Chapter Three: You Don’t Have to Stumble (Jude 17–25)
Key theme: Overcoming the apostates
Since the author of this epistle was the brother of James, this would make him the half brother of our Lord Jesus Christ (see ). Our Lord’s brothers in the flesh did not believe in Him while He was ministering (). But after the Resurrection, James was converted (see ), and we have every reason to believe that Jude was also saved at that time. informs us that “His brethren” were part of the praying group that was awaiting the Holy Spirit; states that “the brethren of the Lord” were known in the early church.
So much for the identification of the author. Why did Jude write this letter? To warn his readers that the apostates were already on the scene! Peter had prophesied that they would come (; ), and his prophecy had been fulfilled. Apparently Jude wrote to the same believers who had received Peter’s letters, intending to stir them up and remind them to take Peter’s warnings to heart. You will discover a number of parallels between Jude and 2 Peter as you study this fascinating but neglected letter.
He wrote to “exhort” them (). In the Greek language, this word was used to describe a general giving orders to the army; hence the atmosphere of this letter is “military.” Jude had started to write a quiet devotional letter about salvation, but the Spirit led him to put down his harp and sound the trumpet! The Epistle of Jude is a call to arms.
The Captain of the army is Jesus Christ, and the soldiers He commands are people who share a “common salvation” through faith in Him. Jude called them saints (), which simply means “set-apart ones.” He addressed them as sanctified, which, again, means “set apart.” (Some manuscripts read “beloved in God the Father.”) Perhaps there is an echo here of where all three Persons of the Godhead are seen to be involved in our salvation.
Certainly salvation begins in the heart of God and not in the will of man (). The mysteries of God’s sovereign electing grace are beyond us in this life and will never be understood until we enter His glorious presence. For that reason, we are wise not to make them the basis for arguments and divisions. “The secret things belong unto the Lord our God” ().
makes it clear that the same God who chose us also set us apart by the Spirit and then called us by the Gospel to trust in Jesus Christ. God’s choosing and God’s calling go together, for the God who ordains the end (our salvation) also ordains the means to the end (someone calling us to Christ). We did not understand how God’s Spirit was working in our lives prior to our conversion, but He was working just the same to “set us apart” for Jesus Christ.
Not only are God’s saints set apart, but they are also preserved. This means “carefully watched and guarded.” The believer is secure in Jesus Christ. This same word is used in and (“reserved”) and also in (“keep yourselves”). God is preserving the fallen angels and the apostates for judgment, but He is preserving His own children for glory. Meanwhile, He is able to preserve us in our daily walk and keep us from stumbling.
Because they are set apart and preserved, God’s soldiers are the recipients of God’s choicest blessings: mercy, peace, and love. Like the Apostle Peter, Jude wanted these special blessings to be multiplied in their lives (; ). God in His mercy does not give us what we deserve. Instead, He gave our punishment to His own Son on the cross. “Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows … But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities” ().
Because of Christ’s work on the cross, believers enjoy peace. The unsaved person is at war with God and cannot please Him (); but when he trusts the Saviour, the war ends and he receives God’s peace ().
He also experiences God’s love (). The Cross is God’s demonstration of love (), but His love is not experienced within until His Spirit comes into the believing heart. As the believer grows in his spiritual life, he enters into a deeper relationship of love ().
Certainly those who know Christ as their Saviour enjoy a unique position. They are called by God to be set apart for God that they might enjoy love with God. While their fellowship with the Father might change from day to day, their relationship as children cannot change. They are “preserved in Jesus Christ.” Because Jude would write a great deal in this letter about sin and judgment, he was careful at the very outset to define the special place that believers have in the heart and plan of God. The apostates would sin, fall, and suffer condemnation; but the true believers would be kept safe in Jesus Christ for all eternity.
It bears repeating that an apostate is not a true believer who has abandoned his salvation. He is a person who has professed to accept the truth and trust the Saviour, and then turns from “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (). Jude would not contradict what Peter wrote, and Peter made it clear that the apostates were not God’s sheep, but were instead pigs and dogs (). The sow had been cleaned on the outside, and the dog on the inside, but neither had been given that new nature which is characteristic of God’s true children ().
Here, then, we have the “spiritual army” that Jude was addressing. If you have trusted Jesus Christ, you are in this army. God is not looking for volunteers; He has already enlisted you! The question is not, “Shall I become a soldier?” Rather, it is, “Will I be a loyal soldier?”
Isaac Watts once preached a sermon on : “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you [act] like men, be strong.” When he published the sermon, he added a poem to it; we sing it today as one of our spiritual songs.
Am I a soldier of the Cross,
A follower of the Lamb?
And shall I fear to own His cause,
Or blush to speak His name?
Must I be carried to the skies
On flowery beds of ease?
While others fought to win the prize
And sailed through bloody seas?
We have already noted that Jude set out to write an encouraging letter about “the common salvation.” The name Jude (Judah) means “praise,” and he was anxious to praise God and rejoice in the salvation God gives in Jesus Christ. But the Spirit of God changed his mind and led Jude to write about the battle against the forces of evil in the world. Why? Because it was “needful” for the church.
I must confess that I sympathize with Jude. In my own ministry, I would much rather encourage the saints than declare war on the apostates. But when the enemy is in the field, the watchmen dare not go to sleep. The Christian life is a battleground, not a playground.
Jude wasted no time in identifying the enemy.
They were ungodly (v. ). This is one of Jude’s favorite words. While these men claimed to belong to God, they were, in fact, ungodly in their thinking and their living. They might have “a form of godliness,” but they lacked the force of godliness that lives in the true Christian ().
They were deceitful (v. ). They “crept in unawares.” The Greek word means “to slip in secretly, to steal in undercover.” Sometimes Satan’s undercover agents are “brought in secretly” by those already on the inside (), but these men came in on their own. Peter warned that these men were coming () and now they had arrived on the scene.
