The Book of Jude

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Short Summary
The study explores the Book of Jude, emphasizing its serious warning about individuals who infiltrate the church to corrupt the faith by turning God’s grace into licentiousness and denying Jesus Christ. It highlights the need for believers to “earnestly contend for the faith,” maintaining humility, obedience, and vigilance against rebellion and false teachings, while also showing love and mercy to those who doubt. The discussion uses biblical examples and contrasts the humility of Michael the Archangel with the destructive attitudes of rebellious figures, urging the community to support one another in faith to remain blameless and steadfast.

Long Summary
Detailed Summary of the Study on the Book of Jude

Introduction and Purpose of Study
– The study is conducted by members of the New Haven Brethren class and focuses on the Book of Jude, chosen for its challenging and focused content.
– The approach is interactive, encouraging participants to discuss and answer questions rather than receiving a lecture.
– The hymn *The Tempest is Raging* is used as a metaphor for the spiritual struggles depicted in Jude, representing turmoil followed by peace through Jesus Christ’s control.
– The overarching theme emphasized repeatedly is to “contend earnestly” for the faith (Jude 1:3). This phrase is central to understanding Jude’s letter.

Identity and Background of Jude
– Jude identifies himself as “a bond-servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James” (Jude 1:1 NASB).
– Discussion suggests Jude is likely the apostle Thaddeus, supported by cross-referencing Matthew 10:2-4 and Luke 6:13-16, where Jude is also called Judas, the brother of James.
– Jude’s humility is noted because he does not emphasize his apostleship, similar to Apostle Paul who rarely called himself “apostle” despite significant credentials.
– The letter is addressed explicitly to “those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:1-2), clearly focusing on the Christian church.

Purpose of the Letter: Contending Earnestly for the Faith
– Jude initially intended to write about “our common salvation” but felt compelled to warn the readers to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3).
– The Greek word translated “contend earnestly” (Strong’s #1864) means to struggle or fight for something. This indicates spiritual vigilance and effort are required to maintain true faith.
– The warning implies the presence of serious threats that could jeopardize the faith and spiritual well-being of believers.

Warning Against False Teachers and Their Characteristics
– Jude 1:4 warns of “certain persons [who] have crept in unnoticed,” described as ungodly, turning God’s grace into licentiousness and denying Jesus Christ.
– These individuals are compared to false teachers described in 2 Peter 2:1-3 who bring destructive heresies and deny the Master who redeemed them.
– Historical parallels include Gnostic philosophies and later heresies that distort the simplicity of the gospel truth, especially attacks on doctrines like the ransom.
– Such infiltrators can be both from outside and inside the church, including some who were once faithful but have fallen away (cf. 3 John 1:9-10 and Galatians 2:3-5).
– The study emphasizes the need to discern between spirit-begotten believers and those not truly begotten, since rebellion and deception can arise from both groups.

Examples of Rebellion and Their Lessons (Jude 1:5-7, 11)
– Jude cites three historical examples illustrating rebellion and its consequences:
1. The Israelites’ rebellion after the Exodus from Egypt — failing to believe and obey God’s deliverance.
2. The fallen angels who abandoned their proper domain and are held for judgment.
3. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah due to gross immorality and unnatural desires.
– These illustrate defiling the flesh, rejecting authority, and reviling angelic majesties (Jude 1:8).
– Jude further warns against following the ways of Cain (jealousy), Balaam (compromising for gain), and Korah (self-exaltation and rebellion against God’s appointed leaders) — all figures who were warned but chose disobedience and were destroyed (Jude 1:11).
– The study stresses these traits as indicators to watch for in false teachers and rebellious individuals: jealousy, greed, pride, self-appointed leadership, and stubborn rebellion.

Contrast Between Michael the Archangel and the Dreamers (Jude 1:9-10)
– Michael the Archangel exemplifies humility and respect for God’s authority by not bringing a railing accusation against the devil but leaving judgment to the Lord (Jude 1:9).
– In contrast, the “dreamers” rely on instinct and self-will, reviling what they do not understand and defiling the church with their erroneous teachings (Jude 1:10).
– The “dreamers” create false realities based on their desires and pride, leading to spiritual ruin.

Descriptions of the False Teachers’ Impact (Jude 1:12-13)
– Jude uses vivid metaphors to describe the false teachers and their effects:
Hidden reefs in love feasts — secretly causing shipwreck among believers.
Clouds without water — appearing promising but failing to nourish spiritually.
Autumn trees without fruit — outwardly attractive but spiritually barren, “doubly dead and uprooted.”
Wild waves of the sea — turbulent, casting up shame.
Wandering stars — aimless, destined for eternal darkness.
– These images warn against allowing such individuals into Christian fellowship where they can cause spiritual harm.
– The need to balance love for brethren with discerning protection of the faith is emphasized, contending earnestly yet lovingly.

