Jude — Contend for the Faith
Introduction: This letter has fewer than six hundred words and can be read in less than five minutes. The only shorter works in the New Testament are Philemon, 2 John, and 3 John. Jude calls believers to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints, warning them about false teachers and ungodly men who have crept in unaware among the believers.
Note: Scripture passages are from the World English Bible.
A — Called and Kept by God
“Jude 1:1-2 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept in Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.”
B — Contend for the Faith
“Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write to you about the common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the saints.”
Comments: By Jude’s own words, he first had intended to write about the common salvation and the love of Christ. But at some point before he set down the letter in writing, the purpose had changed into a call to the vigorous defense of truth to thwart the effects of unbelievers in their midst. God himself delivered to each saint that saving faith that cannot be removed, because it is based on God’s grace, not the works of man. The saints must serve God in reverence and godly fear, contending against those whose intents and actions oppose salvation by faith in Christ alone.
C — Certain Men Have Crept in Unaware
“Jude 1:4 For there are certain men who crept in secretly, these who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
Comments: Jesus warned of the many things that come out of the heart of man, so we should not be surprised that some who come into the assembly of saints have their own desires as their goals. Those who abuse the grace of God by turning it into permission for unrestricted lasciviousness completely contradict the fruit of righteousness and holiness that should be produced by the mind renewal process as the proper response to grace.
There are those who may come into the assembly of saints with only superficial change in their lives if they have not truly been converted in their hearts. The natural instinct of man can carry the grace of forgiveness in Christ to the point of unrestrained thought and action, but that is completely contrary to what true faith produces.
D — Remember the Words of the Apostles
“Jude 1:17-21 But you, beloved, remember the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you that in the last time there will be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts. These are those who cause divisions, sensual, having not the Spirit. But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
Comments: Now that Jude has identified the problem, he begins to direct the saints to steps to contend for the faith once delivered. He reminds his readers that the apostles warned of this characteristic of the last times. Jude contrasts the fact that these sensual men do not have the Spirit by reminding those who are the beloved of God to build up their holy faith by praying in the power of the Holy Spirit. The believers must keep themselves in the love of God and remember the sure hope of eternal life.
Jude also emphasizes the importance of showing compassion and gentleness, as these may be effective to draw some to Christ. Others may be so captive to their sin that evangelizing them must be with great caution because it could present dangers of exposing the believer to sin, but if the sinner is saved they will escape eternal fire.
E — A Joyful Closing to the Letter
“Jude 1:24-25 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.”
Comments: Jude glorifies God and reminds the saints with joy that God is our Savior and he is able to keep us from falling until we appear before his unmatched glory. When we appear before him, we will be faultless because he has removed our sin. He is the only God, wise beyond measure, with all dominion, power, and majesty both now and for all eternity. What a benediction to our great God, and perhaps now Jude has in some part accomplished what he had intended to do at the beginning of his letter by speaking of our salvation wrought in Christ with all glory due only to the Lord!
Reflections in Prayer
Lord, in the assembly of saints, we should desire to encourage and build one another up in our faith with reminders of all that Christ has done for us once for all as we received that faith first delivered by grace. But we must also be wary of the ever present potential for the composition of any assembly of saints to drift away from a pure faith by the influence of those who have come in, but are not yet truly converted in their hearts. Keep us mindful of how abhorrent sin is to a Holy God, and how much each one of us was an offense to your holiness before our conversion.
Remind us of the repeated pattern throughout history of rejection of the grace you offer, with the final judgment concealed from those who are perishing. But the great day of the Lord is as sure as if it is already upon us. Empower us through your Spirit to contend for the faith in a manner sufficient to the need of those you place around us, so that even just a few within our influence may be snatched from that eternal fire. Lord, it is your Spirit within that keeps us from falling, and nothing of ourselves. All power, glory, honor, and worship is due to you alone. Amen.
Published 2 January 2015
Comments: Jude opens his letter by identifying himself as a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James. He addresses his letter to those who are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept in Jesus Christ. The apostles Paul, James, and Peter all identify themselves as servants, using a Greek word that carries the very strong sense of being under the utter control of the master. What a tremendous privilege Jesus has given us to be servants as were Jude, Paul, James, and Peter.
Jude greets his readers with a desire that mercy, peace, and love be multiplied among them—abounding, abundant, plentiful, and overflowing. The saints are set apart by the Father, preserved by the finished work of the Son, and called into continual servanthood through the Spirit.