Jude

                                               Commentary

Chapter 1
1. There's an awful lot in this first verse of Jude. First notice that it says that we are kept by Jesus Christ. We are kept by Jesus Christ if we are one of the called or the elect.

1. If we are saved truly saved then we are preserved by Jesus Christ because those two things go hand-in-hand. In other words being saved and being preserved go hand in hand. In other words if we persevere with Jesus if we continue in the faith and our faith in Jesus Christ and his finished work on the cross and we do that to the end it is only because the grace of God has made it possible for us to do that. We are kept by the grace of God; we are preserved by the grace of God; we are saved by the grace of God. We cannot save ourselves and we cannot keep ourselves saved either. 
And so he says Jude the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James to them that are sanctified by God the father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called. The word called means elect, it means predestined. If your predestined, if you're called to be saved, if you have responded correctly to that of your own free will, because we all have a free will, then God will preserve you. Stay with Jesus and he will never leave you nor forsake you, you don't have to worry about that.

2.  I want to focus on that first word mercy. God pities us and forgives us in Jesus Christ. He pities us, and he forgives us in Jesus Christ. Do you know what that is? That is his mercy. We need God's mercy today and we will need that on judgment day as well. We need God's mercy and we need a lot of it. We need it multiplied as Jude says right here; we need it multiplied, we need an abundance, and fortunately for us in Christ we have more than what we need. The Bible says this to Christians: where sin abounds grace does much more abound. You can't possibly out sin the grace of God. So let's speak hypothetically here and say that you commit a lot of sins as a Christian and you confess those sins God never says well you stepped over the line and so I'm not going to forgive you this time. He doesn't say that because his mercy is always greater than our sin. God is always one step ahead of us with his mercy. As long as we as Christians confess and repent will be in good shape.

3.  When Jude 1st sat down and decided to write this letter to these Christians he had one thing in mind; he was going to talk about their common salvation. Jude was going to talk about how great it was to be saved; how encouraging and how wonderful it is to be saved. Jude originally wanted to talk about positive things like what we have in Christ. But instead he had to shift gears and warn these Christians about false teachers. Of course what he wrote about wasn't nearly as much fun as what he originally intended to say but he knew that that's what the Holy Spirit wanted him to write and even though it would not be his first choice he determined to do it and he did.
It would be nice if a Bible teacher could just talk about positive things all the time but in this world it is impossible, not if you're going to be faithful to Christ because there are problems in this world there are attacks against Christians and Christianity and they must be dealt with and it's not fun and it's not positive. It would be nice if we could always talk about happy upbeat things, but when there is spiritual danger like there was with these Christians it must be exposed in order to protect God's people and that's what Jude is going to write about, that's what Jude is going to do because because Jude is faithful to Almighty God.  

4. Notice there were certain men who crept in unawares. In other words these false teachers snuck in; the dirty low crawling snakes; the dirty filthy spiritual cockroaches! They snuck in, they crept in unawares; they snuck in under the radar posing as Christians; they were posing as Bible teachers but in reality they were tools of the devil. And notice what it says:

4. So some false teachers were saying that sin isn't a big deal. They were saying if you are a Christian then sin is nothing to worry about it's no big deal at all; that's what they were saying. Like some today, like many professing Christians and professing Bible teachers today they were saying you don't have anything to worry about; you don't have to worry about sin if you're a Christian because you are under God's grace you have liberty in Christ. And of course that is true, we are under God's grace and we do have liberty in Christ but what they were saying was only half the truth. Many today are saying the same sort of thing that the false teachers and Jude stay were saying: you don't have anything to worry about; you don't have to be concerned about sin in your life. Don't worry about it you are under God's grace and of course anyone who says that or even implies that has turned God's grace into a license to sin and it was never intended to be that in fact Paul in the book of Romans condemns that kind of thinking. Actually the Bible says that the grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness; the grace of God doesn't make you think that you have a license to sin or that sin is no big deal, that's not God's grace is not what God's grace teaches Christians. The grace of Almighty God teaches Christians to deny ungodliness. In other words, God's grace teaches us to turn away from sin and God's grace working in connection with the Holy Spirit in us gives us the power to turn away from sin and to live for Jesus and the desire to do that is inside of every true born-again Christian, every truly saved human being. Yes there is mercy we've already seen that. There definitely is mercy through Jesus Christ and we need that mercy all the time we need a lot of it but never turned God's grace into a license to sin. Never say well sin is no big deal were all under grace; that's what they were saying back then and that's what many are saying today. And even if they don't say those exact words they certainly imply it when they continually and willfully ignore preaching against sin and calling it what it is and when they willfully ignored their duty to call people to repentance. Anyone, I don't care if you call yourself a Christian or not, anyone who willfully lives in sin and doesn't repent and has the attitude that it's no big deal is going to end up in the lake of fire because they are not saved according to biblical criteria and that's the only thing that matters and thank God that he tells us ahead of time so that we can line up before we die because then it will be too late.