Practical Lessons from the Study
– Spiritual vigilance is essential because the enemy plays “hardball” and seeks to destroy the faith (cf. Jude 1:4, 22-23).
– Christians must “earnestly contend” for the faith, which involves struggle, study, and mutual support within the body of Christ.
– Contending does not mean contentiousness; rather, it calls for humility, love, patience (forbearance), and self-restraint (Galatians 5:22-23).
– Believers are reminded to maintain focus on the core gospel truth, especially the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ (the “common salvation”) as the foundation of faith.
– There is hope and encouragement in the closing verses of Jude (24-25), affirming that God is able to keep believers from stumbling and present them blameless before His glory with joy.

Key Bible Verses Referenced in the Study
Jude 1:1-3 — Introduction and exhortation to contend earnestly for the faith.
Matthew 10:2-4 and Luke 6:13-16 — Identifying Jude as the apostle Thaddeus/Judas, brother of James.
Jude 1:4 — Warning about ungodly persons creeping in.
2 Peter 2:1-3 — Parallel warnings of false teachers.
3 John 1:9-10 — Example of rebellious individuals within the church.
Galatians 2:3-5 — False brethren sneaking in to spy and bring bondage.
Jude 1:5-7, 8-11 — Examples of rebellion: Israelites, fallen angels, Sodom and Gomorrah, Cain, Balaam, Korah.
Jude 1:9 — Michael the Archangel’s example of humility and submission to God’s judgment.
Philippians 2:3-8 — Christ’s humility as the ultimate example.
Jude 1:10-13 — Description of false teachers’ character and impact.
1 Timothy 1:19, Ephesians 4:14, Romans 8:13 — Supporting scriptures about faith, doctrinal stability, and consequences of living after the flesh.
Jude 1:22-23 — Instructions for mercy and rescue of doubting brethren.
Jude 1:24-25 — Closing doxology of assurance of God’s protection.

Overall Message and Encouragement
– The Book of Jude is a solemn and urgent call to vigilance, spiritual struggle, and faithfulness amid serious challenges from false teachers and rebellious influences.
– Believers are urged to “earnestly contend” with humility and love, protecting the sanctity of the faith and fellowship.
– There is hope in God’s power to keep and present faithful Christians blameless with joy.
– Mutual support, prayer, and scriptural study are essential tools in overcoming deception and remaining steadfast.

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This study provides a comprehensive examination of the Book of Jude, highlighting the importance of recognizing false teachers, understanding the nature of rebellion against God’s truth, and actively striving to uphold the faith with humility, love, and perseverance.

Transcript

All right, brethren. Well, it is really, really, really good to be here with you all. This is our first time at this convention, and Sister Tricia and I are really, really thrilled with the opportunity. We bring you the love of the New Haven Brethren class that we meet with the Book of Jude. I was curious, why did you ask to do a study on the Book of Jude?

Because the Book of Jude can be kind of like a problem because it’s very focused, it’s very difficult, and there is a little bit of difficulty in interpreting all of the things in the Book of Jude. So what we want to do in our study this evening is exactly that. We are having a study. That means I am not here telling you about the Book of Jude. It means that I’m going to ask questions and you’re going to tell me about the Book of Jude.

That’s kind of the way we want to work this out between us, and we chose the hymn the Tempest is Raging because it reminds me of the Book of Jude. It reminds me of the challenges that the Book of Jude brings forth. The Book of Jude is. Is a very graphic description of troubles coming to the church that could upend it and destroy it.

That could actually destroy it, and it is at the end of the hymn the Tempest is Raging. What you see is the peace and the calm that results in the Lord Jesus taking over, and at the end of the Book of Jude, you see exactly that as well, and that’s.

We’ll see how far we get. There are a lot of details in the Book of Jude. The study outline is very, very, very basic. There’s lots of verses. We’ll see if we get through them.

And we really do encourage your comments. I have several scriptures that I will use. If there is a lack of scriptures from you, it’ll all work out. We want to have a conversation about why. Why did Jude write this epistle?

And what are the big lessons that we can take home with us right now so that we can be prepared, so that we can contend earnestly, and if you’re taking notes, the first note I want you to write down as those two words, contend earnestly. Because we’re going to keep coming back to that again and again and again and again, because Jude is talking about that. So let’s get started with the first question. The questions are up on the board.

And the way we set this up is we asked a question based on chronological scriptures in the Book of Jude. We’ll see. You know how we do. Who was Jude? He doesn’t really Identify him so much, it’s step by saying that he’s the brother of James.

So just get your thoughts about who was Jude? Was he an apostle? The brother of Jesus? Was his original intent. What was his original intention for this particular letter?

Sister Jewel, that’s what I like you say. I ask a question and somebody raises their hand. That makes me feel very good. Just, just a quick answer from what I had studied. Jude was actually the apostle Thaddeus.

Okay. My only comment. Okay. Now did you have a scripture for that? Offhand?

No, I don’t. Okay. All right. Well, there’s several scriptures that talk about the apostles, but that’s a. That’s a good observation to begin with.

Jude is the apostle Thaddeus. It was very common in those days to go by a couple of different names. Any other thoughts? Who was Jude? Was he an apostle?

Sister Jewel is telling us yes, and if sister Jewel says it, then we can nod our heads and the. Any. Any other thoughts? I’ll give you a few scriptural references, but any other thoughts on who was Jude?

