As Jude ends his brief book, he does so with a note of praise. While his message was rather firm and harsh against the false teachers and apostates, his challenge to Christians was beneficial (v.20-21) and needful (v.22-23). In these last two verses, he challenges us to praise God despite apostasy. We ought to praise […]
A rescue is when a brave person helps someone who is in danger and brings them to safety. Stories of heroic rescues are heart-warming. However, Jude tells us of a rescue mission that is even more heroic. Our duty is the rescue of but deceived Christians or religious unbelievers from the grasp of false teachings. […]
In our veggie garden, we have learned that one of the best ways to keep our plants free from disease and pests is to keep them well fed, watered and weeded. When they are healthy, they are able to resist enemies. The same is true for Christians resisting false teachers. We need flourishing relationships with […]
God knows that we are a forgetful people. If we only heard one sermon on the characteristics and descriptions of apostates, before long we would forget and let down our guard. God gave us the book of Jude as part of the Bible so that we would have constant access to Jude’s reminders. Transition As […]
God had Jude write his book to inform Christians in the first century about apostates or false teachers who were sneaking into churches and leading ignorant Christians astray. We remember that Jude’s theme is contending for the faith. Transition In verses 12-15, Jude gives us six descriptions of the first-century apostates that help us identify […]
If I described a four-footed creature about 80 cm tall that eats grass with a coat of wool and says “baa, baa”. What would it be? A sheep! The description of its characteristics identifies it. Jesus said in Matthew 7:15 that false prophets are wolves in sheep’s clothing, so we must examine closely a teacher’s […]
The word “contend” means to compete against. In the first century, it described the fight an athlete had against his opponent. He struggled with great zeal, straining every muscle. The Greek word used here has an intensive prefix. Thus, we read, “earnestly contend”. Transition God commands us to contend for the faith against apostasy. To […]
(2 Timothy 4:3) “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” We see this happening in churches today. Many who once […]