5a. God the Holy Spirit repeated what he had said before because evidently the Christians had either forgotten or were on the verge of forgetting the biblical truth that was so important. Truth needs to be repeated because the world the flesh and the devil are relentless and pumping our minds full of filth, trash, unbiblical teaching, sinful thoughts, and attitudes and so on and so forth. For every time our soul is intruded by sinful thoughts, videos, pictures and words we should match it with words from the Bible, and that means putting the same truth into our soul over and over again.
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5.He will use some examples from Biblical history to backup what he is saying about the damnable heresy of turning God's grace into a license it to sin and thinking that you're going to be fine and he begins with the Israelites. 
People say I accepted Christ so I can sin as a way of life it's no big deal, and let me tell you that that is precisely the attitude among many neo-evangelicals today or have you noticed.. I can sin it's no big deal because you know what? I prayed the sinners prayer. Well congratulations!  If you prayed the sinners prayer and you have an attitude of I can sin it's no big deal then that prayer bounced off the ceiling and meant absolutely nothing. But that is the attitude of many neo-evangelicals today even if they don't say it and some do say it, but even if they don't it's still there and very prominent; many believe it and many think it. Think what? That it's all grace and we don't have to think about or worry about sin.  Just forget it, lighten up we do not have to think about sin. It's no big deal it's all grace. Oh really? 
 God saved his people from Egypt they in turn said thank you very much Lord by sinning as a way of life and they did not repent and they sinned and sinned and as a result they never made it to the promised land. They were judged by God, so don't believe those who say sin will not affect your standing with God now that your Christian; it has absolutely no effect on your standing with God now that you are a Christian don't believe those people because that's exactly what Jude is talking about here. That's exactly what he is warning about right here. It does affect your relationship with God.
 And he gives a second example in verse six. And the angels who kept not their first estate but left their their own habitation he has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
 The Israelites whom God saved but turned their back on God; the Israelites who did not obey, and the angels who did not obey were judged by God as well.  So who says sin does not matter? That's not what Jude is saying who would dare change God's grace into a license to sin? These angels who didn't think their sin was a big deal knew that they had made a fatal mistake in their thinking when God threw them into the bottomless pit so fast that it made their devil loving minds spin. There's a lot of sloppy theology today; theology where teachers read into scriptures what they want it to say rather than letting every word of Scripture speak for itself and that's what was happening to the people who this book was originally written to and it's happening an awful lot today. This book is very up-to-date 
Verse seven even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
 Notice what the Bible says here: the people of Sodom and Gomorrah are set forth as an example. So you have the Israelites who sinned; you have the angels who sinned, you have  the people of Sodom and Gomorrah who sinned. I guess the preachers who tell people that Christ doesn't have to be your Lord just ask him to be your savior; you don't have to submit to his Lordship as long as you've asked him to be your Savior.You don't have to worry about making him the Lord of your life. I guess those people who say that sort of thing are going to have a lot of explaining to do on Judgment Day because if that's not turning the grace of God into a license to sin than words mean absolutely nothing; Of course that's what it is.
 7.  Again even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them in like manner giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh are set forth for an example suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
 Some people think that hell is not eternal fire. God says it is, Jesus said it is; it's eternal fire! The Bible says the Smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever and what is perfectly clear from this verse is that God judges wicked behavior.  In fact what is clear from the previous several verses where Jude uses these examples of people, some who claim to be God's people, sinning and sinning and being punished is that God judges wicked behavior and clearly his people are not excluded from that judgment.  Living sinfully with no confession and no repentance is not the lifestyle of someone who is on their way to heaven. You can say well they were saved and they lost their salvation or they were never saved to begin with. I don't care what you say; say whatever you want to say that's an argument for another program. You can say they were never saved to begin with or they were saved and are not saved now.  You can say whatever you want to say; the important thing to see is that they're not saved now.  The people Jude was writing to were turning God's grace into a license to sin and we're not saved now, and people who live as if sin is no big deal today and think they're fine because they prayed the sinners prayer or they have been confirmed or baptized as a baby there out of their minds. You're not saved! " To those of us who believe those of us who are saved Christ is precious" and you do not thumb your nose at somebody who is precious to you and you do not live in an  abominable manner toward those people. 

