Christ Church Wednesday Bible Study Group is studying the book of Jude as a continuation of our study in 2 Peter warning against false teachers and false doctrine infiltrating the church.
Jude, is a powerful and urgent message that deserves our attention. Written by Jude, a half-brother of Jesus, this short letter is a fiery call to believers to contend for the faith against false teachers and heretics who were infiltrating the early church.
Jude's epistle serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of spiritual complacency and the importance of vigilance in maintaining our Christian convictions. Through vivid imagery and powerful warnings, he urges believers to stand firm against those who would undermine the truth of the gospel.
In this Bible study, we will delve into the key themes and messages of the Book of Jude. We will explore the nature of the false teachers, the warning signs of their destructive influence, and the practical steps believers can take to resist their teachings. By understanding the context and content of this epistle, we can gain valuable insights into how to navigate the challenges of our own spiritual journeys and remain steadfast in our faith.
Let us embark on this journey together, seeking to understand and apply the timeless truths found in the Epistle of Jude.
We are using for our study Be Alert (2 Peter, 2 & 3 John, Jude): Beware of the Religious Impostors
Now, we shouldn’t unnecessarily offend family members with our witness. Sometimes this happens, especially with believers who are very new in the faith. They lack something called tact, and they’re persecuted not because of their faith but because they’re obnoxious.
Jude 1:3-4 NIV [3] Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. [4] For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
The first thing he does is to describe and identify them.
They were ungodly they might have “a form of godliness,” but they lacked the force of godliness that lives in the true Christian
They were deceitful (v. 4c). They “crept in unawares.” The Greek word means “to slip in secretly, to steal in undercover.” In other words they were wolves in sheep's clothing.
They were enemies of God’s grace . Why did they enter the churches? There plan was to turn the doctrine of God's grace into To attempt to change the doctrine and “turn the grace of our God into a license to satisfy the human desires for pleasure
They denied God’s truth about Jesus. In other words, Jude was affirming strongly the deity of Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is God!
The apostates would deny this. They would agree that Jesus Christ was a good man and a great teacher, but not that He was eternal God come in human flesh.
The Bible, particularly the New Testament, provides numerous passages that clearly state Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully human. This concept, known as the Incarnation, is a central tenet of Christian faith. Here are some key verses:
John 1:14: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Philippians 2:5-8: "Have this same attitude in yourselves, which you have in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross."
Colossians 2:9: "For in him all the fullness of God dwells bodily."
Hebrews 1:8: "But to the Son he says, 'Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and your kingdom scepter is a scepter of righteousness.'"
1 Timothy 3:16: "And without doubt great is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, appeared to angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory."
These passages, along with many others, emphasize the divine nature of Jesus Christ and his incarnation as a human being.
The first test of any religious teacher, as we have seen, is “What do you think of Jesus Christ? Is He God come in the flesh?” Anyone who denies this cardinal doctrine is a false teacher no matter how correct he may be in other matters. If he denies the deity of Christ, something will always be missing in whatever he affirms.
They were ordained to judgment
They became apostates because they willfully turned away from the truth. But God did ordain that such people would be judged and condemned.
[4] For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago
They became apostates because they willfully turned away from the truth. But God did ordain that such people would be judged and condemned. The Old Testament prophets denounced the false prophets of their day, and both Jesus Christ and His apostles pronounced judgment on them.
Jeremiah 23:32-33: "Therefore the LORD says, 'I will punish the false prophets who prophesy lies in my name. I will send them into the desert, to a desolate land, to the city of Sela, where no one will live. And I will punish the prophets of Samaria and the false prophets of Jerusalem who prophesy lies to the people, saying, "The LORD declares, 'You will have peace,' even though there is no peace.'"
Ezekiel 13:3-7: "Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are prophesying to you. Say to those who are prophesying, 'Hear the word of the LORD: You false prophets who are prophesying to Israel, who are prophesying your own imaginations, do you not hear? I say to you, "You shall not prophesy."'"
Matthew 7:15-20 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? So every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Therefore, you will know them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons?' And I will tell them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'"
Mark 13:22-23 "For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. But be on your guard; I have told you everything beforehand.”
Peter 2:1-3 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the very Lord who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their corrupt ways and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed."
1 Timothy 1:19-20 "Certain people, by their own choice, have strayed from the right way and have given themselves over to the devil. These are the ones who will be judged.”
Why should these men be judged by God? To begin with, they had denied His Son! That is reason enough for their condemnation! But they had also defiled God’s people by teaching them that God’s grace permitted them to practice sin.
They mocked the very promise of Christ’s coming and the judgment He would bring against the ungodly. Of course, they did all these things under the guise of religion, and this made their sin even greater. They deceived innocent people so that they might take their money and enjoy it in godless living. Jesus compared them to wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Matthew 7:15-20 NIV [15] “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. [16] By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? [17] Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. [18] A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. [19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. [20] Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
How should the church respond to apostates?
Jude 1:3 NIV Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.
What does it mean to “contend for the faith”? The Greek word is an athletic term that gives us our English word agonize. It is the picture of a devoted athlete, competing in the Greek games and stretching his nerves and muscles to do his very best to win.