How could false brethren get into true assemblies of the saints? The soldiers had gone to sleep at the post! The spiritual leaders in the churches had grown complacent and careless. This explains why Jude had to “blow the trumpet” to wake them up. Our Lord and His Apostles all warned that false teachers would arise, yet the churches did not heed the warnings. Sad to say, some churches are not heeding the warnings today.
They were enemies of God’s grace (v. ). Why did they enter the churches? To attempt to change the doctrine and “turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness” (). The word lasciviousness simply means “wantonness, absence of moral restraint, indecency.” A person who is lascivious thinks only of satisfying his lusts, and whatever he touches is stained by his base appetites. Lasciviousness is one of the works of the flesh () that proceeds from the evil heart of man ().
Peter had already warned these people that the apostates would argue, “You have been saved by grace, so you are free to live as you please!” They promised the people freedom, but it was the kind of freedom that led to terrible bondage (, ). The readers both Peter and Jude addressed knew what Paul had written (), so they should have been fortified with Romans 6 and 1 Corinthians 5–6.
The apostates, like the cultists today, use the Word of God to promote and defend their false doctrines. They seduce young, immature Christians who have not yet been grounded in the Scriptures. Every soldier of the Cross needs to go through “basic training” in a local church so that he knows how to use the weapons of spiritual warfare ().
They denied God’s truth (v. ). “Even denying the Lord that bought them,” Peter had warned (). Jude was not writing about two different persons when he wrote “the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ” for the Greek construction demands that these two names refer to one Person. In other words, Jude was affirming strongly the deity of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is God!
But 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 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 (v. ). Jude did not write that these men were ordained to become apostates, as though God were responsible for their sin. 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.
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. Furthermore, they derided the doctrine of Christ’s coming (2 Peter 3). “Where is the promise of His coming?” 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 ().
How, then, should the church respond to the presence of this insidious enemy? 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.
This body of truth was delivered () to the saints. The word means “to be entrusted with.” The church collectively, and each Christian personally, has a stewardship to fulfill. “But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the Gospel, even so we speak” (). God committed the truth to Paul (), and he shared it with others, such as Timothy (). He exhorted Timothy to entrust the Word to other faithful men (). You and I would not have the Word today were it not for faithful believers down through the ages who guarded this precious deposit and invested it in others.
The church is always one generation short of extinction. If our generation fails to guard the truth and entrust it to our children, then that will be the end! When you think of the saints and martyrs who suffered and died so that we might have God’s truth, it makes you want to take your place in God’s army and be faithful unto death.
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. You never fight the Lord’s battles from a rocking chair or a soft bed! Both the soldier and the athlete must concentrate on doing their best and giving their all. There must also be teamwork, believers working together to attack and defeat the enemy.
Sometimes you hear well-meaning people say, “Well, it’s fine to contend for the faith, but don’t be so contentious!” While it is true that some of God’s soldiers have been the cause of quarrels and divisions, it is also true that some of them have paid a great price to defend the faith. As Christian soldiers, we must not fight each other or go around looking for trouble. But when the banner of Christ is in danger of being taken by the enemy, we cannot sit idly by, nor can we ever hope to win the victory by wearing kid gloves.
Charles Spurgeon once said that “the new views are not the old truth in a better dress, but deadly errors with which we can have no fellowship.” False doctrine is a deadly poison that must be identified, labeled, and avoided. Spurgeon also said, “I cannot endure false doctrine, however neatly it may be put before me. Would you have me eat poisoned meat because the dish is of the choicest ware?”
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. “Fight the good fight of faith” ().
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. Peter referred to the fallen angels, Noah, and Lot () and followed the historical order. He also emphasized God’s deliverance of the righteous as well as His judgment of the ungodly. Jude, however, did not mention Noah and the Flood, but instead used the nation Israel as his example.
The point Jude was making is that God judges apostates. 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.
Israel (v. ). Both Paul (1 Cor. 10) and the author of Hebrews (Heb. 3–4) used the experiences of Israel to illustrate important spiritual truths. 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!
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.
Keep in mind that Jude was using a historical event as an illustration, and we must not press every detail. The entire nation was delivered from Egypt, but that does not mean that each individual was personally saved through faith in the Lord. 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. “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” ().
The fallen angels (v. ). We studied this illustration in , but Jude seems to add a new dimension to it by associating the fall of the angels with the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (, “even as … in like manner”). Some Bible students believe that Jude was teaching not only a revolt of the angels against God, but also an invasion of earth by these fallen angels. They point to and claim that “the sons of God” were fallen angels who assumed human bodies, cohabited with the daughters of men, and produced a race of giants on the earth. This was one reason that God sent the Flood.
As attractive and popular as this view is, I must confess that I have a difficult time accepting it. It is true that “the sons of God” is a title for angels (; ; ), but always for unfallen angels. Would the Holy Spirit, writing through Moses, call rebellious angels “the sons of God”? I doubt it.
My second problem is that angels are spirits and do not have bodies. In the Old Testament record, we do read of angels who appeared in human form, but this was not incarnation. How could a spirit being have a physical relationship with a woman, even if that being assumed a temporary body of some kind? Our Lord taught that the angels were sexless ().
Third, it appears that God sent the Flood because of what man did, not what angels did. “My Spirit shall not always strive with man … And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth … And it repented [grieved] the Lord that He had made man on the earth” (, , italics mine). If this “fallen angel” view is correct, God should have repented that He created the angels!
Fourth, the phrases “even as” and “in like manner” in need not be interpreted to say that the angels did what the Sodomites did, namely, “going after strange flesh.” Notice the grammatical connections in the verse, and you will get the message: “Even as Sodom and Gomorrah … in like manner … are set forth for an example.” The angels are an example of God’s judgment and so are Sodom and Gomorrah.
I might add that presents a strong argument against the view that fallen angels cohabited with women and produced a race of giants. “There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that” (italics mine). This would mean that a second invasion of fallen angels had to take place! We have no record of this in Scripture.