Okay, if not, then let’s look at actually Matthew, chapter 10, verses 2 to 4. That’s where we’re going to see the name Thaddeus come up and that, and then we’re going to look at Luke 6, 13, 16, and by putting those two scriptures together, it helps us to get a sense of Jude’s identity. Okay, so Matthew 10, 2, 4.

Now, brethren, I’m not going to remember everybody’s name. There’s a lot of scriptures to be read, so you’re going to need to volunteer. So who would like to. There we go. Sister Debbie, go ahead.

Matthew 10, 2, 4.

No, it’s. The red light is on right around the neck of the mic. I was looking down there. Thank you. Okay, Matthew 10, 2, 4.

Now, the names of the 12 apostles are these. The first, Simon, who was called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, and James the son of Zebedee and John, his brother Philip, and Matthew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector, James the son of Alphaeus and Thaddeus, and verse four, Simon the zealot and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him. Okay, so you got this list and you got Thaddeus mentioned in there. Now let’s look at Luke, chapter 6, verses 13 to 16.

Would like to read that for us, please. Okay, go ahead.

And when it was a day called unto him his disciples, and of them he chose 12, whom also he named apostles Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew, his brother James, and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew And Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon, called Zealots, and Judas the brother of James and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor. So when we look at the list in Luke and we look at the list in Matthew, Thaddeus appears in Matthew and Judas, the brother of James appears in Luke. So you get the sense of two names for the same individual. So it’s a pretty straightforward thought that we’ve got Jude as an apostle. Now, one interesting thought about that is, or question, why wouldn’t he say this is Jude the apostle speaking?

Any thoughts on that, Brother Larry?

Well, just to get us started on it, it’s kind of like John in the chapter of John in the Gospel of John, he never says, this is John an apostle. He just says he always says when referring to himself, this is the one Jesus loved, and so maybe my first impression would be that Jude was very humble. Not that the others weren’t, but some are maybe more timid to give their name and maybe more humble in some way or just it’s just a maybe not more, but just humble. He’s just a humble brother.

And I think that actually is exactly in the right direction. We don’t want to spend a lot of time on this, but something to consider is the apostle. Paul didn’t call himself apostle very much at all, and he wrote half of the New Testament and you don’t see him calling, just throwing the apostle out there. So there’s a humility in the responsibility that is really important and it kind of sets the table for what Jude is going to be discussing. So let’s leave the identity of Jude where it is because there’s a whole lot more to cover here in our time.

So as we go through this, just for the sake of ease, I will read when we are dealing with quotes directly from the book of Jude. So Jude, chapter one, verses one and two. Jew to bond, servant of Jesus Christ. I’m reading from the New American Standard Bible. Jew to bond, servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James to those who are called beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.

May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you. That’s a very beautiful, powerful greeting. Here’s who I am, and I am writing to those who are called beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ. I am writing to a specific group of individuals. We’re not going to I’m just going to sum this part up so we can get into the meat of the matter.

I am focusing on the church. That’s what he’s saying very, very unequivocally in these first two verses, verse two, may mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you. So, Jude, chapter one, verse three. Beloved, while I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you about, appealing to you that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once handed for all, once for all handed down to the saints. Now, in the original question, question one, we asked, who was Jude?

What was his original intention for this letter? He tells us that very, very.

I won’t say specifically, but in a very general sense, I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation. What do you think that means?

The calling. Okay, all right. That is the common salvation. Because he said, I am writing to those who are kept for Jesus. So he’s saying, I wanted to write to you about the privilege of who you are and what you’re called to.

Again, these are the basics. This is just the introduction. Any other thoughts on that?

Pretty simple, then. What we take from that, brethren, though, as we continue, is we want to take the solemnity of who is being written to and what his intention was. I am writing to you, and essentially he’s writing as an apostle. We all know that.

And I am writing to you so that I could encourage you because what you are called to is unique and difficult. So in it, in this verse three, it says, I want to. That you can. Instead, 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. The word for content, earnestly, you can see it in the notes, is Strong’s number 1864.

And it means to struggle for. So he said, instead of writing this letter to encourage you, I am writing to appeal that you struggle. Now, there’s an end result difference here. I was wanting to be an encouragement to this beautiful, wonderful, high calling. But now I am writing to you because you need to struggle for the faith which was once handed down for all the saints.

That’s a warning. That’s a warning. It’s subtle, but that’s a warning. Jewel is telling us that there are great obstacles and great challenges that need great core effort and resiliency. Earnestly contend.

Sister Debbie, I couldn’t help but think, be a butterfly, be a butterfly. You’re contending to come out of, you know, from the caterpillar stage to that wonderful stage of a butterfly and blossoming from there, and he’s giving a warning that. That to go from Point A to point B is not going to be easy, and he’s going to say, and we’re going to get into this in verse four in just a moment.

He’s going to be warning that there are things that are coming to you that are going to make this journey difficult, and brethren, if you don’t learn anything else from this study tonight, walk away with the concept of earnestly contending for the faith. I must earnestly, I must struggle for the faith. Why? Not because the faith is a struggle, but because some of the circumstances surrounding us as we seek this faith create a struggle and I need to struggle to stay focused.

