Read with Me
Jude 17-23 (HCSB)
But you, dear friends, remember what was predicted by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; they told you, “In the end time there will be scoffers walking according to their own ungodly desires.” These people create divisions and are unbelievers, not having the Spirit.
But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, expecting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. Have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; have mercy on others but with fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
Listen with Me
So far, Jude’s letter has been pretty dark, with soul-threatening dangers being depicted in every corner of the Church. Now, as he closes his letter, he strikes a more positive tone.
Jude’s point is that none of what is going on in the Church was unforeseen. Jesus had predicted that wolves in sheep’s clothing would infiltrate the Church (Matthew 7:15-20), and if possible, would try to lead God’s people astray (Mark 13:22). And the apostles had passed on those warnings. Jude simply points to the gnostic heretics and says, “These are the men you were warned about!”
The correct defense against these people, the only effective defense, is for the Christians to focus on the sure teachings passed on to them by the Scriptures, and by the words of Jesus. To that end, Jude urges his readers to build themselves up in the faith, keeping themselves grounded in what is true, not what is trendy. They are to pray in the Holy Spirit. This is not about speaking in tongues or anything mysterious. It simply means that they are to keep the communication with God open and flowing by allowing the Holy Spirit to lead their prayers.
They are also to hear keep themselves in God’s love their whole lives. This also is not mysterious. It is a simple matter of living in obedience to Jesus’ commands. As He Himself said, “If you keep My commands you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is My command: Love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, that someone would lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you.” (John 15:10-14). This contrasts completely with the gnostic idea that true spiritual freedom means that you don’t have to obey, but that you can do whatever you want and God will be fine with that.
Finally, Jude helps his readers to understand how to help their brothers and sisters who have been led astray by these false teachers, or who are at best confused about what they should believe. His answer is love.
For those who are now doubting what they were taught initially, that love should be demonstrated as mercy, not writing them off and shunning them, but coming alongside them to guide them back into the correct path.
For those who have begun to believe the false philosophy and who are wandering into sinful actions, more drastic action is needed. They must be powerfully confronted with the truth and snatched from the fire before they are eternally lost.
And for those who have entirely bought into the false teaching, they are to be shown mercy so that the door remains open for a return to the true faith. But in these cases, caution must be used, lest the these people, enthusiastic converts to a new way of thinking, drag us into what they now believe and profess so strongly.
Pray with Me
Father, much of this kind of thinking has infiltrated into your Church today, with many claiming to have found a new freedom from what they call “legalism”, but which is really simple obedience to Jesus’ clear commandments. And they claim to have found a truth that goes beyond the Scriptures, and often contradicts what Jesus and your apostles have taught, adapting and modifying your clear teachings because “times are different”, or “people are different”, or even, “we know more than they did back then”. But Jude’s letter clearly shows that times really aren’t different, and neither are people. We are still falling for the same errors that people did back then, and the same solutions are the right solutions for today. Thank you, Lord for helping me to see clearly today. Amen.