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Well, good morning. Here we are the book of Jude. I was just mentioning to someone that this is second the last book of the Bible, but my last last book to teach because brother Lewis Brown is Volunteered to teach the book of Revelation and we'll do a little bit of a series when we actually get into that book Starting next week.
So the book of Jude if you would open your Bibles there Again as as usual there's a sheet for you for the class today over on the chair over near the door where you came in. If you don't have one Let's go to the Lord in in prayer and ask his blessings upon our time together father once again, we We just marvel at your goodness to us.
We know that it is you that has given us life and breath and all things physically you sustained us today to Bring us to the house of the Lord. You have spiritually sustained us. Also, we're grateful that that we can seek you and that you can be found and Lord that you deliver us and you keep on delivering us and you help us spiritually and when it comes to the battles when it comes to the struggles when it comes to even as this book would would present to us the infiltration into the church of those that would cause to disrupt to disrupt and corrupt and To lead souls astray.
The you are the one has the end of this book says that is the one who is great and powerful. And able to keep us from stumbling from falling into this era. We come to you. We ask that you'd please bless us.
May this may this be a profitable time for us as we consider What it is that we ought to be vigilant about watching and being careful of and yet also. So thankful and so grateful for the salvation That has come to us through Jesus Christ your son and all that that means that common salvation.
Which Jude began to write about bless us. We pray in Jesus precious name. Amen. The book of Jude on the paper that I've handed out it has as. The theme at the top the profile of an apostate or in apostate or in the parentheses a warning concerning false teachers and Jude presents a warning shout.
Although he wanted to maybe comfort the Saints. And he does a bit at the beginning of the book and at the end of this book this short book one one chapter. The idea is is not to comfort but to rally the troops.
So to speak to put out the shout to put out the alarm that that there is something that is quite dangerous. Something that attacked in attacking the church and we ought to be aware of it and it's from within.
You'll remember that when we were studying the book of Peter. The idea there was that Peter said that these false teachers were coming and in Jude. We see that in fact, they have already come and they've infiltrated the church.
They're in the church and we'll and we'll get there. Jude was the second half brother of Jesus to write a New Testament book. Does anybody remember the other one who was the other half brother of Christ that wrote a New Testament book.
Carl in the back? James the other half brother there were. How many brothers were there as we see in Mark 6 3. There were four there and two of them God. A Privilege to be able to write a New Testament letter about 68 or 70 ad.
He lived in the time, of course at this time in the history of the church severe political pressure from Rome and that. That pressure and that onslaught from from without but also what we're gonna see in this book here is that there is this now?
Infiltration there is those that are among us and you can see that in verse 4 Jude 1 verse 4 for there are certain men Crept in unnoticed or crept in unaware. So it tells us that they are in they are in the church and I don't know where I got it.
I was just commenting this to Pastor Mike and a second title that you could or a way that you could kind of look at this Catchy title would be creepers. The ones that have crept in creepers are creepy and they are and it's.
It's a devastating thing. So this this letter of Jude is harsh. It's cutting. It's strong because Sin is harsh and it's devastating and it's and it's ruthless and false teaching corrupts minds and it damn souls and that's why Jude Takes up the arms and it's in right.
I'm not going to look at the sheet too much for your study. I got so much to tell him Deb on the way and I have a thousand things in my mind. But what I'd like to cover and you think it's only one chapter, you know, it's a piece of cake.
Just get through it, but it just it doesn't matter if it's 30 chapters or one chapter. There's just so much to cover in any book and and this one is I believe is a relevant book for us today because in The very beginning as he opens up Jude the servant of Jesus Christ verse 1 the brother of James and there it is.
He tells who he is. To them that are sanctified by God the Father and preserved or kept in Jesus Christ and called. Now, I know he's writing to a specific group of people. We don't really know who it is.
But the Word of God is profitable to all of us and to all of us who are called. To all of us who are kept or preserved in Jesus Christ and to all of us who are sanctified or your translation might say Beloved or we're the ones that are set apart and God has said his love upon us and we're the special people of God.
There is a relevance for this book for us today. It's very very very important to us and I I think the only. The only thing I want to bring out on the sheet is in the background and setting the very the second paragraph.
About the very last sentence in there right after where it says Christianity was thought to be extremely vulnerable. Notice this phrase here and this kind of just puts it all together. It just summarizes what this book is about.