Anything else before we get to verse four, which is where it starts to really unfold. Okay, let’s go to verse 4, Jude 1 or 1 only, chapter Jude, verse 4. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed. Okay, and again, when you see unnoticed as Strong’s number 3921 lodged stealthily, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation.

Ungodly persons who turned the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our Master and Lord Jesus Christ.

I wanted to talk to you about encouraging things, but people have crept in. So here’s the first question. Who are they? Who is he talking about? Were they philosophers in the early New Testament times?

Who would they be now? Are they represented as a consecrated, unconsecrated both? This is where the thoughts begin to need to begin to kind of expand. What are your thoughts? Who are these people who crept in unnoticed, lodged stealthily?

Any thoughts?

Yes.

Yeah, you need a mic.

This is probably later, but the Gnostics came along in their human wisdom and it eventually led to what the Council of Nicaea was, you know, drawn up for, which I guess is a 1700 year anniversary of it this year, 2025. Oh wow. As to, you know, the essence of Jesus, you know what, who was Jesus and was he God? Was he, you know, and all that question. But that plus the just the human wisdom tried to, I guess, deny the actual simplicity of the word over.

Okay, so we’re talking about the Gnostics, and brother Russell mentioned that in the fifth volume, I think on page 286 he talked about Grecian philosophies and so forth. So, and in reprint 552. Just want to read.

Just, and this was from the comment book into Lasciviousness, Self exaltation, taking advantage of the spread of truth to add to their own influence and apparent wisdom and introducing their own false teaching. So the warning, the core value of the warning in Jude, verse four is that some have crept in unnoticed, lodged stealthily. Who it says, and we’re going to get into this. Who were before beforehand marked out for this condemnation that turned the grace of God into self exaltation.

They turned something beautiful into something satanic. That’s kind of the bottom line of what Jude is saying here. So we look at that and we say, okay, that’s one opportunity to look at who they meant at that point. Any other. Because I want to get a sense of today as well what you may think.

Brother Larry, your hand is up. Who were these people? Well, I was going to make kind of a quick comparison to these people. Get closer to the mic, brother. Yeah, I was going to make a quick comparison that Peter does the same thing in the second chapter.

You know, the core element of our faith is the ransom, right? It’s the basis, you know, it is what we’re all about, and that’s the main core doctrine that we have, and so, you know, they were attacking this from the onset, and I think, Personally, I think 2 Peter 2 and 3 are both also prophecies of the second advent is my own opinion.

If you go through, you’ll see tests that parallel to what we’ve experienced in the harvest. But here, you know, here it says, if I could read one and two real quick. So you’re in second Peter chapter two, verses one and two. One and two. Okay, thank you, thank you.

And there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers who shall privately bring in destructive heresies, denying even the master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction, and many shall follow their lascivious doings by reason of the way of whom the truth shall be evil spoken of, and talks about covetousness and making merchandise of you and so forth. But if you notice just a parallel, denying even the master, right? Denying even the master. Now, when we read this, it was saying something to that effect here too, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

And then verse four and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. So, you know, you look at the beginning of the harvest, for example, and Barber and how Barber and Brother Russell were writing a periodical and he denied the ransom. So, you know, this is not anything new, right? And the attack is on the primary core doctrine of the ransom, and so it kind of parallels.

Just wanted to bring that out. Okay, so your thought and using Second Peter chapter two, verses one and two and we’ll probably get to these verses later on in our discussion. But your thought is that you have it happening after the apostles went to sleep, and then you have it happening at the end of the age as well, and you’re drawing a parallel between what Jude is describing. Yeah, and not only that, Brother Rick, if I may, but also this whole idea of contending for the faith.

Right. I mean, Jude was telling us that, and he was going to get into that, as you are, even tonight. But Peter was, for lack of a better word, prognosticating about the harvest of the Gospel and the contending for the faith even at the end of the gospel age, and some of the issues that would come up. Okay, and we’re going to really do a lot of expanding on that.

This is the introduction at this point. But that’s good because those scriptures become very important as we go through this in a much bigger way. So, brethren, it’s important to pay close attention to how Jude is describing. These individuals crept in unnoticed and their objective ungodly, who turned the grace of our God into lasciviousness or licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ. Compare that just for a moment to how he began with this, with this epistle saying, to those who are called beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.

So he puts them in this beautiful high level, and then he says, you need to contend earnestly because some come to deny what I just said I wanted to write you about, and that helps us see the importance of the letter from Jude, because he’s saying, this is so heinous, so difficult that I don’t have time to encourage you on those other things. I need to warn you because this is can, if you allow it, it can turn you all upside down. So there’s a.

There’s a great, great solemnity in how Jude is describing this. Now, Would. Would anyone here and brethren may have different thoughts on these things? And that’s fine. Whatever the thoughts are, they are.

We’ll consider them when we look at the description here. Would. What is your thought on in question two? Would. Who would they be?

Now, Brother Larry, you touched on that already. Are they representatives of consecrated, unconsecrated, both? Any thoughts on that? Is this. Are these individuals only that come from without to within to corrupt, or are they individuals who are corrupted from within?

What are your thoughts?

Yes, there’s the red light. You’re good. Yep. You’re good. You’re on.