Finally, both Peter and Jude state clearly that these rebellious angels are chained in darkness and reserved for judgment. They would have to have invaded the earth prior to being arrested and chained by God. We wonder why God would have permitted them to “run loose” long enough to get the women into sin and help to cause the great Flood. The whole explanation, though held by teachers whom I respect, to me seems a bit fantastic. The simplest explanation of Genesis 6 is that the godly line of Seth (“the sons of God”) began to mingle with the ungodly line of Cain, and this broke down the walls of separation, resulting in compromise and eventually degrading sin. But regardless of which interpretation you accept, keep the main lesson in mind: the angels rebelled and were punished for their rebellion.
Sodom and Gomorrah (v. ). Both Peter and Jude state that God made these cities an example to warn the ungodly that God does indeed judge sin (see ). When you combine their descriptions, you discover that the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah (and the other cities involved) were: ungodly, filthy, wicked, unlawful, unjust, and given over to fornication. They did not occasionally commit unnatural sexual sins; they indulged in them and gave themselves over to the pursuit of lust. The Greek verb is intensive: “to indulge in excessive immorality.” This was their way of life—and death!
Strange flesh means “different flesh.” The bent of their life was constantly downward, indulging in unnatural acts (see ). Those who hold the “fallen angel” interpretation of Genesis 6 make the “strange flesh” refer to angels in human form; but when did the angels invade Sodom and Gomorrah? And, if fallen angels are meant, how can their sin and the sin of the Sodomites apply to us today, for we have no fallen angels to tempt or seduce us? Indeed, the men at Lot’s door did want to engage in homosexual activity with his angelic guests, but the Sodomites did not know they were angels. Another possibility is that the Sodomites were guilty not only of unnatural sex with each other, but also with animals, which would be “strange flesh.” Both homosexuality and beastiality are condemned by God ().
These cities were set forth by God as an example and warning to ungodly people today. The verb set forth means “to expose openly to public view.” (Interestingly enough, the word was used to describe a corpse lying in state!) But the cities of the plain are not today in public view. It is generally agreed among archeologists that Sodom and Gomorrah are buried under the southern end of the Dead Sea. How, then, do they serve as an example? In the pages of the Word of God. No one can read Genesis 18–19 without clearly seeing God’s hatred for sin and, at the same time, His patience and willingness to postpone judgment. This certainly ties in with Peter’s explanation for God’s seeming delay in fulfilling the promise of Christ’s return ().
The sin of Israel was rebellious unbelief (). 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. The conclusion is obvious: the apostates will be judged. But, meanwhile, God’s soldiers must stay on duty and see to it that these false teachers do not creep into the ranks and start to lead people astray. “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine” ().
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. Every local church ought to be a Bible institute, and every Christian ought to be a Bible student. The pulpit needs to declare positive truth as well as denounce error.
Second, we must “watch and pray.” The enemy is already here and we dare not go to sleep! Spiritual leaders in local congregations need to be alert as they interview candidates for baptism and church membership. Committees need to seek the mind of Christ as they appoint Sunday School teachers, youth sponsors, and other church leaders. Congregations must exercise discernment as they select officers.
Third, congregations and members must be careful where they send their money. “Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?” (see )
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, or that we practice “guilt by association.” God’s true army needs to stand together in the battle for truth.
Have you heeded the call to arms?
Jude was not content simply to remind his readers to pay attention to what Peter had written. He wanted to add his own words of warning by describing what the false teachers were like and what they would do to the church. The Spirit of God led Jude to describe the characteristics of the apostates, reinforcing Peter’s words and, at the same time, adding information. and 2 Peter 2 parallel and supplement each other.
But why this seemingly needless repetition? The Apostle Paul gave the answer: “To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe” (). Parents repeat warnings and instructions to their children, and sometimes the children reply, “I know that! You’ve already told me a million times!” But wise parents know that some things must be said again and again for the safety and welfare of their children—whether the children want to hear them or not!
All that Jude wrote about the apostates in these verses may be summarized in three statements.
They Reject Divine Authority ()
All authority comes from the throne of God, whether it is authority in the home, the church, or the state. Those who exercise authority must first be under authority, accountable to God. But the false teachers reject divine authority and set themselves up as their own authority.
The cause of their rebellion is found in the word dreamers (). These people live in a dreamworld of unreality and delusion. They believe Satan’s lie, “Ye shall be as gods” (). Having turned away from God’s truth, they feed their minds on false doctrine that inflates their egos and encourages their rebellion. informs us that the apostates are ignorant people who do not know what they are talking about! Jude echoed Peter’s description of these men as “brute beasts” (, ). Animals live by natural instinct, and so do the apostates. When men rebel against God, they sink to the level of beasts.
The course of their rebellion was clearly described by Jude. As a result of their rebellion and pride, they “defile the flesh,” living to satisfy their animal lusts. When a person despises God’s authority, he feels free to disobey God’s Laws and live as he pleases. What he forgets is that those laws have penalties attached to them so that he cannot disobey and escape the consequences.
They also use their tongues to express their rebellion against God. “With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?” () The phrase speak evil in and simply means “to blaspheme.” Blasphemy involves much more than taking God’s name in vain, though that is at the heart of it. A person blasphemes God when he takes His Word lightly and even jests about it, or when he deliberately defies God to judge him. “They set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh through the earth. And they say, ‘How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?’ ” (, )
The consequence of their rebellion is seen in their own ruin: “they corrupt [destroy] themselves” (). They defile themselves () and they destroy themselves, yet they have the idea they are promoting themselves! “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil” (). The way of rebellion is but the way to ruin.
Arrogant speech is a dangerous thing, and so is despising the authority that God has established. Even the Archangel Michael () did not dare to rebuke Satan, but respected the authority given to him by God. The name Michael means “Who is like God?” Ironically, Satan had said in his rebellion, “I will be like the Most High!” () and his offer to men is, “Ye shall be as gods” ().
We have no information about the conflict between Satan and Michael over the body of Moses. When Moses died, the Lord buried him and no one knew where the sepulcher was located (). No doubt the Jewish people would have made a shrine out of the sepulcher and fallen into idolatry, so God kept the information to Himself. The text tells us that “not any man” knew the place, so perhaps Satan did know the place and tried to claim Moses’ body for himself. Inasmuch as Satan does have a certain amount of authority in the realm of death he may have felt he had a right to interfere ().
