN on the path of sanctification.

1. Jude 20 = "build yourselves up" = study the God's Word, gaining wisdom and discernment that your faith may be strong.
2. Jude 20 = "pray"
3. Jude 21 = "keep yourselves in the love of God" = obey; abide; don't be a prodigal who leaves the blessings of the Father's realm of love.
4. Jude 21 = Get busy! = "waiting" = this is an action verb that means to wait with great expectancy as if you were preparing your home for a special guest as you waited for their arrival.
   

Fourth we must RESCUE as many apostates as possible. Yes, this rule of survival caught me off guard, too. I thought Jude may instruct us to avoid apostates at all cost. Instead, Jude reveals to us that if the church is going to survive it must engage in this spiritual warfare. We must engage three different kinds of people who are associated with apostasy:

1. Jude 22 = with mercy (kindness, compassion, patience, meekness) try to rescue those who are DOUBTERS who are confused about Christianity.
2. Jude 23 = courageously we should try to snatch from the fire the DABBLERS who are dabbling in apostasy -- playing with the fire! Be careful, such evangelism may cause you to get burned and hurt. But if you are successful, it will be worth all the pain.
3. Jude 23 = with great fear (respect for the danger) and caution we can try to help the DECIEVED heretics that God may providentially have cross our paths. We must be careful not to be influenced by their polluted religion; constantly cleanse yourself by practicing Survival Rule #3.

And finally Jude gives us REASSURANCE that at the end of our lifetime of spiritual warfare we will be rewarded -- because of God's faithfulness to us!

• Jude 24-25 is a doxology that praises God's faithfulness to us.
• Even though this whole letter is about people who fell into apostasy, angels who fell, false teachers that fell, Jude tells us to go out and try to rescue as many of these people as you can. And you need not be a spiritual coward because God is able to protect you and will present you blameless before Him.
• Do you need to know anymore in order to bravely survive this environment of apostasy?

We must face the wild at heart who are numbered among us and never forget that the Battle is the Lord's!