You explained it really well. Okay, so I think it could be both, and I was looking at third John, the first chapter.

Third John, first chapter, verse nine, and this is John speaking. He says, I wrote unto the church. But Diotrephes who love to have the preeminence among them received us not. Wherefore if I come, I will remember his deeds, which he does, praying against us with malicious words and not content therewith.

Neither does he himself receive the brethren and forbid them that would and casted them out of the church. So I think if I look at that, I can see that there could be some gleamings of that coming into, into. Into the church. Okay, so now let me, and as, as you were giving your answer, I realized I probably should have rephrased the question.

My apologies. So let me rephrase the question because you’re exactly right. That was happening within the church. Really, the question should have been, and I’ll throw it out to you, are there representatives of Spirit begotten or those who are not spirit begotten, or both? Because to be working within the church and end up being, for lack of a better term, a devilish representative, you’re still looked at as being within the church as the scripture you just read, but perhaps not begotten of God’s Spirit just in there to cause trouble.

Any thoughts on spirit begotten or not? I know this is. This might be a little bit of a difficult area. I think later on we’re going to see some very specific evidences towards spirit begotten. I’m just asking now to just get your thoughts because this is a study.

Any thoughts, Brother Mark?

Well, it could be either. But we know that just because you’re begotten of the Spirit and you start the way, it doesn’t mean you’ll be faithful. True. I’ve known brethren that have left the truth gotten in such a negative mindset that they study things that attack Christianity and they don’t believe in God anymore. Elders that have given talks at conventions.

So just because we start on the way doesn’t mean that we’ll finish the way. That’s why you’re saying it’s going to be difficult. There’ll be difficulties in the narrow way. That’s why it’s a narrow way. We look at falling away of the church.

When I was young Bible student, looking at the church history, you know, in Revelation, you think, why would God allow the holy church of God, the bride of Christ fall into complete, utter devilish doctrines like the Trinity and hellfire? I’m still not sure why. But you know, it’s just a way that everyone that starts doesn’t finish, and that’s what you’re saying, that this is a warning, a very serious warning of staying close to the Lord and finishing what we start. But the Scriptures say I could do all things through Christ.

It’s not our own thinking. It’s not the flesh, it’s Christ, the anointing in us through the Holy Spirit that we’re able to understand spiritual things. So it is a warning and we need to be aware. Okay, it’s a warning and it’s a warning on both sides. I’m going to refer you to Galatians, chapter two, verses three to five.

And let me read it just in the interest of time. But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. Okay, remember this event. But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty, which we have in Christ Jesus in order to bring us into bondage. So you can see the sneaking in from the outside and the corruption of what was sacred.

That is. I’m going to give you a Brother Rick opinion here, actually, as soon as I plug in my computer.

When I look at the writing of Jude, I look at the beginning as primarily focused on those from without coming in. Later on, I think he addresses those from within, going out, if you will. So I think that you’ve got the balance of both, and it’s important to recognize that as we go through this, this is not just written to say that this is going to be consecrated, spear begotten individuals that are going to be doing this misleading. There is going to be poisonous infiltration into the sacredness of the body of Christ that you need to be aware of and to contend earnestly to identify it and stay away from it.

So that’s just a thought there any other thoughts on just looking at this section before we get more deeply into the warning? Brother Larry, go ahead. Don’t be shy, Brother, to comment. Don’t be shy. I hate to comment because I might get ahead of you here.

So don’t worry about it. It’s okay. Get ahead. I’m good. Number one.

We have to all realize, and I’m sure we do, closer to the mic. Yeah, we have to realize, and I’m sure we already do, that we are playing hardball with the adversary. This is not Little League. We’re playing hardball with the adversary and he wants to take us out. He would love to kill us, but he Can’t.

We got guardian angels here, even in this room, right? None of. He. I’m not. I’m not challenging him, but I’m saying he can’t touch me unless the Lord overrules and tells the guardian angel, Larry’s doing something he shouldn’t be doing.

Let him have a lesson. But only so far. No more like Job, but we’re playing hardball and we have people that a. I think we got like maybe three groups. I’m going to say three. We got some that come in privately to spy out our fellowship of faith.

I mean, we got the greatest news that anybody’s. You never heard of, right? Many haven’t, and it’s a beautiful message. But the adversary sees us as being very consecrated and we’re on this path of sanctification, right?

And he wants to trip us up as much as he can to keep us from our goal, right? Hold fast and no man take thy crown. So the apostles are warning us even way back then, hold fast to your crown, right? Because we got people that are coming in, Gnostics and so on that are coming in will infiltrate, even kind of pretend like they’re part of us. We have the false brethren that you mentioned here in Galatians that Paul said, you know, I’m not going to give them even place for an hour of subjection, that the gospel will continue with you, right?

In the next verse, and then we have, and then we have brethren that have been within and are just honestly questioning some things. They’re just. They’re wonderful Christians.

They’re our brethren in Christ, right? And they’re honestly questioning things and we can help them. But that puts the onus on us to study. Part of the problems that we have amongst Bible students is that most many of us, not, I’m not saying all, but maybe some of us don’t study enough to contend earnestly for the faith, and so some of these dear ones have questions on issues.