The point is that Michael did not rebuke Satan, but left that to the Lord. It is a dangerous thing for God’s people to confront Satan directly and to argue with him, because he is much stronger than we are. If an archangel is careful about the way he deals with the devil, how much more cautious ought we to be! While it is true that we share in the victory of Christ, it is also true that we must not be presumptuous. Satan is a dangerous enemy, and when we resist him, we must be sober and vigilant ().
“The Lord rebuke thee!” has a parallel in . The prophet had a vision of the high priest standing before God’s throne in defiled garments, symbolizing the sinful condition of the nation Israel after the Babylonian Captivity. Satan had every right to accuse the people (see ), except for one thing: they were the chosen ones of God, His covenant people, and He would not go back on His Word. God forgave His people, gave them clean garments, and warned them to walk in His ways. This is an Old Testament illustration of 1 John 1:5–2:2.
The condemnation of the false teachers is given in : “Woe unto them!” Jude cited three examples from the Old Testament to illustrate the enormity of their sins, three men who rebelled against God’s authority and who suffered for it.
Cain rebelled against God’s way of salvation (Gen. 4; ). By clothing Adam and Eve with the skins of slain animals (), God made it clear that the only way of forgiveness is through the shedding of blood. This is the way of faith, not the way of good works (). But Cain rejected this divinely authorized way and came to the altar with the fruits of his own labor. God rejected Cain’s offering because God rejected Cain: his heart was not right before God. It was by faith that Abel’s sacrifice was offered, and that was why God accepted it ().
The “way of Cain” is the way of religion without faith, righteousness based on character and good works. The “way of Cain” is the way of pride, a man establishing his own righteousness and rejecting the righteousness of God that comes through faith in Christ (; ). Cain became a fugitive and tried to overcome his wretchedness by building a city and developing a civilization (). He ended up with everything a man could desire everything except God, that is.
We have already studied “the way of Balaam” (see ). The “way of Balaam” is merchandising one’s gifts and ministry just for the purpose of making money. It is using the spiritual to gain the material (see ; ). The false teachers were greedy for material gain and, like Balaam, would do anything for money. The “error of Balaam” is thinking that they can get away with this kind of rebellion. Balaam was a true prophet of God, but he prostituted his gifts and sought to destroy God’s people. God turned Balaam’s curses into blessings ().
While we are on the subject of Balaam, we might note the “doctrine of Balaam” () which is, “You can violate your separated position and get away with it!” He told King Balak that the fastest way to destroy Israel would be to corrupt the nation by having the people defile themselves with the heathen nations around them. “You are God’s chosen people,” was the argument. “Certainly a little friendship with your neighbors will not hurt you!” It was “turning the grace of … God into lasciviousness” (), and God judged both Israel and Balaam.
The story of Core (Korah) is found in Numbers 16, and it too centers on rebellion against authority. Korah and his followers resented the leadership of Moses and dared God to do anything about their rebellion. In speaking against (“gainsaying”) Moses, they were speaking against the Lord who had given Moses his authority. This is a warning to us today, for it is so easy to speak against spiritual or governmental leaders in a careless way (see ). God judged Korah and his followers and established clearly the authority of His servant, Moses.
Cain rebelled against God’s authority in salvation, for he refused to bring a blood sacrifice as God had commanded. Balaam rebelled against God’s authority in separation, for he prostituted his gifts for money and led Israel to mix with the other nations. Korah rebelled against God’s authority in service, denying that Moses was God’s appointed servant and attempting to usurp his authority.
It is interesting to note the verbs that Jude used in this verse. The apostates “traveled on the road” of Cain, “gave themselves over to” the error of Balaam, and “perished” in the rebellion of Korah. The tragedy of rejecting authority!
They Resort to Deliberate Hypocrisy (, )
and present six vivid pictures of the false teachers and help to explain why they are dangerous to the church.
Filthy spots (v. ). Peter called them spots and blemishes (). These men had invaded the “love feasts” in the local assemblies, but all they did was defile them. Instead of adding to the sanctity of the occasion, they detracted from it, like Judas at the last Passover that Jesus celebrated with His disciples. The tragedy is that the members of the assembly did not realize the true character of these men! They thought the men were spiritual!
The Greek word translated “spots” can also mean “hidden rocks.” The mariner who is unaware of the hidden rocks can quickly wreck his ship. The pilot must always be alert, for waters that look calm and safe can contain treacherous reefs. Spiritual leaders must constantly be on guard.
Selfish shepherds (v. ). The word translated “feeding” means “shepherding.” Instead of shepherding the flock and caring for the needs of the people, these apostates only take care of themselves. Jude may have had in mind and Ezekiel 34, where the prophets condemned the political and spiritual leaders of the nation (“shepherds”) for exploiting the people and caring only for themselves.
It is a serious thing to be a shepherd over God’s flock. Our example must be Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep. False shepherds use and abuse people in order to get what they want, and yet all the while, the people love it! Paul marveled at this when he wrote —“You don’t mind, do you, if a man takes away your liberty, spends your money, takes advantage of you, puts on airs, or even smacks your face?” (PH)
These selfish shepherds do all of this “without fear.” They are an arrogant lot! This is the difference between a true shepherd and a hireling: the true shepherd cares for the sheep, while the hireling cares only for himself. “Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?” () But these apostates ought to be afraid, for their judgment is coming.
Empty clouds (v. ). Clouds that promise rain, but fail to produce, are a disappointment to the farmer whose crops desperately need water. The apostates look like men who can give spiritual help, and they boast of their abilities, but they are unable to produce. “Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift [a gift he does not give] is like clouds and wind without rain” (). They promise liberty, but they can only give bondage ().
The Word of God is sometimes compared to the rain and the dew. “My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distill as the dew” (). compares God’s Word to the rain and snow from heaven that bring fruit on the earth. Like the clouds in the sky, the false teachers may be prominent and even attractive; but if they cannot bring rain, they are useless.