It's the second the last sentence thus Jude Called the church to fight in the midst of intense spiritual warfare for the truth this epistle condemns the practices of heretical teachers in the church and counsels the readers to stand firm ground in their faith.
Grow in their faith and contend for the truth. So for us to stand firm to grow in our faith and to contend for the truth. So let's uh, let's take a look at the book. There's just so much so much here to see Peter again said they were coming and Jude says they they are here Jude the servant of Jesus Christ the brother of James to them that are sanctified By God the Father and preserved or kept in Jesus Christ and called mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied.
I mean doesn't it just kind of open up and it reminds me of times when I've I've counseled brothers and sisters in Christ, they've come they've come to me with with An issue and you may have done this also and you think that the issue that you're going to be dealing with it maybe you've got a heads up in a phone call or a Conversation, you know personally one-on-one or in an email that you think that you're going to be talking about one subject.
And then as the conversation goes on and more Details are revealed all of a sudden this this red flag so to speak just raises up within your spirit and there's this this idea that this other issue isn't what's important and This is what needs to be targeted.
This is what we need to focus on and Jude opens up the opens up the book and he tells he's of course Telling who he is at the beginning Brother James and he's writing who his who his audience is and he's talking about how mercy You know his desire for them is to have mercy and peace and love made that be multiplied and then he goes on in verse 3 and he and he Gives the intent of what he began to write about he says beloved.
When I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation. It was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith Which was once delivered unto the Saints so what he's saying here is that What his desire was and in what he wanted to do at first his he wanted to make every effort to write about common salvation.
About what it meant what it means to be identified with Jesus Christ what salvation is. So it was going to be it was going to be kind of like a an encouraging It was going to be kind of like an exhort exhortation of of the things of God the fellowship that we have one with another.
Since we are all partakers of the divine nature. He was going to Get into this From from what what you can see in this verse. He's he was going to go off in and launch in that way and it was kind of it was going to kind of be like an uplifting challenging encouraging letter.
But then he says it was needful. It was necessary. It's okay at times to be to be you know rally the rally the troops positively, you know as far as. And to remind us and to have our memories stirred about the things of God and how great it is a great of a Savior that we have and how great of a salvation that that has come to great sinners and the great fellowship that We have and the great privileges that we have and the great promises that we have when it comes to salvation but he says It's necessary.
It's needful for me to Change what it was that I was going to bring because there's something going on. I want to encourage you and I appeal to you. I exhort you. He says that you should earnestly contend for the faith.
And this word contend in the Greek has the idea in a root word. It has the word our English word agonize in it. It has the idea of a contest a fighter earnestly doing this in the verb tenses that it's to be continual.
It's not just a one-time thing that you should earnestly contend for the faith because if you look at the first word in verse 4 for because of something and we'll get into that but his His his desire is is to put out the call.
It's to blow the trumpet. This there's a problem. There's something going on and we're going to see that it is a it is a serious thing. There's an infiltration That has come to the to the church in their day and of course today The same thing could happen.
Could it not I mean someone could Creep in as it says there in verse 4 unaware with With a with a facade that they've come With with a desire to be good and to be helpful in the church to teach. Possibly in this day what had taken place was is that maybe they presented themselves as itinerant preachers you know coming as they were going around the circuit like like was Necessary back back at that time.
Maybe that was what how they how they came in and presented themselves this way and Jude says there is an issue here because the church Of course The honor of the Lord is at stake the health of the church is at stake and the souls of those that are that are in the church Certainly are at stake not only their eternal destiny, but also the life.
That they would be living based upon what they're hearing From these men so he wants them to contend for the faith this this faith here is means the whole body of Salvation truth, which is revealed by the Holy Spirit are contained in the scriptures.
It's everything there there is to know. It's the it's the the body of truth of what what it is that we believe that God the Holy Spirit has revealed through the writers to us which is Which is at stake in which needs to be guarded which needs to be protected which needs to be fought for which needs to be contended for and I Just came to my mind when it I've I've heard you know that we are to contend for the faith.
But remember as as we contend for the faith, we don't want to be like these people. We don't want to be contentious as we contend for the faith. We want to contend with the right attitude. We want to we want to refute truth.