It comes up, and they aren’t really trying to break us up or divide us or whatever else. They just honestly want to know, and they’re being honest in their questions, right? And the question for us is we go out and witness to the world.

Well, let’s witness to our brethren here. See, that’s a good question. I’m going to go back and study. Give me a week. I’ll be back, right?

And so we can help them and witness to our own brethren that are already spirit begotten to keep them from leaving and going somewhere else, and Jude and I’m glad you look. It’s good to jump ahead because it all ties together. What you described is what Jude talks about near the end of his writing. Because what he says in verse 22 is, have mercy on some who are doubting, save others, snatching them out of the fire and on.

On some, have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. So in dealing with those within who are walking the walk but may have sincere doubts and circumstances that come up that send them off the path, we need to be vital in their lives, and hopefully we’ll have time to get to that. But that’s one of those three groups that you mentioned, and it’s interesting that Jude is saying, take care of your own.

Take care of your own. That’s another message that he’s giving us after he goes through all of the darkness that he’s about to describe. Okay, yes, Brother Jonathan, and I’m backing up just a little bit. I think Jude gave us the ammunition we need. When he introduced the book.

He said, those that are kept for Christ, well, a bride is kept for her husband, chaste, a virgin waiting for the betrothal, and he is showing that deep connection, and he brought us to the common salvation once for all. He shared it right up front, and what is that?

That’s the ransom price. Christ died once for all. If we lose hold or lose sight of that, then we will crumble. But he is keeping that as the focus of. As we go through this striving, this struggle, keep true to that original faith that was given so that you can be aware when something goes against the ransom, you know, there’s a problem.

So that. That’s what I kind of saw at the beginning of his opening. Okay, so now let’s move forward because we got a lot of ground to cover here. So when in. I just made a note on my notes.

When we read verse four and we see how he describes these ungodly people, I wrote one word that is going to, I think, echo throughout much of this discussion. The word is rebellious. There’s a rebelliousness against the sanctity of the Word of God. There is a rebelliousness against what the Gospel is for whatever reason. Out of rebelliousness comes deception.

Out of deception comes disobedience. Those are the things. Look at Satan. Satan rebelled in his heart. He was deceptive and created disobedience.

And it all needed to be washed out. So keep that in mind. This. This concept of rebelliousness. Let’s go to Jude, Chapter one, Chapter one, verses five through seven.

And Remember verse four about those creeping in stealthily here as we go through this. So I’ll read verses five through seven. Now. I desire to remind you, though you know all these things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. First example.

Second example, and angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode. He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day. Third example. Just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they, in the same way as these, indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire.

Okay, I’m going to pause there. Three different examples. Jude, in his writing works in groups of three. Very, very frequently as he goes through his reasoning, he gives us these three examples. The question, question three in our outline.

What do we gain from these three specific examples and their consequences? These specific examples, the rebellion during the deliverance in Egypt, the fallen angels, and then the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. What do we gain from these specific examples? And is the answer potentially in verse eight? Let me read verse eight, then ask you, what do you gain?

Why does Jude put these three examples out? First in verse eight, he says, yet in the same way these men also by dreaming. Interestingly, he says three things. Defile the flesh, reject authority, and revile angelic Majesties. What is he telling us in these three examples?

You can do all three. Pick whichever one you want.

Any thoughts?

Okay, let me get started. Brother Larry, let me start with you.

No, it’s okay. You can talk too much. Nobody raised their hand. That’s all right. I think to me what it’s saying is.

Get close to that mic, brother. What it’s saying is obedience to God, in obedience to His Word is vitally important, and he takes it seriously. When he sends a prophet, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, whoever, when he sends a messenger to the church, whoever you want to name him, put on that list. I’m sure you can pick up a few.

These are representatives of His Word and they’re his liaisons, his messengers to give his message from him through whomever, to those he chooses, whether it be the Jews back when or us now, spiritual Israelites, and he doesn’t take it kindly when people interfere with that, and it’s in this age, it’s sanctifying effect. So, I mean, but. But again, in all these cases, you know, we look at Sodom and Gomorrah you look at Ezekiel 16.

Yeah. He was, he. He came down hard on him. Right. But are they going to be resurrected?

Yeah, that’s what Ezekiel 16 says. Right. I mean, he came down on those who, who threatened the authority of the dignities of Moses and Aaron with Israel, you know, and they rebelled. Korah’s rebellion. He came down hard on him, swallowed up them and their families in the earth.

Yep. That’s, you know, that’s playing hardball. So, and, but he knows he’s going to bring him back. He’s going to awaken him in the kingdom again.

But because they defied the authority of his representatives, he was very upset at them. Right, and they paid the price. Now, in his compassion, which we should also be working on, as we talked about earlier, we have to keep that in mind, and the love of Christ, which Jude will get into.

Right, Right. Okay, so the theme is. You’ve got. We talked about the rebellion in verse four. In verses five through seven, these are three.

Three pictures of rebellion, and Berlare, you touched on rebellion during the deliverance from Egypt. There was a rebellion. There was a standing against the authority that, that God had delivered them through saying, who do you think you are? And we’re going to actually read it a little bit later because Jude comes back to this again, he mentions it here and he comes back around to it.