Dead trees (v. ). The picture is that of an orchard in autumn, the time when the farmer expects fruit. But these trees are fruitless! “Ye shall know them by their fruits” (). Those who teach and preach the Word have the responsibility of feeding others, but the false teachers have nothing to give. Not only are they fruitless, but they are also rootless (“plucked up by the root”); this is why they are “twice dead.” What a contrast to the godly man in !
One of the evidences of true salvation is producing spiritual fruit. The seed that fell on the hard soil, the shallow soil, and the crowded soil did not produce fruit; but the seed that fell on the “good ground” did produce fruit (, ). No matter how much of the Bible the false teachers may quote, the seed is not producing fruit in their own lives or through their ministries. Why? Because they have no spiritual roots. They lack spiritual life.
Fruit has in it the seed for more fruit (). One of the evidences that a ministry is truly of God is that the fruit multiplies. Manufactured “results” are sterile and dead, but true fruit continues to grow and reproduce itself in the lives of others.
Raging waves (v. ). I personally do not enjoy being in or on the ocean (I am not a good swimmer). However, I do enjoy sitting by the ocean and contemplating its grandeur and power. But I certainly would not want to be either in or on the ocean in a storm! There is great power in those waves, as many a mariner has discovered. But Jude compared the apostates to “raging waves of the sea” not because of their power, but because of their pride and arrogant speech. “Their mouth speaketh great swelling words” (). Like the swelling of the sea, they make a lot of noise, but what do they produce? Have you ever walked along the beach the morning after a storm and seen the ugly refuse that has been deposited on the shore?
Jude may have had in mind: “But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.” All that the “great swelling words” of the apostates can produce is foam and flotsam! The true teachers of the Word bring up the treasures of the deep, but the false teachers produce only refuse. And what they boast about, they really ought to be ashamed of! (see )
Wandering stars (v. ). Jude was not referring to fixed stars, planets, or comets, because they have definite positions and orbits. He was referring to meteors, falling stars that suddenly appear and then vanish into the darkness, never to be seen again. Our Lord is compared to a star (; ), and Christians are to shine as stars in this dark world (). Fixed stars can be depended on to guide the traveler through the darkness, but wandering stars can only lead him astray.
One of my hobbies is collecting books of sermons, not only by famous preachers, but also by obscure and forgotten men whose names once were famous. I have noticed that many a “pulpit beacon” has turned out to be a fallen star! It is disturbing to read histories and biographies and see how “the mighty have fallen.” For the most part, those who have been true to the Word are ministering yet today as lights shining in the darkness, while the preachers of false doctrine have fallen into oblivion.
God has reserved chains of darkness for the rebellious angels (), and He has reserved “the blackness of darkness forever” for apostate teachers. Beware of following a falling star! It will lead you into eternal blackness!
As you review these six pictures of the false teachers, you can easily see how dangerous they are and how important it is for the church to keep them out.
Murmurers and complainers (v. ). completes the description and emphasizes even more why they are so dangerous: they are out to please themselves by taking advantage of others. This reminds us of Peter’s statement (), “A heart they have exercised with covetous practices” or, as Phillips translates it, “Their technique of getting what they want is, through long practice, highly developed.” They give the impression that they are out to help you, but they are interested only in gratifying their own lusts.
What is their approach? For one thing, they murmur and complain and cause people to become dissatisfied with life. While each of us should do all we can, as God enables us, to improve our lot in life, at the same time we must be careful not to criticize God’s providences or hinder His plans. The nation Israel was judged because of her complaining (), and Christians are commanded not to complain (). If a false teacher can make a person critical of his pastor or church, or dissatisfied with his situation, he then can lead him astray into false doctrine.
The false teachers also use “great swelling words” to impress ignorant people. Peter called their speeches “great swelling words of vanity” (). They impress people with their vocabularies and oratory, but what they say is just so much “hot air.” They also use flattery to manipulate their listeners. They “bow and scrape” and pay compliments to others, if it is to their advantage.
Knowing these things, we are amazed that anybody would listen to these apostates and follow them; but many people are doing it today! There is something in fallen human nature that loves a lie and is willing to follow it, no matter where it may lead. But the success of the apostates is only temporary, for their judgment is coming.
They Receive Their Due Penalty ()
All that we know about Enoch from Scripture is found in ; ; and these two verses in Jude. He is called “the seventh from Adam” to identify him as the godly Enoch, since Cain had a son of the same name (). In a society that was rapidly being polluted and destroyed by sin, Enoch walked with God and kept his life clean. He also ministered as a prophet and announced the coming judgment.
Bible scholars tell us that this quotation is from an apocryphal book called The Book of Enoch. The fact that Jude quoted from this nonbiblical book does not mean the book is inspired and trustworthy, any more than Paul’s quotations from the Greek poets put God’s “seal of approval” on everything they wrote. The Spirit of God led Jude to use this quotation and make it a part of the inspired Scriptures.
When Enoch originally gave this message, it is possible that he was also referring to the coming judgment of the Flood. He certainly lived in an ungodly age, and it seemed that sinners were getting away with their evil deeds. But Enoch made it clear that judgment was coming and that the ungodly would get what was coming to them!
However, the final application of this prophecy is to the world in the end times, the very judgment that Peter wrote about in 2 Peter 3. The false teachers mocked this prophecy and argued that Jesus Christ would never come and God would never send judgment. But their very attitude was proof that the Word is true, for both our Lord and His Apostles, as well as the prophets, said that scoffers and mockers would appear in the last days (). Enoch gave his prophecy thousands of years ago! See how patient God has been with those who have rebelled against Him!
What does Enoch’s prophecy say about the coming judgment? It will be a personal judgment: God Himself will come to judge the world. He will not send a famine or a flood, nor will He assign the task to an angel. He Himself will come. This shows the seriousness of the event, and also its finality. “Behold, the Judge standeth before the door” ().