We want to and how is it that what is the best way? For us to be able to contend for the faith what is essential what is foundational what what must we have? Other than common salvation to be a believer, what is it that we must have if we're going to contend for the faith?
Is that a hand? We don't know it. We need to know what the truth is in order to diligently earnestly fervently Contend for it to act, you know to with with an with an agonizing with a fighting with a with this earnestness to.
To stand up for and to contend for the faith and it says which was once delivered unto the Saints. This is no new thing and there's no new revelation going on. You remember that in the Great Commission Jesus said that when you go and you make disciples you're supposed to teach them.
What whatever comes to your mind? Whatever happens After you get into your you know as pastor Mike taught a couple of weeks ago. Your mystical prayer type of life and whatever kind of flashes through your mind.
No Jesus said and I believe Matthew 28 20 said teach them all things that I've given to you basically is what he said nothing new. It's what it is that came from the Lord in Acts chapter 2 in verse 42.
You'll remember that they were supposed to the dually church. The characteristic was is that they were to to uphold and to teach they were teaching the Apostles doctrine. Not these foundational truths things that had already been settled.
I think of the the psalm thy word O Lord is settled in heaven. And of course what we have for truth and what we have. For doctrine what we have for the faith that's once delivered to the Saints is contained in the Word of God.
Nothing extra biblical. It's it's it's what we have in the scriptures and the scriptures are finalized. We have the canon. It's all here in these 66 books that we have and this is what we would. Would this is what we need to know in order to contend for it.
I was thinking this morning. I forgot to do it, but I was going to bring the Confession of faith the 1689 to which we hold to and if you ever get if you don't have a copy of that. Please come to to me and I'll find one for you.
It's not what we it's not what we would hold up as say this is it and that's all it's not it. This is it. Okay. The Bible is it what it does is it summarizes and it puts together all of the comment it puts together the faith that Jude is talking about here when it comes to salvation when it comes to the calling when it comes to the the election of God justification the doctrine redemption and When it comes to eternal life and the security of the believer in the church and the ordinances.
It lays it all out for you and puts all the scriptures there. Which is which is very nice and if you haven't taken one of those and maybe periodically just gone through it. And it's a very very helpful tool.
It's a tool but it it isn't what we're going to die for we die for the scriptures if that is contained in the scriptures and certainly we die for it we fight for it and It's just important for us and what's?
What's troubling sometimes today is That where did I where did I hear this? Oh, it was uh, and this is no. Not for any side or anything, you know, I I'm not swaying you to vote any in any particular way but I heard this week that they were canvassing those who had Grabbed on to and said I believe that in the presidential election this person is my candidate and so they went to that crowd who were proponents of that candidate and They said name one thing that that person has done and you probably heard this in the news and the person can come up in anything and I mean, it's it's kind of strange I think if you're gonna, you know vote for this person.
You at least know some some of their background and when it comes to the truth the faith once delivered to the Saints you go up to a person who is a professed believer in Jesus Christ God has saved me.
I'm a changed person and ask basic questions about salvation and There is no answer that just means that that person has not been diligent in in their study or and I'm not saying you have to be a theologian but but even maybe there's just a shirking of of just the The duty that we have on a on a day-to-day basis to read the Word of God and to meditate on the Word of God and to pray about particular phrases in the or words or study.
So we know what it means so that we will have as Peter said when we studied back there an answer to give to every Man that asks the hope of the reason of the hope that's within us question. Yeah, a little scary troubling.
But Jude says and I think it's very important for us that we are to contend for the faith once delivered once given once handed over. To the Saints he says for this reason in verse 4 for there are certain men crept in unawares or unnoticed.
And that is the that is the switch here. That is the the the change as from what we've heard before it was hinted to before. That they could be among us that they are coming and that you might see them.
But here it's it's a fact that they've arrived and they're in the they're in the church Infiltrating corrupting and it says of them in verse 4 that we have the description of them. Jude says here's the defense of the faith, but now he's going to give a description of these men Who have crept in it says who were before of old?
Ordained to this condemnation they were Marked out and it was true That it was written of old that these times would come you remember in in Timothy in the last days perilous time shall come and Peter did the same thing in the last days when it's foretelling of of those who will who will come and there will be false teachers and here's their description in This verse it says they are ungodly men they turn the grace of our God into licentiousness or liberty or lasciviousness and They deny the only Lord God and the Lord Jesus Christ three three characteristics here.