8. In like manner also these filthy dreamers. In like manner also, like the angels who fell, like the rebellious Israelites, like the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. In like manner also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignity.
 It is amazing how self deceived false teachers and godless people in general can actually be. Self deceived! I mean self deceived, even with all the examples of wicked people and wicked angels who had been judged by God some are still convinced that their sin is no big deal.  How you can just shut your eyes to what the word of God  clearly says is beyond me, but many do, even though angels and people of been judged by God because of their wickedness they're still convinced that their sin is no big deal; that for some strange perverted unbiblical reason they are the exception to the rule and God will not deal with them as he has consistently dealt with others in the past who willfully with malice and aforethought continued in a lifestyle of sin. Somehow they convinced themselves with absolutely no support in reality that they will be the exception and they're somehow going to get away with it.  there is no biblical reason to believe what those people are believing and to teach what those teachers are teaching: You can make Jesus your Savior without making him your Lord.  That is saying that God's grace is giving you a license to sin. I know that is very popular today; I understand that, but remember Jesus said narrows the way that leads to life in few there be that find it and broad is the road that leads to destruction and many go thereon. 
8x. "like manner also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh despise dominion and speak evil of dignities."
 Notice they slandered celestial beings. Just like some do today. they think they're so smart, they think they're so tough, and so super spiritual running around rebuking demons calling Satan and demons names cussing them out presuming to be able to bounce them around at will.  They scream out their rebukes in Jesus name, they scream out the rebukes, they charge Satan and his Devils to do this or that.. I command you to go here, I command you to go there, and none of those devils listen and Satan does not listen.  I'll tell you what this stuff does.  It excites feelings oriented charismatics.  That's what it does, but it is wrong, it is unbiblical, and by the way it is also pointless, totally pointless.  
9. Yet Michael the Archangel when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses dared not bring against him a railing accusation but said the Lord rebuke you."
 If the most powerful good angel Michael did not charge Satan, did not try to command Satan to get away from the body of Moses, if he did not even try to do it!  If Michael, Michael the Archangel did not say I rebuke you you filthy vile thing like I've heard some people say today and Michael is set forth here as our example then think about that the next time you hear some nutcase try to boss demons around or try to tell Satan what to do or call him names. Think about that okay? Think about how Michael is our example not to do that.  A lot of that stuff is Christianized showmanship Christianized theatrics, and I don't know maybe the people involved are sincere, but certainly they are screwed up; they are screwy. it's just an attempt at Christianized showmanship.

10.  "But these speak evil of those things which they know not what they know naturally as brute beast in those things they corrupt themselves."
 People who talk tough to devils and presumed to be able to boss devils and Satan around and even the good angels also are setting the table for their own destruction. People wonder why they have so many problems even though they're always rebuking devils. Well did you ever think about the fact that it may be because you are rebuking devils? God says don't do that and you do the exact opposite of what God's word says and you wonder why you have so many problems. Don't do that; it's not right, it's not okay, it's not spiritual. It may look spiritual to the unlearned and people may look at those who do those sorts of things and say oh how anointed or how powerful she is or he is but the fact is they are nothing but loud mouth, unbiblical, unspiritual blind guides who are trying to lead the blind, and I do not  care how loud you speak or how authoritatively you speak if you go against the word of God you are wrong it's waste of time.

11.  The way of Cain is the way of rebellion against God but worse than that the way of Cain is to have no regard for God whatsoever; to not care about him which leads to a lukewarm at best attitude toward him and the things that are important to him which results in sin and trouble and they deserve every bit of it.

