Our Daily Scripture – 9/18/22

SCRIPTURE:  JUDE

INTRODUCTION:

Jude, also called “Judas”was a half-brother of Jesus.  He wrote this letter to warn about the false teachers who were leading people to live sinful lives with their false teachings.  They were unsaved, ungodly, and undisciplined people who used grace as an excuse for sin.  He reminded the church ofo the need for constant vigilance, to keep strong in the faith and oppose heresy.

The purposes of Jude in writing this letter are:  to recognize the dangers of false teachings; to protect themselves and other believers and to win back those who had been deceived.

BIBLE VERSES:

“Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones  to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”  These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.” (Jude 1:16)

“ But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.  Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” (Jude 21:20-22)

THE SIN AND DOOR OF GODLESS MEN (vs. 1-16)

John started to write on salvation but was led by the spirit to warn the believers of the false teachings.  There were men who had secretly slipped into the church to change the grace of God into license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ is the only Sovereign Lord. (v. 4)   

 

EXAMPLES OF GODLESS MEN:

  1. Israelites in the wilderness (v. 5) – they did not believe in God.
  2. Fallen angels (v. 6) – they rebelled against God and defiled Him.
  3. Sodom & Gomorrah (v. 7) – they commit sins of sexual immorality and perversion.
  4. CAin (v. 11a) – He made offering without blood sacrifice and murdered his brother Abel out of vengeful jealousy.
  5. Balaam (v. 11b) – He prophesied out of greed, not out of God’s command.
  6. Korah (v. 11c) – He rebelled against Moses, the God appointed leader and tried to abuse power for themselves.

As a result of their rejection, defiant and defilement, they suffered the punishment of eternal fire.

Jude described the godless men as grumblers and fault finders. They follow their own evil desires and boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. (v. 16).

DESCRIPTION OF FALSE TEACHERS IN VIVID TERMS:

  1. These men are blemishes at your love feast (v. 12a)
  2. They are shepherds who feed only themselves (v. 112b)
  3. They are clouds without rain, blow along by the wind (v. 12c)
  4. They are autumn trees without fruit and uprooted – twice dead (v. 12d)
  5. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame (v. 13a)
  6. They are wandering stars at its blackest darkness (v. 13b)

 CALL TO PERSEVERE (vs. 13-25)

JUDE’S COUNSEL: (VS. 20-23)

  1. Build yourselves up in your most holy faith
  2. Pray in the spirit
  3. Keep yourselves in God’s love.
  4. Wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life.
  5. Be merciful to those who doubt
  6. Snatch others from fire and save them
  7. Show mercy mixed with fear, meaning as we seek to help others, take care not to be defiled by them.

DOXOLOGY (v. 24-25)

“To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy, to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

THOUGHTS:

Children must defend the faith and oppose false teachers.  We must keep ourselves from falling prey to false teachers by the power and strength of the Holy Spirit.

Today, we are also vulnerable to heresies and doctrinal error  and with temptations toward immoral living.  Let us remain firm in our faith and trust in God’s promise for our future.  We need not be afraid because God guarantees to keep us from falling if we remain faithful to Him.;