We’ll read the account in, in a few minutes. But in that rebellion from the deliverance of Egypt, brethren, I think one of the messages here is to earnestly contend. For what? Earnestly contend to keep our faith and our deliverance as the vital and driving force of our lives, lest our unbelief destroy us, and as we look at verse eight, you have defile the flesh, reject authority and revile against.

Revile Angelic Majesties. I think, Brother Rick, opinion. I think that verse eight is going back to these three examples and labeling each. I’m going to suggest that when we look at the rebellion during the deliverance from Egypt, that is, he’s talking about defiling the flesh. He’s talking about tainting the flesh, perhaps with an idolatrous motivation out of a lack of self control.

In other words, the representatives, Cora and his representatives were like, hey, we’re all set apart by God, so back off. We got this. That is defiling, tainting the delivered humanity. So perhaps we have that correlation. Sister Karen, so in verse eight, why are they called dreamers?

Is it that they feel they have some inside knowledge that no one else had? Good question. Why are they called dreamers. You see, I get to not have to answer the questions. I get to re.

Ask them. Good question, Sister Karen. Why are they called dreamers? Any thoughts?

Okay, filthy dreamers. But what does a dreamer do? A dreamer steps outside of that which is real. So you have that which is real, that which is sure, that which is sound, and a dreamer takes that and makes it into whatever they’d like it to be.

So I think from my perspective on this, that dreaming is not living in reality, but creating a new reality. That, huh? How about this has me as the center. That’s what it does, and that is as ungodly as it gets for the true church.

And this is why Jude is warning us. There was a hand over there, Sister Debbie.

I was going off of part of the comments where it gives us second Peter 2:10 and I really like the way it reads. It says, and especially those who indulge the flesh and in its corrupt desires and desire or despise authority, daring self willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic Majesties. So it’s just like, you can’t touch me. You can’t touch me. I’m doing all of these things and I’m rushing into it.

They’re just warring in that regard. Okay, and so now I saw your hand, Julianne. Hold on. We’re now starting to expand this, and as we do that, look at the other two examples and see how all of this starts to fit together.

And see why Judas said, I wanted to encourage you, but I had to do this. I had to do this because this is just way too important. Go ahead, Sister Julianne, go ahead. In second second Timothy, chapter four, verse three and four. For the time will come when men will not tolerate sound doctrine, but with itching ears they will gather around themselves teachers to suit their own desires.

I would associate that to dreams as well. So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myth. So their own desires, that’s their own selfishness, their own corrupted mind that will just choose what they want to hear, taking that which is real and turning into something which is convenient and advantageous to me in my being, in my ego, in my pride. Sister Robin, these three examples, what I get out of them is that they knew better. You know, they had just been delivered out of Egypt.

They knew God was with them. The angels, of course, were with God. God and his habitation and Sodom and Gomorrah. They should. They knew about strange flesh.

They knew what you know was appropriate. So this Kind of leads me back to your earlier question about was it the consecrated or was it the Spirit begotten that he was talking about? And I think based on these examples, yes, there are people that knew that should know better. Over. Okay, so you’ve got, you got that sense coming out here in, in this, in this portion, just touching on the angels for a moment and then touching on Sodom and Gomorrah because we want to, to move through this.

Earnestly contend with the angels, the rebellious, rebellious angels who kept not their first estate. Brethren Jude is telling us, earnestly contend to keep our standing, our position before God, fully intact and fully loyal, lest our pride make us fall, and when you look at the angels, look at the second piece in verse 8 that says reject authority. That’s what the fallen angels did, patently rejected the authority of Almighty God to accept the taken over authority of Lucifer, of Satan. Disesteeming authority, perhaps by elevating oneself beyond one station out from under the headship of Jesus.

He’s saying, be aware, earnestly contend to stay, to reject that rejection. With the rebellious cities of Sodom and Gomorrah earnestly content. This is perhaps Jude’s message to keep our moral judgment pure before God as an outgrowth of our reverence before him, lest our lax attitude bring us to destruction. Keeping our moral judgment pure, it’s really easy to allow little things to creep in and little things to have an effect, and by doing that over a long period of time, Sodom and Gomorrah ended up in the situation they were in.

And in Jude 8, it says, Revile Angelic Majesties. Well, that’s what they did. They had God’s messengers there and they reviled them. So you can see that Jude is bringing these examples and he’s saying, this is serious darkness, and I couldn’t write to you about our faith because I had to write to you to say, all of this is on the horizon.

And as we will see later on, I keep saying later on, I hope we get to all of this, that the other writers of the New Testament poured out warnings about these things coming and unfolding, and you know the Apostle Paul, even as I speak, you know, wolves in sheep’s clothing are gathering. They knew, and Jude is just putting it all together. Okay, anything more on these?

I know we’re kind of pushing through, but want to cover as much as we can. Anything more on these three specific examples?

All right, if not, then let’s go forward. Jude, chapter Jude, verse nine. But Michael the Archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said the Lord rebuke you. We’ve been talking about rebellion. Okay, before we get into any comments, before we even ask the question, what Michael the Archangel is exampled as doing here is the fundamental opposite of rebellion.

