Jude 1 - Do You Contend for the Faith?

Introduction to Letter of Jude - Insight for Living

Click Here to Read or LIsten to Jude 1

1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.

Jude was the half-brother of Jesus. Jesus had four half-brothers according to the gospels. One of them is named "Judas". Most scholars assume Jude's formal name was Judas, whose name was shortened for obvious reasons. I.e. Not being associated with Judas the betrayer

Jude's letter has many similarities with 2 Peter, so people assume he wrote around 64-67 A.D. His audience is "those who have been called". This is why it is called a "general epistle"

The Sin and Doom of Ungodly People

3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. 4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about[b] long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

Jude urges the believers to "contend for the faith", This is an obvious reference to the false teachers who were infiltrating the church. Note it is the faith which had been entrusted to them, which is also entrusted to us. We need to remember to guard the faith and it's correct doctrine about Jesus. 

These false teachers "secretly slipped in". False teachers don't usually announce themselves. Maybe they are teaching a bible study, or have a group of followers that follow their teaching. The bible says these teachers, or "purported teachers" will face severe judgment for teaching falsely about Jesus. The specific heresly here was saying, "Since you are a Christian you can do whatever you want." It was a license for immorality that meant one could pursue their sinful desires, because after all God has given them to us to indulge in. After all, why would God deny you your pleasures.  

They also denied Jesus was the only Lord. They probably counted Jesus as only "one of the prophets". 

5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

In reference to judgment, Jude points out other examples of this  type of behavior in the Old Testament, including the Israelites who turned to other gods after the Lord had delieverd them from the Egyptians. Also, the towns of Sodom and Gomorrah, which were known for their sexual immorality. Jude also describes the type of judgment, "punishment of eternal fire". 

Fire is often used as a sign of judgment both for believers, who are purified through the fire of trials, and also unbelievers, who live in eternal separation from God. Whether it is symbolic of how bad it will be to be separated from God, or literally the physical punishmen to being burned it is bad. For some, it is hard to reconcile a loving and compassionate God executing this kind of judgment. God is God, and I guess that's up for him to decide.

8 In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. 9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”[d] 10 Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.

These teachers also distort teaching based on dreams which not based in scripture. They assume they have insights into the fate of celestial beings and angels. He cites the example of Michael rebuking the devil not in his own authority but God's. Michael is a powerful angel, who is engaged in spiritual warfare and talked about in other passages too. (I.e. Daniel and Revelation)

Click Here to Read about Michael, the Archangel in GotQuestions.org

 Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion. 12 These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. 13 They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

Jude points out more examples from the Old Testament and the judgment they received. Balaam was called to warn King Balak, but instead of prophesying the Lord's judgment on Israel, he gave blessings to Israel to make money. God even sent a donkey to stop him but he would not listen! 

These people make their way into their "love feasts", which were times that the community gathered together for teaching, fellowship, and communion. They were selfish, manipulative, and waterless clouds, fruitless trees, blown every which way like the wind. Once again, Jude says the darkness will be reserved for them forever. He has used fire for a symbol of judgment and now darkness. The key thing it is an eternal judgment! 

14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 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.”[e] 16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

Even Enoch, who walked with God and was no more, prophesied about their destruction. The book of Enoch was in the intertestamental literature which was not included in the New Testament canon, but Jude quotes him here. 

Jude’s quoting of the book of Enoch doesn’t mean that the whole book of Enoch inspired Scripture – only the portion Jude quotes. In the same way, when Paul quoted a pagan poet, he didn’t mean that the entire work of the poet was inspired by God. - Guzik

A Call to Persevere

17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

Jude reminded them that this was something that apostles, like Peter, had prophesied about in 2 Peter 3. False teachers always divide the church and are led by the flesh and not the Spirit. The Spirit keeps the bond of fellowship and unity in the church, any other spirits who lead to division are not of God and are of the enemy. 

20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Now Jude gives them the antidote to these false teachers. They need to grow and be built up in their faith. We are responsible for our growth and spiritual maturity. As you study and read God's Word and apply it in your life, you will grow to be more like Christ. You will soon be able to easily spot truth from error. 

Jude also mentions praying in the Holy Spirit. Though we pray with our mind, the Holy Spirit also  intercedes through us with words that we can often not understand. Romans 8:26-27 Finally, Jude admonishes them to remain in God's love. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13, "Faith, hope, and love and the greatest of these is love." And, "Love never fails". We can be really well read in God's Word and even pray a lot but if it does not translate into love for God and others something is wrong. 

Doxology

24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

With all this being said, and what they needed to do to contend for and built up in the faith, he reminded them it is God's power that will keep them strong until the end. God always keeps his promises and will not let one of His children be snatched out of his hands. Philippians 1:6, 1 John 5:18

Do you contend for the Christian faith? Would you know how to spot heresy if you see it or heard it taught? 

How do the descriptions of eternal separation from God (aka hell) make you feel about those how unsaved, or living a lifestyle controlled by the flesh?