Though it is a personal judgment, our Lord will not judge alone; the saints of God will be with Him. The word saints in means “holy ones” and can also refer to the angels (; ). However, we know from ; ; and that the people of God will accompany the Lord when He returns to earth to defeat His enemies and establish His righteous kingdom (cf. ). Over the centuries, the people of God have suffered at the hands of the ungodly, but one day the tables will be turned.
It will be a universal judgment. He will execute judgment “upon all”—none will escape. Just as the Flood destroyed all who were outside the ark, and the fire and brimstone destroyed all in Sodom and Gomorrah except Lot and his wife and two daughters, so the last judgment will encompass all the ungodly. The word ungodly is used four times in this one verse! It will be “the day of judgment and perdition [ruin, destruction] of ungodly men” ().
It will be a just judgment. God will convict (“convince”) them of their sins, declare them guilty, pass sentence on them, and then execute the punishment. There will be a Judge, Jesus Christ (), but no jury. There will be prosecution, but no defense; for every mouth will be stopped (). There will be a sentence, but no appeal, for there can be no higher court than God’s final judgment. The entire procedure will be just, for the righteous Son of God will be in charge.
The Lord will have the record of their “ungodly deeds.” He will also have a record of their motives and hidden desires as they committed these deeds and even these will be ungodly! He will recall the “hard speeches” () that they uttered against the Lord. The word hard carries the idea of “rough, harsh, stern, uncivil.” After all, these people were “murmurers” and “complainers” () and spoke harsh things against God. They were not “afraid to speak evil of dignities” (), but at the judgment their words will testify against them. They spoke “great swelling words” (; ), but at the judgment their great words will bring great wrath.
There are times when God’s children ask, “Lord, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked triumph? How long shall they utter and speak hard things? and all the workers of iniquity boast themselves?” () The answer is given in —“Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before Him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about Him.”
The words are familiar, but what James Russell Lowell wrote in “The Present Crisis” certainly applies today.
Careless seems the great Avenger;
history’s pages but record
One death-grapple in the darkness
’twix old systems and the Word;
Truth forever on the scaffold,
Wrong forever on the throne—
Yet that scaffold sways the future,
and, behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow,
keeping watch above His own …
“Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” ().
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
I read somewhere that the Great Wall of China was penetrated at least three times by the enemy, and each time the guards were bribed!
A strong defense depends on strong people, and this applies to spiritual battles as well as military contests. If the church is to oppose and defeat the false teachers, then all of us in the church must be strong and able to “stand against the wiles of the devil” (). There is always the danger of stumbling () and a stumble is the first step toward a fall.
In this closing paragraph, Jude addressed his beloved readers and gave them four instructions to follow if they would stand firm and resist the apostates.
From the very beginning, Satan has attacked the Word of God. “Yea, hath God said?” was his opening thrust when he led Eve into disobedience in the Garden (). Once we begin to question God’s Word, we are vulnerable to Satan’s other attacks, for only the truth of the Word can protect us from the lies of the devil. “To the Law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them” ().
Remember who gave the Word (v. ). While our Lord had many disciples, He selected only a few to be apostles. The word means “one who is sent with a commission.” In order to qualify, a believer had to be a witness of the resurrection of Christ (; ). The Apostles lived with Christ during His ministry, learned from Him, and were sent by Him into all the world to carry the Good News of salvation.
Wherever there is the authentic, the counterfeit will appear; this happened in the early church. False apostles and teachers began to appear, and it was necessary to develop a system to protect the church against false prophecies and forged letters. Since Christ had committed “the faith” () to His Apostles, one of the main tests in the early church was, “Is this what the Apostles taught?” When the church assembled the New Testament books, it was required that each book be written either by an apostle or by someone closely associated with an apostle. Apostolic teaching was, and still is, the test of truth.
Jude mentioned the words that were “spoken” by the Apostles, because originally there were no New Testament epistles. Over the years, inspired letters were written by Paul, Peter, and John; we have these letters in our New Testament. We also have a record of some of their sermons in the Book of Acts. We no longer depend on tradition since we have the completed Scriptures, both the Old Testament and the New.
Whenever somebody offers you a “new revelation,” test it by what the Apostles wrote and by what Jesus Christ taught. You will soon discover that the “revelation” is a lie.
Remember what they said (v. ). They prophesied that, in these last days, mockers would come who would deny the Word of God. Jude echoed what Peter had written (), but Paul and John also warned their readers about the apostates (1 Tim. 4; 2 Tim. 3; ; ). When a warning is given so many times, it behooves us to take it seriously!
The phrase “walking after their own lusts” appears in and and , and it explains why the apostates deny God’s truth: they do not want God to tell them how to live. They want to satisfy their own sinful desires, and the Word of God condemns their selfish way of life. When a person says, “I have intellectual problems with the Bible,” he probably has moral problems because the Bible contradicts what he is doing. The only sure way to know the truth of the Bible is by obeying it ().
Before Satan can substitute his own lies, he must get rid of the truth of God’s Word. If he cannot argue it away, he will laugh it away, and he can usually find somebody to laugh with him.
Remember why they said it (v. ). The false teachers want to divide the church and lead people out of the true fellowship into their false fellowship. “Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (). Their appeal is usually, “We have a deeper knowledge of the Word that your church doesn’t have! We have a better understanding of prophecy, or of the Christian life, than you do.” They offer a “higher quality” religion than that of the Apostles.
Not only do false teachers divide the church, but they also deceive the church, because they are “sensual, having not the Spirit.” The word sensual means the opposite of “spiritual.” This is the way Paul used it in , where it is translated “natural.” (The Greek word is psukikos, which means “soulish.”) Because the false teachers do not have the Spirit of God, they must function on their natural “soul power” alone.
One of the tragedies in ministry today is that some of God’s people cannot discern between “soul ministry” and the true ministry of the Spirit. There is so much “religious showmanship” these days that the saints are confused and deceived. Just as there was “false fire” in the tabernacle (Lev. 10), so there is “false fire” today in the church; therefore we must exercise careful discernment.