They are ungodly. Isn't that I mean? If it comes to any word that that Describes something that is totally opposed to God. Isn't that the word? Ungodly and is a there's a particular verse in here notice When it comes about when Jude starts dealing with as he denounces them and he tells of their future judgment.
Notice what it says that that is going coming their way in verse 15. This is the this is the prophecy of Enoch in Verse 14 the seventh from Adam. He prophesied these saying behold the Lord shall come with ten thousands of his saints and here We have some revelation That was not made known in the book of Genesis.
Concerning Enoch the seventh from Adam that the Holy Spirit desired Jude to write in here that way back then it was prophesied that Jesus Christ would come and Return in judgment and what he when he does in verse 15 He will execute judgment upon all and notice the description here.
It's so clear and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds Which they have ungodly committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken Against him.
There's no doubt about it that these are enemies of God these are those that are opposed to God and not only in what they teach and in how they live because we'll see that as We as we go on in verse 4.
It says they turn the grace of God into This Liberty this this licentiousness. Paul got it straight when he talked about this in Galatians 5 13. He he he there said that don't use the Liberty that you have in Christ as an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another that's the way it's supposed to be when and what he's talking about it and what these teachers are doing and basically the teaching that they come from is is Gnosticism which is Which in which they believe that matter is?
Evil spirit is good because flesh is evil. Jesus Christ wasn't truly a man. He only appeared as a man. They they accepted his deity not as humanity. They had arrived. They've gotten some special Enlightenment some some special teaching and because they're of the special elite group.
They are not constrained by moral law and they can live any way that they want to live. They believe that they have the right To live as they please because they're on a different plane than everybody else in here and through this this book Jew just blast them and he just peels back the layers and just tell it shows you exactly What they're like and what their heart is like what their motives are like and he says here that they turn God's grace God's grace.
Which as it says in the book of Titus? It's God's grace that teaches us to deny ungodliness. It is 2 11 and 12 the grace of God which has appeared to all men teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly and righteously and godly in this present World, but they say that the grace of God that they have received this new revelation this teaching that they have Something that they've that they purport because they come in the name of God.
They come as as professing believers. They come they come as as I think what may have happened this itinerant preachers to come into the church to teach to help and yet They're unbridled. No self-control.
They live as they please and it says here and more than anything they deny the only Lord God they deny The Lord Jesus Christ a denial of flat-out denial of Christ and what you does notice what he does in verse 5.
He says I will therefore put you in remembrance. He said I want I want to do just a little bit of a historical review. I want you to see what happened to people who were ungodly who rebelled against God or Rebelled against God's authority or rebelled against God's teaching.
I want you to know what happens to anybody who opposes God the truth God's truth or God himself. This is what takes place. Remember this. Though once you knew this how that the Lord having saved the people out of the land of Egypt Afterward destroyed them that did not believe what took place there.
What's that talking about? God delivers people out of Egypt, but then what happened when they were brought out of that slavery what took place. I heard rebellion. They rebelled in the desert and what did God do?
Judge them and wiped out. Generation the older generations right 20 above 20. Those are the ones they've gone because remember the spies went in and they didn't believe and we're grasshoppers. We can't overtake the land.
God promised it to us, you know. And and you had two that were that were in there like with the heart of Jude, right? Joshua and Caleb we can do this. God is for us. Let's go the other say no and they did not believe and God wipes them out verse 6.
That's just one example Israel in the wilderness verse 6 and the angels which kept and this is related to these apostates. This is this is speaking to them. This is what's going to happen to them. That's what Judah's saying.
Remember this. This is how God deals with those and God deals severely and God deals harshly with those and God judges those who oppose him and go against the truth of God in Verse 6 and the angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation.
He hath reserved and everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of that great day. Of course, those are the angels that with Satan rebelled and were fallen right? That's that's an example. There's no second chance.
It's done. It's over. They're fallen and that's their condemnation forever and particularly with With angels and God's purpose and plan there is absolutely no plan of salvation for them. Thankfully. Thankfully.
Thankfully God has been merciful to us because in Adam and Eve sin and that and death passed upon all men that all have sinned. It says in Romans 5 it could have been that there was no plan of salvation.
