Appendix
Gospel In
Snapshot in Jude This little New Testament writing has only twenty-five verses comprised in one chapter in our English Bibles. It parallels or has similar content to 2 Peter and speaks largely against ‘false teachers’. The apostle Paul warned the Ephesian elders that such difficulty would arise in the Church and that they were to be on guard for this (Acts 20:28-31). These ‘teachers’ were, in the case of Paul’s warning as well as Peter’s and Jude’s, ‘professing believers’ who claimed to be in a covenant relationship with the Lord. For false teaching may exist that claims to be the true religion, as a host of modern cults exhibit (some even espouse to be Christian or have some other biblical reference), yet they exist ‘outside’ the Church. These ‘false teachers’ are those ‘within’ and Jude says they ‘have crept in’ and are those ‘who turn the grace of God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ’ (vs. 4). Hence, beyond the customary introduction (vs. 1-2) the reason for writing pertains to such danger and that those to whom he writes ‘contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints’ (vs. 3-4). Jude makes reference to biblical historical examples of God’s judgment to show why these false teachers are liable to the same. The first example of God delivering a people out of Egypt, ‘subsequently destroyed those who did not believe’ (vs. 5) further supports what we have written previously about ‘the remnant’. Even after God revealed His mercy the majority perished as a result of unbelief. Both Paul and the writer of Hebrews cite this Old Testament judgment as a means of spurring New Testament professing believers to the obedience of faith (1 Cor. 10:1-11; Heb. 3:12-19; Rom. 1:5; 16:26). He then points to those angels who did not keep their own domain and abandoned their proper abode, referencing those who rebelled and are held in judgment until the final judgment (vs.6). Lastly, the well-known and frightful example of Sodom and Gomorrah that ‘indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh are exhibited as an example of undergoing the punishment of eternal fire’ (vs. 7). These judgments Jude cites as analogous to what these false teachers can expect. He further pronounces ‘Woe to them and gives three more bad examples of biblical persons deserving of judgment: Cain who killed his brother, Balaam who was bought to prophecy against Israel and Korah who rebelled against God’s command in the camp of Israel (vs. 11). These too are given as frightful examples of what happened to those who, as J. B Mayor wrote, “… bring about their own destruction, following in the wake of impious Cain, of covetous Balaam, and rebellious Korahâ€.[1] In short, the faithful or those who will prove themselves the ‘remnant’ will heed these warnings. Where vs. 5-16 focus on the false teachers and give analogous people and judgments to warn including the prophecy of Enoch made applicable to them (vs. 14-16), vs. 17-23 exhort those amongst such danger to ‘build themselves up in the faith and pray in the Spirit’ (vs. 20) and ‘keep themselves in the love of God’ (vs. 21). Again Mayor is helpful when he writes, “Do not rest satisfied with the belief that God loves you, but keep yourselves in His love, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ which leads us to eternal lifeâ€.[2] The closing benediction of vs. 24-25 remind all who profess Jesus as Lord that it is Him who is able to keep us from stumbling. Jude has called for believers to keep themselves in the love of God and warned against all impiety and impurity but let us recognize our inability by ourselves to do so and thus let us seek power from on high!
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