How can we discern between the “soulish” and the “spiritual”? By using the Word of God which is able to divide soul and spirit (); and by paying close attention to the witness of the Spirit of God within (). A “soulish” ministry magnifies man, but the Spirit glorifies Jesus Christ. When the Spirit is ministering through the Word, there is edification; but when the soul is merely “manufacturing” a ministry, there is entertainment or, at best, only intellectual education. It takes the Spirit of God to minister to our spirits and to make us more like Jesus Christ.
The Christian life must never stand still; if it does, it will go backward. A house left to itself falls apart. The apostates are in the business of tearing down, but each Christian must be involved in building up—first, his own spiritual life and then his local assembly.
The foundation for our Christian life is our “most holy faith” (), which is the same as “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (). There is a sense, of course, in which our faith in Jesus Christ is the basis for our growth, but even that faith depends on what God has revealed to us in His Word. Subjective faith depends on objective revelation of truth.
The Word of God is certainly central in spiritual growth. I have yet to meet a strong, fruitful Christian who ignores his Bible. We must daily spend devotional time in the Word, seeking the mind of God. We must also study the Word regularly, in a disciplined way, so that we better understand what it teaches. The gifted Chinese preacher, Watchman Nee, used to read through the New Testament once a month. This becomes apparent when you read his books, for you are struck with his wonderful insights into God’s Word. The members of the Chinese church used to have a saying, “No Bible—no breakfast!” If we followed that motto in America, I wonder how many Christians would go hungry.
The power for building the Christian life comes from prayer: “praying in the Holy Ghost” (). The Word of God and prayer go together in spiritual growth. If all we do is read and study the Bible, we will have a great deal of light, but not much power. However, if we concentrate on prayer and ignore the Bible, we may be guilty of zeal without knowledge. We read the Word to grow in faith (), then we use that faith to ask God for what we need and what His Word tells us we may have.
The Word of God and prayer certainly go together (). Evangelist Billy Sunday used to give his converts three rules for success in the Christian life. Each day they were to read the Bible and let God talk to them. They were to pray; in other words, they were to talk to God. And they were to witness and talk to others about God. It would be difficult to improve on those rules.
What does it mean to “pray in the Holy Spirit”? (Note the contrast with —“having not the Spirit.”) It means to pray according to the leading of the Spirit. It has well been said, “Prayer is not getting man’s will done in heaven—it is getting God’s will done on earth.” This agrees with .
As Christians, we may pray in solitude (), but we never pray alone; the Spirit of God joins with us as we pray () because He knows the mind of God and can direct us. He can give us wisdom and knowledge from the Word (). He can also help us approach the Father through the access we have in Jesus Christ (). We worship God “in the Spirit” (), and the Spirit motivates us to pray, for He is “the Spirit of grace and of supplications” (). When the believer is yielded to the Spirit, then the Spirit will assist him in his prayer life, and God will answer prayer.
This “building process” in the Christian life involves the Word of God, the Spirit of God, and prayer. But these things, as precious as they are, can become somewhat routine; so Jude added another factor: abiding in God’s love (). He did not write, “Keep yourselves saved!” because he had already assured them that they were “preserved in Jesus Christ” (). He wrote, “Keep yourselves in the love of God.” Our Lord made a similar statement recounted in —“Continue ye in My love.”
To love God means much more than to enjoy a special kind of feeling. Of course, as we grow in grace, we do experience deeper fellowship with the Father (), and we do have times when He seems very near. The Bible compares this to the love of a husband and wife (). Any happily married couple can tell you that love deepens over the years.
But it takes more than ecstatic feelings to make a successful marriage—or a successful Christian life! There must also be obedience and mutual concern. “But whoso keepeth His Word, in him verily is the love of God perfected” (). “If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love” (). We grow in our love for God as we listen to His Word, obey it, and delight in doing what pleases Him. That is how we keep ourselves in God’s love.
God’s love is a holy love; it is not shallow sentiment. “Ye that love the Lord, hate evil” (). To love God is to love what He loves and hate what He hates! We please Him by doing those things that He commands. It is the dedicated, separated Christian who enjoys the deepest fellowship with the Father in the family ().
We build our Christian life on the foundation of faith and through the motivation of love. But we also need hope: “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” The believer’s eyes must be lifted heavenward. “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (). “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God” ().
The word translated “looking” () means “earnestly expecting.” It describes an attitude of life that is motivated by the promise of our Lord’s return. The apostates can only look for judgment, but God’s people are looking for mercy. Not only is our salvation from sin the gift of God’s mercy, but so also is the deliverance of His church from this evil world. In His mercy, He will come for us and take us to Himself.
We have already noted that looking for the coming of the Lord is a great encouragement to Christian living. It makes us want to keep pure () and to avoid the things of the flesh and the world (). Our hope in Christ is like an anchor () that holds us in the storms of life, and like a helmet that protects us in the battles of life ().
The three “Christian graces” of faith, hope, and love enable us to grow in our spiritual walk. We are able to build on a solid foundation with materials that will not decay. Mere profession with the lips will not suffice. “Not everyone that saith unto Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven” (). The Parable of the Two Builders () makes it clear that to obey the will of God means to build on a foundation that cannot fail.
Exercise Spiritual Discernment ()
What should be the attitude of the growing Christian toward those who are being influenced by the apostates? Jude instructed his readers to exercise discernment and to act on the basis of that discernment. He described three different kinds of people who need spiritual help. The New American Standard Bible makes this clear:
And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.
The doubting (v. ). These are the people who are wavering. They are probably the “unstable souls” Peter wrote about (). These people are converted, but they are not grounded in the faith. Our responsibility is to have mercy on them, or show compassion toward them, by seeking to lead them away from the influences of the apostates. This kind of ministry demands a great deal of love and patience, and we must keep in mind that immature believers are like little children who think they know right from wrong. If you say no to them, they will only rebel and become more stubborn!
One of the best ways to draw them away from the false teachers is to magnify all that they have in Christ and to share His love for them in practical ways. Make their salvation so wonderful and the Word so exciting that they will lose interest in the teachings of the apostates. It is not enough merely to refute the false doctrines. There must also be a warmth of love that assures the young believer, “We care for you.”