No remedy. No hope no Savior for us. But we are the ones as Jude said and you'll see this contrast. This is the apostates but you. These are those that rebel against God, but this is your state. This is what God has done for you.
Remember this. It's so important for you to remember this verse 7 even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them in like manner giving Themselves over to fornication or to to gross immorality and going after strange flesh.
There's this twistedness. There's this perversion against God's order when it comes to to physical relationships. They are set forth as an example notice that word there. It reminds me of I think in 1st Corinthians 10 Where Paul writes to the church and he says that those things written in before time above Israel in the wilderness.
We're written for our example for a warning for us so that we don't go that way so that we that we make sure that We guard and mark our steps and our thinking there as an example suffering the vengeance of Eternal fire you'll notice in verse 5 the word destroyed.
Verse 6 judgment verse 7 fire, and I just did that this morning I'm sure that as we go through the other ones you see them, but of course Sodom and Gomorrah a pit of immorality just the Horrible horrible twisting of what God had intended to be right and to be proper and to be undefiled.
They change it and we see that they are judged verse 8 likewise. Also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh despise dominion and speak evil of of Dignities and you notice how Jude says here's what happened to them in the Old Testament likewise these Those in the Old Testament rebelled those in the Old Testament Lived in this gross immorality.
They these in the Old Testament did not believe these in the Old Testament Exalted themselves above God or tried to get above the authority of God and above the wisdom of God is as the angels did and They of course were judged and it's same thing is going to happen to these Filthy dreamers he says who defiled the flesh or they have they have no moral restraints.
That's what he's saying here. These are their characteristics as he starts going on not only it will they be judged, but this is what they're like and they they speak. Well, they're they're filthy dreamers who defile the flesh I said they have no moral constraints and they pollute even their own bodies.
And then in verse 9 we have this verse about Michael the Archangel. This is the only mention in the Bible of this instance where it says he contended with the devil. He disputed about the body of Moses.
He does not bring or just not bring against him a railing accusation. But said the Lord rebuked thee as he's talking about these people in their characteristics. He said even Michael the Archangel who had commission from the Lord and it's and I haven't studied this fully out but it's it appears as if Michael had something to do with the burial of Moses in the Old Testament and at that time there is this can there's this of contention against Satan and Even then when he had the right to when he had when he had a commission from God.
I'm talking about Michael the Archangel where he could have just blasted Satan's. I've been sent here by God. He doesn't bring any railing accusation. But these apostates who come in their own name who are self-commissioned men.
They are they are not men of God. They are men of this world. They are sensual. They are devilish their teaching is such what do they do verse 10 they speak evil of those things which they know not. They don't even know what they're talking about and they speak evil against it and other people it says but they but what they know.
Naturally as brute beasts in those things they corrupt themselves creepy, isn't it? I mean if you think about I mean just this this this position and what is what is what is Jude say? Well Let's just you know, love everybody.
Let's just tolerate everything. I mean, you know, they I mean they're coming in the name of the Lord, right? I mean they open up the Bible right they use they use the Bible. We got to be careful how? Some people who open the Bible and use the Bible what we need to do is test scripture with scripture.
Don't we and in context and making sure that where they're not making the scriptures Fit what it is that they've got as far as their agenda this big huge poisonous hypodermic needle full of Venom that can can devastate a church can devastate a life and of course damn a soul.
What does you do? He doesn't tolerate this. This whole thing is a is a battle cry. I remember I remember one time I was in Fort Dix, New Jersey and basic training and We were sleeping. Heard noise bunch of noise.
Somebody was yelling downstairs. We had a two-tiered barracks and I ran down there. And there's this guy laying in bed and there's blood everywhere and was like, how do you lay in bed? I mean, what did he do?
Did he cut himself? I mean what somebody beat him up and throw him back in the in the bed. But what he was prone to just these really devastating nosebleeds and blood was everywhere and he was frantic because he didn't know what was Happening and what and everybody's just standing around.
Like this, you know, what do you do? And so all I could think of was sound the cry 9 -1 -1 and I went to the nearest phone that I could and there was A red sticker on it and said dial this for for the ambulance and I just dialed it and you know within a few minutes The ambulance came to help take care of him other guys had already put stuff on his face to help him out and try to Settle them down, but it wasn't like oh Yeah, if I went to him would it be just okay, you're gonna you're gonna be all right.
