Thursday, October 17, 2024

2024.10.17 Hopewell @Home ▫ Jude 12–19

Read Jude 12–19

Questions from the Scripture text: What does Jude 12 now call the ungodly (Jude 4) dreamers (Jude 8)? What don’t they do? Whom do they serve? What metaphors describe the falsehood and deadness of their appearance? What metaphors describe the results of their actions (Jude 13)? What illustration does he use for what happens to the ungodly (Jude 14-15)?  What two things does Jude 16 call them? How do they walk? How do they talk? But of Whose words does he now remind them (Jude 17)? Whom had He said there would be (Jude 18)? How would these walk? What do they cause, and what do they lack (Jude 19)? 

What sorts of people should we be watching against in the church? Jude 12–19 looks forward to the second serial reading in morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these eight verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that we should not share our life with those who give evidence of not having the Spirit.  

It is a great problem that the dreamers of Jude 8-11 “creep in unnoticed” to churches (cf. Jude 4). Though they appear to be Christians, they do not fear God and bring impurity into the worship and fellowship of the church (Jude 12). Since they do not serve God, then they cannot truly serve others. No one can keep the second great commandment if he is not a keeper of the first great commandment.

Jude uses several illustrations for what sort of death this causes. Imagine a land dying under drought, but when the clouds come there is no rain. Or people starving for the harvest, but when there should be ripe fruits, they find no fruit and only dead trees. Rather than a current that might carry a ship forward, their activity is only so much frothing of waves (Jude 13; how many churches are full of frothing, but no real engagement of the true God!). Christianity must come from His grace; the only thing that can come from us is shame. They may even seem like they are able to guide others (as stars did), but what they take people to is utter and eternal darkness.

Again, Jude uses an illustration from a book that is not Scripture. It may be that an oral tradition was preserved about Enoch, which the Spirit now authenticates as He carries Jude along. Or, it may be that Jude is again arguing from the lesser to the greater, using a book with which his readers were familiar, but understood was merely earthly (Jude 14-15)—and then affirming the reality of the situation by the higher authority of the apostles of Christ (Jude 17-18). In either case, the point is that his readers know that holiness is the true mark of fellowship with God. The true grace of God does not produce lewdness (cf. Jude 4). It has been producing holiness in believers since the very beginning (n.b. “seventh from Adam” in Jude 14), when there was a man who walked with God in such holiness that God took him (cf. Genesis 5:21–24).

So, it is important to recognize people who are throwing off the lordship of Christ, lest we stumble with them and end up in destruction. Jude gives some diagnostic help. Watch for grumblers and complainers (Jude 16). Watch for those who are always trying to enjoy whatever they want (verse 16) instead of serving others (Jude 12). Don’t be moved if their speech seems impressive, or flattering, because that is a common trait that they have (Jude 16). 

Most of all: watch against those who are unspiritual (a more literal translation than “sensual persons” in Jude 19), not having the Spirit. This allows us to import the lists in Galatians 5:19–21 and Galatians 5:22–25 to determine with whom we ought to share our lives. This explains one way in which they “cause divisions” (Jude 19). When there are those in the church who are full of worldliness or fleshliness, then others in the church who are genuinely called and consecrated (cf. Jude 1) simply find it difficult to share their lives together. But, stick to walking with the Lord and to those who are marked by doing the same. And let the elders of the church follow biblical instruction for church discipline, so that these stains (Jude 12), or leaven (cf. 1 Corinthians 5), are purged and do not threaten the spiritual life of the rest of the body.

If someone were applying the diagnostics of this passage, what is there in your life that would most discourage them from the fellowship of sharing their life with you? 

Sample prayer:  Lord, thank You for warning us against our own sinfulness and against false believers within the church. Forgive us for not being watchful enough against either. And grant unto us the ministry of Your Spirit, that He might bear such fruit in us as to mark us as Christ’s, we ask through Him, AMEN!

Suggested songs: ARP15 “Within Your Tent, Who Will Reside?” or TPH404 “The Church’s One Foundation” 

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