Jude supplies three examples of God’s judgment against sin. The illustrations are drawn from the Old Testament and support Jude’s warning of condemnation on the ungodly men spoken of in verse 4. He assumes his readers will be familiar with these passages but wisely reminds them again of their message. Jude uses past precedent to anticipate God’s future dealings with sinners.  Destroyed for not believing Jude’s chosen examples are both pertinent and powerful. He reminds his readers how the people of Israel were at first saved out of Egypt only to die in the wilderness over a period of forty years because of their unbelief. Only Joshua and Caleb from the original exodus were permitted to enter Canaan. These people did not simply die. Jude’s…

In verse four Jude explains why believers must earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. It is because ungodly men, as tares among the wheat, have slipped undetected into the body of the professing church. Having ingratiated themselves with church members they openly oppose the truth of the gospel. These unnamed deceivers were already at work amongst the Lord’s people in Jude’s day. We may assume they still continue to this today.  Prominent imposters Despite these men being characterised by Jude as ungodly we shall learn from later verses they had become influential voices in otherwise faithful congregations. They were active participants in the fellowship meals of the church. Jude’s counsel is for the Lord’s people to examine themselves to ensure that…

In verse three Jude explains the driving force for his message and the burden laid upon him by the Holy Spirit to write as he does. It has been suggested Jude’s first intention was to follow the pattern of other apostles and write with ‘all diligence’ and care about the person and work of Jesus Christ. This would include the doctrines of salvation now referred to as the doctrines of God’s sovereign grace which Jude calls ‘the common salvation’. A common message These doctrines explain the work of God for the salvation of all His people. They are clearly taught by Paul, Peter, James and John in the pages of our New Testament. This is the apostolic foundation, the faith once delivered to those sanctified…

Before the apostle enters fully into the purpose and substance of his epistle he first identifies those to whom he is writing. These are the Lord’s elect people whom Jude characterises as sanctified, preserved, and called. Jude prays to God for the enlargement of their blessings and a deepening of their experience of grace. The apostle’s desire is that the Lord will multiply mercy, peace and love to His people. By embracing all God’s church in his salutation Jude also includes us in this prayer for grace. More than words We must never take the introductory comments of the apostles’ epistles as words spoken merely to fill space at the start of their message. These introductions and greetings are important and precious prayers which express…

The epistle of Jude is short, sweet and concentrated. There are many beautiful phrases and powerful images contained in this message delivered to the church of Jesus Christ under the apostle’s designation ‘the common salvation’. We shall dwell on some of these in the coming weeks. Jude, or Judas, was one of the Lord’s twelve disciples. He was, it seems, also called Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus. He is distinguished from Judas Iscariot who betrayed the Lord by his relationship to James, son of Alphaeus (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18, Acts 1:13). A good question The only incident recorded of this Jude in the gospels is in John 14:22 where during Christ’s address to His disciples after the last supper Jude put the question, ‘Lord, how…

‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.’ It is good for us to be brought back regularly to reflect on the majesty, glory and infinity of God. God is self-sufficient and needs nothing from us. He possesses all perfection. He is the first and last. Nothing can be added to God nor taken from Him. Conversely, everything we have has been given to us by Him out of His goodness and by His grace. These opening verses are a timely tonic against human pride. Christ’s blood is sufficient Just as we cannot add anything to God’s glory, neither can we add anything to the perfect satisfaction of Christ’s death for sin. Killing an ox or lamb is no doubt a reference to…