Don't don't yeah. That's fine. You don't know there was a there was a need for a cry. That's a poor illustration because I know I I was trying to think of other ones. But hasn't there ever been a time when you're when you're dealing with somebody and as I said from the very beginning.
And you think that the issue that you're going to be talking about or the issue in their life is this little minor thing. And all of a sudden as the conversation goes on you begin to think in your eyes and your heart opens and you see that there there is something that is is drastic and it's Serious and it needs to be nipped in the bud and needs to be dealt with right away and Jude says in verse 11 Woe to them Woe unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain Murdering their brother and that's the idea you have and they come in they infiltrate into the church and what in their in their whole motive with this false pretense that they have this This shield this this face this facade that there they've come in the name of the Lord and all is going to be well and listen To me what I what I have to say.
They've come in To kill and to steal and to destroy who's that a description of? Satan John chapter 10, right? He's come to kill steal and destroy and they've gone in the way of Cain and they've run Greedily after the era of Balaam for reward.
They're in it for the money Greedy and they and perished in the gain saying of Cora, you remember pastor. I think pastor Mike just talked about that just a little while ago. What did Cora do he and those around him Said Aaron and as far as the priesthood are you the only ones that can represent God?
Are you the only ones that can do this this work and they rebelled against Aaron and against Moses and Moses set up the the the proposition that if what you're doing is Wrong let something new be done here and let the earth be opened up and let Cora and all those that have gone with him be Swallowed and it happened and again We're hearing about this is the the judgment that is going to be coming to those who believe this is the that verse there Kind of ties back to the other verses that we looked at with the different example like Israel was judged the angels were judged Sodom was judged was not Cain judged as he was as he was banished and as he was marked.
He was and we also have Balaam and we also have Cora who were judged. Then he goes back kind of in the description of these men. They are spots in your feasts of charity or your your translation might say they are hidden reefs and They are they are rock ledges underneath the sea and if your boat your life your church goes that way It is doomed to be shipwrecked.
That's what they're like there. But notice there. They're not icebergs sticking up So that everybody can see but they're hidden reefs. There's this subtlety. There's this this hidden agenda. They they propose to be good and they come with this pretense that that if you listen to them all is going to be well.
But they're hidden reefs ready to shipwreck any anybody. They and it notice in that verse also it goes along with verse 4 where they have crept in. In verse 12, it says these are spots or hidden reefs.
In your feasts of charity and your love feast fellowships within the church. They are there and this word can also mean spots. It can also mean stains. Uh, they are just dirty spots uh on your On the garments of the church and they it ought not to be so be careful and and watch out for this type of infiltration.
It says notice it says feeding themselves. They only care for themselves. It's kind of the idea of the idea of what a shepherd does what a pastor does the word there the feeding. But they're feeding not the people they're feeding themselves.
They're in it in it for themselves. Without fear clouds without water carried about with winds without winds carried about of winds trees without fruit. Twice dead plucked up raging waves of the sea foaming up their shame wandering stars to whom reserve the blackness of darkness forever.
And in those verses there all we see is that their ministry is empty they promise. Like you would see a you would see a cloud. And if it was a drought and if you're They're in a church and you want to be taught you want to be refreshed by the word of god.
Here comes this cloud. These apostates but there's nothing for you. It's empty. They make all of these swelling promises. You will if you listen to me, you'll you'll have spiritual life. You'll have spiritual nourishment, but it leaves you famished and famine.
There's there's there's nothing there for you. It's all empty. There's no fruit in their ministry and they're wandering stars or they're just a flashing a flash in the pan. Just a momentary brilliance there goes the comet goes by.
And that's it and that's that's their lives. It's just it's just nothing. It's there's no consistency. But the person that jude would have us to be is one who stays in the trenches. Who stays faithful to the word of god as p as?
Paul wrote to timothy you remember when I talked about how jesus Said teach them what i've taught you and in acts chapter 2. It was what the apostle. The apostle's doctrine was important and paul wrote in in second timothy.
I believe in chapter 2. He says the things that I have taught you you find faithful men and teach them so that they can teach other people. It's there's nothing new here and it's it's something that should be propagated.