1 Timothy 6:12 NIV Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
By earnestly contending for the faith. “The faith” refers to that body of doctrine that was given by God through the apostles to the church. The word doctrine is found at least sixteen times in the Pastoral Epistles alone. Paul admonished both Timothy and Titus to make sure the believers were being taught “sound doctrine,” which means “healthy doctrine,” doctrine that promotes the spiritual health of the local church. While individual teachers and preachers may disagree on the fine points of theology, there is a basic body of truth to which all true Christians are committed.
We must not fight one another or go around looking for trouble we cannot sit idly by, nor can we ever hope to win the victory by wearing kid gloves.
We must always speak the truth in love, and the weapons we use must be spiritual. At the same time, we must dare to take our stand for “the faith” even if our stand offends some and upsets others. We are not fighting personal enemies, but the enemies of the Lord. It is the honor and glory of Jesus Christ that is at stake.
God is Victorious Over Apostates
Jude 1:5-7 NIV [5] Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. [6] And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. [7] In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
Like the apostle Peter, Jude reached back into Old Testament history and gave three examples of God’s victory over those who had resisted his authority and turned from the truth.
You remember that Peter referred to the fallen angels, Noah, and Lot. He also emphasized God’s deliverance of the righteous as well as His judgment of the ungodly.
2 Peter 2:4-9 NIV [4] For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment; [5] if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; [6] if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; [7] and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless [8] (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— [9] if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.
Jude, however, did not mention Noah and the flood, but instead used the nation Israel as his example.
Jude 1:5 NIV [5] Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.
The nation was delivered from Egypt by the power of God and brought to the border of the Promised Land. But the people were afraid and did not have the faith to enter in and possess the land (see Num. 13—14). Moses, Joshua, and Caleb tried to encourage the people to obey God by faith, but the people refused. In fact, the leaders of the tribes even wanted to organize and go back to Egypt, the place of bondage!
Numbers 14:1-4 NIV [1] That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. [2] All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! [3] Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” [4] And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
This was rebellion against the will and the Word of God, and God cannot tolerate rebellion. As a result, everybody in the camp twenty years and older was destined to die at some time in the next forty years. Their unbelief led to their extermination.
The main point of the account is that privileges bring responsibilities, and God cannot lightly pass over the sins of His people. If any of Jude’s readers dared to follow the false teachers, they too would face the discipline of God.
Therefore, the false teachers who had crept into the church would also one day be judged. Their seeming success would not last; God would have the last word.
Jude talked about the rebellion of the nation of Isreal then he like Peter used the fallen angles as an example of what happens to apostates.
Jude 1:6 NIV And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.
2 Peter 2:4 NIV For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them in chains of darkness to be held for judgment;
Both Peter and Jude emphasize that even heavenly beings are not exempt from God's judgment for sin. This serves as a stark warning about the seriousness of disobedience.
Both Peter and Jude state clearly that these rebellious angels are chained in darkness and reserved for judgment.
Jude, like Peter uses the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as an example of God's judgment.
Jude 1:7 NIV In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
The sin of Israel was rebellious unbelief (Heb. 3:12). The sin of the angels was rebellion against the throne of God. The sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was indulging in unnatural lust. Unbelief, rebellion against authority, and sensual indulgence were sins characteristic of the false teachers.
What can we do practically to oppose the enemy and maintain the purity and unity of the church? For one thing, we must know the Word of God and have the courage to defend it. The pulpit needs to declare positive truth as well as denounce error.
Second, we must “watch and pray.” Watch and pray" is an exhortation, emphasizing the importance of spiritual vigilance and seeking God's guidance.
Luke 21:36: "Be on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are coming, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
Why is This Important?
The enemy is already here and we dare not go to sleep!. Watching and praying helps believers resist temptation and stay focused on God's will. It enables believers to seek God's guidance in navigating life's challenges.
Watching and praying fosters a deeper relationship with God and promotes spiritual growth..
Finally, we must have the courage to maintain a position of biblical separation from those who deny Christ and the fundamental doctrines of the Word. This does not mean that we separate from fellow believers over minor doctrinal differences.
The essentials that all Christians must agree on are often referred to as the "core doctrines" or "fundamental beliefs" of Christianity. These are the foundational truths that unite Christians worldwide, despite differences in traditions, denominations, and cultural contexts.
While there may be variations in interpretation and emphasis, these core doctrines are generally considered essential for Christian faith:
The Bible: The belief that the Bible is the inspired Word of God.
The Trinity: The belief in one God existing as three persons: Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit.
The Incarnation: The belief that Jesus Christ is both fully God and fully human.
The Atonement: The belief that Jesus Christ's death on the cross is a sufficient sacrifice for the sins of humanity.
The Resurrection: The belief in the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Salvation by Grace through Faith: The belief that salvation is a gift from God that is received through faith in Jesus Christ, not by human merit. The belief that salvation is a gift from God, received through faith in Jesus Christ.
These core doctrines form the foundation of Christian belief and provide a framework for understanding and living out the Christian faith.
The church needs to stand together in the battle for truth.
Bible Study Audio