11. False teachers also follow the way of Balaam which is being a preacher for money. Being a preacher for money or some other selfish reason anything and everything other than doing it for God and therefore teaching the truth. False teachers will say anything that benefits them because they've already cut the umbilical cord to them and God by deciding not to stick to the word. If your goal is not to teach the pure word of God than the skies the limit as to what you will say and what you will do for the sake of self.
And false teachers are like korah who rebelled against God's leader Moses. False teachers rebel against biblical authority beginning of course with God and his word and then the apostles and the prophets who wrote the word of God. Korah wanted power and false teachers want people to look to them and follow their words; they want to be the center of attention and take that attention away from God. All these men ended up in the same place: hell. These people who think that they can rebel against God and teach others to do so for the sake of some temporary personal gain are the biggest fools in the world. We know their end and they better know it! God says concerning people like this: he who sits in the heavens shall laugh the Lord shall have them in derision.

12. In other words false teachers talk smart, they speak with authority, and they boast about great things and help people who follow them will finish on top but all they have is words. They have words without substance. They speak their lives they twist the Scriptures they make big promises they get a big following from those who are enticed by whatever it is they offer and then it all falls apart as the teachers go to hell and probably those who follow them as well unless they snap out of it.

13.  They make a lot of noise, those false teachers. They get people's attention with their sensationalism and other attention grabbers but they are liars without a compass; they are spiritual drifters with no anchor and they end up among the damned.

14,15.  The condemnation and judgment of God against the wicked has been set since the very beginning. Enoch a contemporary of Adam way back in the earliest days of creation spoke of God's judgment and the return of Christ who will execute it. The evidence against the wicked, against those who have refused to repent continues to mount and someday they will come crashing down. The Bible says that sinners will not stand in the day of judgment. They won't stand all right! They will kneel before the Lord Jesus Christ at his return and then immediately be cast alive into the lake of fire.

16a. Murmurers and complainers are governed by one thing and that's their own selfish desires; has God says they walk after their own lusts. They don't care about anyone except themselves and they sure don't care about God. Their motto could be "what about me." Their motto could be "if I want it then I deserve it and I will have it in you better not stand in my way because I will do what I have to do to get it and in the meantime I will complain and murmur because I don't have it. Parents should never tolerate complaining and their children because complaining is just the symptom of a bigger problem which is selfishness and an inflated view of what they deserve. Allowing that to persist is a recipe for creating a monster.

16. God warns here concerning the type of a selfish person who generally does pretty well for himself because he's a slick talker. This type of person is not crude and does a good job hiding his selfishness. This is the slick salesman type. They're the type that make all sorts of promises and do a lot of flattering but it's all about gaining advantage. In a moment of honesty many years ago a man said to me: everyone likes me and that's because I tell them what I know they want to hear but I always have a reason, a selfish reason for saying what I say. That is the devil incarnate; that is exactly how he operates and that is why those types of people are so repulsive to me. God says a lot about deceivers and flatterers and none of it's good to say the least.

17.  The word spoken by the apostles had been preserved for us in the New Testament. God wants us to remember what he has said in his word and specifically here the New Testament which is written to Christians. Remember what God has said. The Bible says let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus. The Bible says your word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you. You may have a short memory like I do and that's all the more reason to continue to fill your mind with the word of God.

17, 18. Mockers are those who not only reject the word of God and Jesus Christ but they ridicule the things of God. They don't want anyone or anything to hinder their main goal which is to satisfy their ungodly sinful lusts. So they pull out the verbal ammunition and go after the word of God, mocking it, deriding it, in the hopes that others will believe what they say and therefore not oppose them in any way as they pursue their sinful desires.

19. These people are good for nothing; all they do is stir up arguments and lust after the things of this world. They are divisive! If they can't get what they want they go after those who they think are standing in their way and attempt to turn others against them. They separate themselves from all that is good and all who are godly and of course from the word of God and all to pursue their sensual desires. By the way notice that God says they do not have the Holy Spirit. Don't overlook that people whose purpose in life is to satisfy their sensual desires do not have the spirit and the Bible says if anyone does not have the spirit of God he does not belong to God which means they're lost.