These men don't do that. They come up with their own opinion. They come up with their their own system of teaching for their own pleasure and it's just nothing but Uh trouble for the church and again, I won't go into it.
But uh enoch's prophecy here concerning the coming of the lord. They're going to be judged verse 16. These people are murmurs or grumblers. They're fault finders. They're complainers. They they walk about in their own lusts or they're again morally impure.
They have great proud swelling words. Having men's persons in admiration because of advantage it's all for game but then Jude makes a switch here and he says but beloved. And the whole thing is is. You are not this way.
And you need to be careful as you contend for the faith. He says but beloved remember the words which were spoken before the apostles of the lord. Jesus christ and he says do not listen to men. Do not listen to their false teaching do not put any stake in what they dream up.
But what's sure? What is it that's constant? What is it that's settled? What is it that we live and die for? It's the word of the apostles. It's the very word of god and I believe if you notice here He says to remember the word of the apostles how they told you.
There should be markers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodliness. I mean ungodly lust. That's a a quote from second peter 3 3. That's from the apostle peter. Jude is equating to the apostle peter or to peter that he is an apostle with the word of god.
And that's what we ought to listen to but and um. And again, there's another. Um. He kind of goes back in verse 18. He says how uh, I mean in verse 19. He says these be they who separate themselves or.
They're the ones that cause divisions and they're sensual or they're worldly minded and they do not have the spirit it's very clear and then. As I finish up. What jude did at the beginning was remember I talked about how he wanted to exhort and he wanted to encourage.
And uh about the common salvation the fellowship and all the good things and just kind of have this great, you know, um. Rehearsal and maybe kind of like uh going along with the hymn, you know. Count your many blessings name them one by one and it will surprise you what the lord has done.
But then he finds out about this thing and it's and it's onward christian soldiers marching after war the the hymn changes. But now at the end of the book he comes back. To encourage and to teach them.
What's the remedy? What is it that we as the church ought to do? In the in the face of apostasy those who would come in and do that He says but beloved building up yourselves in your most holy faith praying in the holy ghost keep yourselves in the love of god.
Looking for the mercy of our lord. Jesus christ unto eternal life and the key verb here is keep yourselves. Guard yourselves stay in the place of obedience stay there. And the way that you keep yourselves the way that the the greek construction is here as I understand it.
Is that's the key verb and the way that you do that is by building yourselves in the up in the most holy faith. By praying in the holy spirit and by looking for the mercy of the lord. Jesus christ be vigilant.
We see this in peter. He does the same thing be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil walks about as a roaring line first peter 5 um in verse 7. And then he he kind of he talks about. Um, not only staying in the trenches and staying faithful and building yourself up.
But he then says what do you do with those that are in the church that may have been influenced by these teachings of the apostates. And he says in verse 22 and of some have compassion. These are the people that may have um fallen victim.
To the teaching of these apostates have pity upon them be merciful to them. Maybe it was maybe it is that they just were swayed and they were just taken aside. But but have compassion have pity upon them make a difference in their lives and then he says others.
There's a different group. Maybe these are the ones that were really committed to the teaching. And they need a little bit of a sterner and a little more forceful of an admonition to flee away from these Teachings save them with fear pulling them out of the fire.
You see they're kind of a little bit more entrapped by it. But when you do that Hating even the garment spotted by the flesh be careful not to get sucked in um to this. To this teaching as you hear it.
Just guard yourself be careful. Paul does the same admonition in galatians chapter 6 when he talks to him about Helping those who have have Difficulties and then at the very end. There's this great doxology.
So not only do these apostates come in here's the characteristics. They're going to be judged. This is what you want to do as as believers for remedy in the church. Just to bolster to keep keep on keeping on help those that are in the group that that may have been swayed.
But more than anything remember this that In the midst of the presence of apostasy even in the church. God is able to keep you from falling. God is able to keep you from falling or it says here the word in the greek means to stumble as like a horse.
Stumbling and what could you stumble into? There may be some concern what happens if I was to stumble into this apostasy this apostate teaching and be Attempted to go to go aside in it and be caught up in it.
And jude says don't be concerned. Here's the exhortation again. And here's his here's just a great admonition that in the light of the context here when it comes to apostates uh infiltrating the church god can.
And god will and god is able to keep you from falling and not only to keep you from falling in this life. Into this uh to be to be um carried about with all wind of doctrine as it says I believe in ephesians.