It is an open secret that false teachers prey especially on disgruntled church members. (note —“murmurers” and “complainers.”) It is important that the pastor and the people show special love and concern to new Christians and that they also minister to the mature members of the church, lest somebody stray because of neglect. Paul sent Timothy to the young believers in Thessalonica so that he might establish them in their faith (1 Thes. 2). Every young Christian needs a more mature believer to teach him how to stand and walk.
The burning (v. ). Apparently these are the people who have left the fellowship and are now a part of the apostate group. They need to be snatched out of the fire! The angels took Lot by the hand and pulled him out of Sodom (), and sometimes that must be done in order to rescue ignorant and unstable believers from the clutches of false teachers.
There is probably a reference here to and also . In the Zechariah passage, the “brand” was the nation Israel brought back from the Babylonian Captivity and resettled in their land. God saw the people as a brand saved from the fire. In Amos 4, God was reproving the people for not heeding His warnings and judgments—poverty, poor crops, drought, pestilences, war, and even judgments like those that overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. They were as a brand plucked out of the fire, yet they did not appreciate God’s mercy.
The dangerous (v. ). The phrase with fear means “with caution.” In trying to help those who have erred, we must be careful not to be trapped ourselves! Many a would-be rescuer has been drowned himself. When an unstable believer has been captured by false doctrine, we must be very careful as we try to help him, for Satan can use him to defile us. In trying to save him, we may be stained or burned ourselves!
The principle Jude was laying down was that stronger believers must never think they are beyond satanic influence. Even while serving the Lord and seeking to rescue one of His children, we can become defiled by those we want to help. The Old Testament Jews had to be very careful to avoid ceremonial defilement, and this included even their clothing (; ; ). If a “clean” person touched an “unclean” garment, then he was defiled.
We certainly must love God’s people, but we must also hate sin. Wherever there is sin, Satan has a foothold and can go to work. Defilement spreads rapidly and secretly, and it must be dealt with drastically. If the Jewish priest thought that a garment was infected with leprosy, he had the garment burned.
Not every Christian is equipped to deal with false teachers or with those they have influenced and captured. It takes a good knowledge of the Word, a faithful walk with God, an understanding of Satan’s devices, and certainly the fullness of the Spirit of God. It also demands spiritual discernment. It is much easier to instruct new Christians and keep them away from the false teachers than it is to snatch them out of the fire.
Commit Yourself to Jesus Christ ()
This well-known benediction contains a wealth of spiritual truth for the believer to receive. If we want to keep our feet on the ground spiritually, walk straight, and not stumble, then we must yield ourselves fully to the Saviour. He alone is able to guard us, but we must “keep ourselves in the love of God” (). He is able if we are willing!
Jude was not writing about the possibility of the believer sinning and falling from God’s family. We have noted before that he made it clear in that true believers are “preserved” and cannot be lost. He was writing about the believer’s daily walk with the Lord and the danger of going astray and stumbling. If we do disobey God, we may confess our sins and receive His forgiveness (). If we persist in disobedience, He will chasten us in love (). He will never permit one of His own to be lost.
The Father has covenanted with the Son that all of His people will one day see and share His glory (see ). Jesus Christ will have the special joy of presenting His bride, the church, before the Father’s throne! It was the anticipation of this “joy” that helped Him endure the sufferings of the Cross (). The purpose of salvation is not simply to rescue sinners from hell, as wonderful as that is. The grand purpose is that God may be glorified for all eternity (, , ).
Today, there are spots and blemishes in the church, but on that day God’s people shall be blameless. Satan will find nothing to accuse. The bride will be arrayed in the righteousness of Christ to the glory of God.
Knowing this, the believer has a strong motive for living for Christ and obeying His Word. We want to bring joy to His heart today as we anticipate the joy He will have when He welcomes His bride to heaven! This is the significance of —“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure” (cf. ; ).
is the only place in this little letter where Jude called our Lord “Saviour.” Peter used this title five times. But Jude opened his letter by reminding his readers of “the common salvation” () that they shared because of their faith in Jesus Christ. It is not enough to say that Jesus Christ is “a savior,” or “the Saviour”; we must say that He is “our Saviour—my Saviour.”
He is not only our Saviour, but He is “the only wise God.” He can give you the wisdom you need to live your life to the glory of God. The false teachers boasted of their special knowledge, but they lacked spiritual wisdom. God gives wisdom to those who ask Him (), provided they are sincerely willing to obey Him. If Christians would seek the wisdom of God in the Word of God, they would not stumble into the traps of the false teachers, but would walk to please the Lord ().
Why should we walk in obedience to God’s will? So that Christ might receive the glory!
Glory is the sum total of all that God is and all that God does. Everything about Him is glorious! The glory of man fades as the mown grass, but the glory of God goes on eternally.
Majesty means “greatness, magnificence.” Only God is great. When we praise God, we praise the most magnificent Person in the universe. He is not simply King; He is King of kings! He is not simply Lord; He is Lord of lords!
Dominion has to do with God’s sovereignty and rule over all things. The Greek word means “strength, might,” but it carries the idea of complete control over all things.
Power means “authority,” which is the right to use power. All authority belongs to Jesus Christ (), including authority over the powers of darkness (). As we yield to Him, we share His authority and accomplish His will.
What a magnificent doxology this is! Knowing the purpose Jude had in mind when he wrote this letter, this doxology takes on even greater significance. Jude was reminding his readers of the greatness of Jesus Christ. If only they could catch that, they would never be led astray by false teachers. Like the young man who falls in love and marries, and is no longer interested in his old girlfriends, so the believer who keeps himself “in the love of God” (), caught up in the glories of the Saviour, will never want to turn to Satan’s substitutes.
You don’t have to stumble.
If you will remember the Word, build your Christian life in faith, hope, and love, exercise spiritual discernment, and commit yourself to Christ, then He will keep you from stumbling.
Be alert!
The enemy is subtle and the dangers are great.
But the only wise God your Saviour will keep you safe and one day present you joyfully in glory!