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Reading and Applying Jude
Reading and Applying Jude
While it would be interesting to know what Jude desired to write, it is profitable to understand what he found it necessary to write! The problem that believers faced was not a new problem but the age-old problem of false teachers deceiving God’s people and leading them astray into ungodliness and immorality. It is the same problem in our day. Jude puts forward the solutions to deal with this problem:
1) KNOW the will of the LORD and do not deviate:
“Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints” (Jude 1:3).
- There is THE faith
- It is the DELIVERED faith – revealed from God to man.
- It is delivered TO THE SAINTS – it is not a book for the ‘clergy’, but for the PEOPLE, for believers.
- It was ‘once for all’ delivered and passed down.
2) KNOW that God will indeed bring judgment, particularly on those who practice ungodliness and lead others astray:
- Israel as they came out of Egypt
- Angels who kept not their proper abode
- Sodom and Gomorrah for their ungodliness
- IN THE SAME WAY those who were trying to deceive the people in Jude’s day.
3) KNOW the real nature of our enemy. Jude give a rather involved and detailed analysis of those who ‘crept in’ among God’s people (10-13, 15-16, 18-19). If you haven’t done so before, it would be good for you to make a list of what Jude says about these people!
4) REMEMBER – specifically what has been taught through the apostles. It is not just that we ‘believe’ something, but that through THE FAITH we have trust in Jesus. We are to be taught all things that HE revealed and to obey what has been revealed (Matt. 28:18-20).
5) BUILD yourself up. Your faith CAN and MUST grow. You not only must grow in your knowledge of the faith, but you must grow through the exercise of APPLYING such knowledge to the changing of your life and character.
6) PRAY. Without ceasing. At all times without losing heart. (Luke 18:1, 1Thess. 5:17)
7) KEEP SELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD.
Jude concludes by reminding us that God is able to keep us from stumbling but he has already outlined HOW God is going to do it! Are you following Jude’s instructions?
Hugh DeLong