But it says he can present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. God is able. I remember one time in san antonio, texas one of the brothers in the church. It's just one of those memories that you have when somebody's teaching or preaching.
And he said god is able to take his children and carry them and to take care of them all. Through his life all through their lives. The preservation of god and then he's able to take them and to present them.
And before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy christ's joy and our joy too mixed with all of that. But god is able. As peter put it we are kept by the power of god through faith in jesus christ.
And don't be concerned. But you you be concerned about the things you should be concerned about. And god is able To preserve you. God is able to keep you and then he says at the very end here to the only wise god.
Our savior and of course, it's all to be attributed to god. I mean jude then blurts out at the end here. You've heard pastor mike say this that in then in the greek, it's just this staccato. It's just this machine gun.
Glory majesty dominion authority. I mean, it's almost like you know. It's uh, when paul gets caught up at different times, he would do the same thing. It's just it's just doxology it is this these words of of praise dox in in the in the greek is is glory and Logos is is words and it's these words of praise doxology unto the lord because brethren.
It is not by our might that we were. We're saved not by our ability that we're saved and it's not by our might nor ability that we're kept. We're kept by the strong hand underneath of the everlasting arms, isn't that a comfort?
And paul and jude kind of bookends all that he said in the middle of this whole stirring up contend this Battle cry in this warning shout and he kind of bookends it with you know, you're called. You're the ones that are set apart for god.
You're the you're the ones that that are sanctified and yet you're the ones also that god is able to keep in one day. He's going to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
Don't worry. You're not going to stumble. God is going to take care of you. He is going to be faithful to you and he's going to bring you all the way through. Will you be tempted? Yes, but god is able even in that to give a way of escape.
As it says in corinthians any question or yes, peggy. They don't tip their hand and they don't you know What peggy was said it seems like they've crept in unawares and you would say think with the description.
That you'd be able to pick them out. That's exactly why jude wrote the book. So that we know we can pick them out because some people they might come in with these flattering words and these great motives.
And you don't really see it and you have to have a discernment. To look behind what they're saying and live. Do they live and see do they live what they're teaching? Does their walk match their talk and many times in today in christianity today anything goes?
It doesn't matter the guy's teaching. Oh, yeah. He's got a bible and he's opened it and let's let him rip and the pulpit is wide open for anybody. To teach from and that's why we believe as an elder board is leadership.
That is crucial to to to guard the pulpit and the teaching in the church lewis. The hidden the hidden part the reef what they teach and and it could be 99 .99 percent truth and that 0 .01 or whatever it is, uh of arsenic.
It's going to kill you. And it's going to devastate the church and um. And and we is is the book relevant for us. Of course it is. Isn't it to be on guard and aren't you thankful that ultimately though in the end of the book?
It's god who's going to protect us. It's the lord that's going to watch over us. He's going to give us the wisdom the discernment to see these People maybe that infiltrate the church and to be careful and so don't uh, don't be too harsh um.
When when you see other believers maybe or you can see leadership in the church who take a stand. And take a hard stand and take a firm stand. Against things there's a reason for it and it's for the protection and the safety and the well-being and the health Of the church and ultimately it's for the glory of god for the name of jesus christ.
It's for the sake of the honor of our great god and king. Let's pray Father, we read the end of this book and we are so grateful that you are the one who has not only delivered us. And yet you keep on delivering us from our sin and from the onslaught of satan from self and yet The word of god here says that you are able to keep us from stumbling and falling Into these ways and into these pernicious truths and paths this ungodliness.
Because you desire as we have seen all through the book The bible as we've been studying it in this series. You have desired to redeem a people for your very namesake. And those people you desire to make them holy.
To make them pursuers of god. Seeking after the lord to be used as the children of israel were were desiring as moses went before pharaoh. To let god's people go so that they could worship god properly.
You've taken us out of egypt and we've seen it all through the scriptures all the The theme of the redemption of mankind and your dealings with with your people. So that you would have a people for your very own namesake.
And we're thankful that we see it even as we come to the conclusion of the word of god. That it is still true. It's still your desire to preserve. And to present one day faultless Your special bride your lovely and dear children.
And we're thankful that we're recipients of your grace. And that we can say to the only wise god our savior be glory majesty dominion and power both now and ever.