Standing Firm (Jude 17–25)
Lesson 8
Standing Firm
(JUDE 17–25)
Before you begin …
• Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal truth and wisdom as you go through this lesson.
• Read Jude 17–25. This lesson references chapter 12 in Be Alert. It will be helpful for you to have your Bible and a copy of the commentary available as you work through this lesson.
Getting Started
From the Commentary
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” (Eph. 6:11). There is always the danger of stumbling (Jude 24), 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.
—Be Alert, page 187
1. Why is it sometimes difficult to “stand firm” against the teachings and influence of apostates or false teachers? What is it about false teachers that appeals to believers? Why do they get any followers at all? How is this similar to the way cults are formed?
2. Choose one verse or phrase from Jude 17–25 that stands out to you. This could be something you’re intrigued by, something that makes you uncomfortable, something that puzzles you, something that resonates with you, or just something you want to examine further. Write that here.
Going Deeper
From the Commentary
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 (Gen. 3:1). 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” (Isa. 8:20).
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 (Acts 1:21–22; 1 Cor. 9:1). 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.
—Be Alert, pages 187–88
3. Respond to this statement: “Where there is the authentic, the counterfeit will appear.” How is this true in Jude’s letter? How is this true today?
More to Consider: 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.
From the Commentary
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” (Acts 20:30). 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 1 Corinthians 2:14–16, 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.
—Be Alert, page 189
4. What is “soul power”? What happens to a church when God’s people can’t discern between “soulish” ministry and the true ministry of the Spirit? How does religious showmanship negatively impact the church? What is the “false fire” in the church today? (See Lev. 10.)
From Today’s World
Today’s church is a wide and varied thing. On one edge you have hyper-conservative believers who hold fast to doctrine that they claim is inerrant and unchangeable. On the other, you have progressives who continue to examine and unravel familiar doctrines in search of new revelation and understanding. Between these two extremes you can find all shapes and sizes of doctrine with a few key areas of universal agreement spread widely across that middle. The folks on the conservative edge question anything that doesn’t fit in their understanding and call it bad theology or heresy. Those at the other edge call the conservative theologies outdated and shortsighted.
5. Why are some quick to say that anything unfamiliar is false teaching? Are they right? What is our role in today’s church when it comes to examining Scripture? What are the nonnegotiables in faith? How can churchgoers hold fast to those things while still exploring what it means to live the Christian faith in the twenty-first century?
From the Commentary
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” (Jude 20), which is the same as “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). 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.
—Be Alert, page 190
6. Where does the power for building the Christian life come from? (See v. 20.) What are some ways the church is “standing still” (and therefore going backward)? What are some ways we can turn that around? What does a true commitment to building the church look like for the individual believer?
From the Commentary
What does it mean to “pray in the Holy Spirit”? (Note the contrast with Jude 19—“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 1 John 5:14–15.
As Christians, we may pray in solitude (Matt. 6:6), but we never pray alone; the Spirit of God joins with us as we pray (Rom. 8:26–28) because He knows the mind of God and can direct us. He can give us wisdom and knowledge from the Word (Eph. 1:15ff.). He can also help us approach the Father through the access we have in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:18). We worship God “in the Spirit” (Phil. 3:3), and the Spirit motivates us to pray, for He is “the Spirit of grace and of supplications” (Zech. 12:10).
—Be Alert, page 191
7. Prayer is always an important part of our faith lives. What message did Jude give us about prayer? How does the Holy Spirit help us in our prayer lives? If prayer feels dry, should we wait until we feel the Holy Spirit moving us? Why or why not?
From the Commentary
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 (John 14:21–24), and we do have times when He seems very near. The Bible compares this with the love of a husband and wife (Eph. 5:22ff.). 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” (1 John 2:5). “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love” (John 15:10). 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” (Ps. 97:10). 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 (2 Cor. 6:14–18).
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 Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God” (2 Peter 3:12).
—Be Alert, page 192
8. How do we build our Christian life? What is the foundation? What is our motivation? What role does hope play in our life of faith?
More to Consider: The word translated “looking” (Jude 21) means “earnestly expecting.” It describes an attitude of life that is motivated by the promise of our Lord’s return. How is the “earnestly expecting” of the apostates different from the expectation of God’s people? How does the promise of deliverance from this evil world color the hope of those who love God? What hope do nonbelievers count on?
From the Commentary
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 first are those who doubt (v. 22). These are the people who are wavering. They are probably the “unstable souls” Peter wrote about (2 Peter 2:14). 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!
The second kind of people who need help are the burning (v. 23a). 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 (Gen. 19:16), and sometimes that must be done in order to rescue ignorant and unstable believers from the clutches of false teachers.
The third kind are the dangerous (v. 23b). 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 (Lev. 13:47ff.; 14:47; 15:17). If a “clean” person touched an “unclean” garment, then he was defiled.
—Be Alert, pages 193–95
9. What are the best ways to draw each of these groups of people away from false teachers? How can the church exercise spiritual discernment? What is each individual’s responsibility in discernment?
From the Commentary
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 Savior. He alone is able to guard us, but we must “keep [ourselves] in the love of God” (Jude 21). He is able if we are willing!
—Be Alert, pages 195–96
10. What is the final message of Jude’s letter? What is the significance of Jude’s teaching that believers are preserved and can’t be lost? How does that truth affect the way we live out our faith lives? How does this final message address our daily walk?
Looking Inward
Take a moment to reflect on all that you’ve explored thus far in this study of Jude 17–25. Review your notes and answers and think about how each of these things matters in your life today.
Tips for Small Groups: To get the most out of this section, form pairs or trios and have group members take turns answering these questions. Be honest and as open as you can in this discussion, but most of all, be encouraging and supportive of others. Be sensitive to those who are going through particularly difficult times and don’t press for people to speak if they’re uncomfortable doing so.
11. What are ways you stand firm against false teaching? Do you know your “weak spots” when it comes to discerning good doctrine from bad? What are some ways you can grow your understanding so you won’t be tempted to follow a false leader?
12. What are some examples of overt showmanship in your church experience? How do you know when someone is putting themselves above God in their ministry or worship? Have you ever focused more on your own soul than the Holy Spirit’s role in your life? What role does pride play in those situations? How do you battle pride?
13. One of Jude’s messages was the importance of drawing people away from false leaders. But this is no easy task. Have you ever engaged in conversations with people who believe in false teachings? What was that experience like? Why is it difficult to draw people away from false teaching? What role does your personal relationship with Jesus play in those sorts of conversations?
Going Forward
14. Think of one or two things that you have learned that you’d like to work on in the coming week. Remember that this is all about quality, not quantity. It’s better to work on one specific area of life and do it well than to work on many and do poorly (or to be so overwhelmed that you simply don’t try).
Do you want to more fully yield yourself to Jesus? Be specific. Go back through Jude 17–25 and put a star next to the phrase or verse that is most encouraging to you. Consider memorizing this verse.
Real-Life Application Idea: Among other things, Jude emphasized the importance of prayer in building a strong faith foundation. Be intentional with your prayer life this week. Ask God for wisdom as you seek to become more diligent in your faith life. Then continue that vigilant prayer life into the next week and the next and the next.
Seeking Help
15. Write a prayer below (or simply pray one in silence) inviting God to work on your mind and heart in those areas you’ve noted in the Going Forward section. Be honest about your desires and fears.
Notes for Small Groups:
• Look for ways to put into practice the things you wrote in the Going Forward section. Talk with other group members about your ideas and commit to being accountable to one another.
• During the coming week, ask the Holy Spirit to continue to reveal truth to you from what you’ve read and studied.