Gnosticism Condemned

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Salutation

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Here the author calls himself "Jude". The most common rendition of this name was either Judas or Judah. He describes himself as a "servant of Jesus Christ" and a brother of James.

Notice to whom the letter is written. "To those who are CALLED.... and KEPT...." "Beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ." Matthew Henry suggests that it would be well to read, at this time, the parable of the "wheat and the tares" and remind ourselves that Jesus said that the two must grow together until the harvest, or until Jesus comes. Only Christ can separate the lost from the saved.

So it does not appear that it was Judas' intent to judge the souls of those who were engaged in this heresy which he condemns, but rather to make the church, as a whole, aware of their existence.

Notice Jude was a good "Calvinest". He not only believed that Christians were "called", but he also believed that they were "kept". The "called" are kept for the Day of Judgment, presented faultlessly before the one true and living God by Jesus Christ. What God begins, calls into being, He perfects (Sanctification) and preserves (the security of the believer).

Notice Jude, like John and Paul, pronounces an Apostolic Benediction upon the readers of this letter. "May mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you." To Jude, Grace was given at the time of their salvation. The rest, mercy, peace and love, were granted as they grew in Grace.

Reasons for the Letter

Having establisher himself as the author of the letter and indicating and describing those to whom he was writing, Jude proceeds to establish the purpose of his letter. His purpose was to re-establish the Christian way of life for the new converts and to reprimand the old Christians that had fallen into heresy.

He begins by establishing that there is only one salvation. Because of the wide verity of people in the first century, free and slave, educated and uneducated, Jew and Gentile, there rose up an idea that there was different forms of salvation. Here Jude assures all that there is but "one common salvation" and anyone that preached anything else was a false teacher.

Notice Jude believes that these false teachers, which he calls "ungodly persons" who secretly gained admission into the fellowship, were "predestined" or "designated" for this very purpose. They perverted the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and denied His Sonship.

Condemnation of False teachers

Notice the 17 ways that he describes these false teachers:

1. They were un-godly men. Enemies of the faith that had come into the church. These men sought to advance their own selfish ambitions. They caused divisions, created questions about doctrine, widen differences rather than seeking to bring people together, perverted the Grace of God by boldly engaging in sin and striking at the very foundation of Christianity by making light of forgiveness, Forgiveness is based on sorrow and repentance and the turning away from sin not boldly continuing in it.
2. They defiled the flesh. They engaged in un-natural acts of the flesh, gratifying the lusts of the flesh.
3. They rejected authority. Both the authority of the Apostles and the authority of the Word.
4. They walked in the "way of Cane". Cane thought little and believed not much.
5. They were "filthy", they committed "Balaam's error". They led the righteous astray for the sake of personal gain.
6. They were like Karah. They led people into a rebellion against the righteous, and they were killed.
7. They were involved in boldly "carousing". Showing no restraint in their life, lacking any conscience.
8. They were selfish gluttons. Seeking only to satisfy their own appetites.
9. They were "waterless clouds". Lives that were empty of purpose, carried by every wind of doctrine.
10. They were "fruitless trees". Dead, bearing no fruit.
11. They were "twice dead". Dead in their sins and dead in their hypocrisy.
12. They were "uprooted". Having no source of spiritual life.
13. They were "raging waves". Noisy, full of talk, signifying nothing.
14. They were "foam of their own shame". Embarrassed when around people of God.
15. They were "wondering stars". Unpredictable, with no course in life.
16. They were "grumblers and complainers". never satisfied, always creating a disturbance or division.
17. They were "loudmouth boasters". Always proclaiming themselves. they flattered people for personal gain.

I think from the preceding verses, you can get a very good picture of what these false teachers were like. In these verses, Jude sums up the description of these people and admonishes the true Christians to live as they should.

Jude reminds them that the Apostles had prophesied that in the "last time" there would be false teachers, scoffers, those who followed their own ungodly passions. He describes them as worldly people who would cause divisions amongst the brethren. Earlier in the chapter, Jude reminds them that there will be a judgment for these people, that the "neither gloom", eternal punishment, of darkness has been reserved for them forever. He reminds them of the fate of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, who likewise acted immorality and were destroyed by fire.

So what was the duty of these believing Christians, what were they to do in light of these false teachers?

1. They were to build up their faith. Grow spiritually in the faith and the knowledge of their salvation.
2. They were to pray in the Holy Spirit. Pray as they were led by the Spirit, believing that their prayers were heard.
3. They were to keep themselves in the love of God. Always seeking His will and demonstrating His love.
4. They were to wait for the mercy of Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Through Christ, we have the mercy of God which is eternal life.
5. In the meantime, they were to be about their Father's business, trying to convince some who doubt and trying to save some out of the fire. Have mercy on some, with fear and caution, hating the garment (life) spotted by the flesh. This last instruction was given with a word of caution and concern. They were to try to win some for Christ who were a part of the false teaching, hating the sin but loving the sinner, but do it with caution so as not to be caught up in their pretence.

Jude closes with a very famous benediction. "Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling and present you faultless before the presence of His Glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God, our Savior, be Glory, Majesty, Dominion and Power, now and forever, Amen." There is so much doctrine in this benediction. One, the security of the believer, "kept and presented faultless" and two, the sovereignty, savior, dominion and power, unshared, indisputable both now and forever, Amen.

THUS ENDS THE BOOK OF JUDE

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