It’s fundamentally. You want to know what rebellion is not. Take a look at that. Okay, so the question four, where does Michael the Archangel come from? Why does he bring Michael the Archangel disputing over the body of Moses into this argument?

What’s the reason? Yes.

Well, there can be no higher example of humility and restraint in disputing with the devil. Because we’re told by James to resist the devil and he will flee. We’re not told to jump in the ring and spar with him. We’re to just leave it at that point and the Lord will help us. But even Jesus in his pre human existence didn’t go that far to argue with him over.

So you have the example then of Satan being the prince of deception, the prince of rebellion, with before Jesus comes as Jesus, Michael the Archangel being the highest power in all of God’s creation, being brought forth as the absolute contrast. Here’s the example. Michael the chief prince always left final judgment to the Lord God. Earnestly contend. This perhaps is Jude’s message.

Earnestly contend. Brethren, he’s saying to reign in all of your thoughts, all of your imaginations and emotions that would place us outside of God’s gracious care. Leave the judgments to him. Other thoughts, Brother Larry?

Sure, I get close. So along these lines, Brother Rick, the apostle says the same thing that you just said in his discussions with the Corinthians. He was saying in First Corinthians 4, he was being judged, as we all know, falsely. But he says, look, verse three. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you or of man’s judgment.

Yea, I judge not mine own self, for I know nothing by myself, yet I am not. Am I not hereby justified? But he that judgeth me is the Lord. So the whole idea here, what you’re saying, and I think what is being said is in this order of things, God is a God of order. There’s an order of things.

And he has cherubims and seraphims and so on. There’s an order. Right. I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a structure within the body of Christ we don’t know about yet. We’re all going to be, hopefully, if we’re faithful in the body of Christ.

And there might be some, some delineations there, too. I don’t know. But. But the thing is, God’s a God of order, and he’s saying when he has order, right, you have to, like Michael.

You have to respect that order. Michael, who we understand was Christ Jesus, right. He wouldn’t even bring a judgment against the adversary because he wasn’t going to say, move over, Father, I want to sit in your judgment seat. Right. That would not be respecting God’s order and his supreme position.

And so he was very respectful of that, like Korah and Dathan and Koab should have been respectful of Aaron and Moses because God had selected them and proved it by the Aaron, by the robin butted, right? So, I mean, it was like, okay, no, you got to respect God’s authority and he has an order, and even, you know, Michael the Archangel respected that, even though he was the second highest in the whole universe, as far as position, he wasn’t going to say, you know, like others might, I’ll sit in God’s position. Right, and so we have to be careful about final judgments.

And that’s, I think, what Paul is saying. We leave it to the Lord. Right, and that’s, you know, that sounds like. Well, of course.

Sure. That’s simple. Hang on. It may not be as simple as we think. Well, it may not be as simple as we state, because some, sometimes things that we state are not things that we feel, and sometimes when we feel something, we end up going down a road that we shouldn’t be going down.

And to just illustrate, Michael the Archangel and his absolute adherence to, like you said, Brother Larry, not standing in the judgment seat or sitting in the judgment seat of God himself. Let’s just turn to Philippians, and you all know these verses, Philippians 2, verses 3 to 8. Because then you have Michael the Archangel becoming Jesus, and it shows what he does. That’s not in the, in the notes.

Okay, Philippians, chapter two, verses three to eight. Who’d like to read that for us, please? Yes, Sister Roberta.

Philippians 2, verses 3 to 8. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind. Regard one another as more important than within yourselves. Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interest of others. Have this attitude in yourselves, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself taking the form of a Bondservant and being made in the likeness of men, being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

The fundamental opposite of rebellion. Right there. Michael the Archangel is given by an example in Jude, and then we see the actual Jesus becoming a man, following through exactly in complete humility, following after God’s will, emptying himself. Did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped.

Whenever, and Jude is warning, Brethren, Jude is warning us that whenever we decide to go onto our own little direction or to stand up on our own little soapbox, we may be walking down that kind of a path, and he’s saying there is nothing, nothing that should draw you to that ever under any circumstance. So bringing Michael in is pretty much the highest Old Testament example you can have of the opposite of what he’s warning against. Other thoughts before we continue.

Yes, Sister Robin. Well, that word for railing is balanced blaspheme, and it reminds me of when David, when Saul was trying to kill David and David twice spared him because he wouldn’t touch the Lord’s anointed, and of course, Satan was at one point the Lord, one of the Lord’s anointed, you know, cherubim. So it kind of reminds me of that.

Over. So Jude is warning how easy it is to get off track here, and he’s saying, take a look at the highest example we can come up with to see how he would not even. Even make a judgment, but said, it’s in the Father’s hands. He will handle it.

I don’t need to because that’s his position. Okay. Anything else before we move on? All right. Verse 10.

But these men revile or vilify the things which they do not understand, the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals. By these things they are destroyed, and that word for vilify is to pine or waste, to shrivel or wither. That is to spoil or ruin. So he’s saying that these men, these men that come in, whomever we look at as them being representative of, they essentially spoil those things they don’t understand because they’re relying on their own basic base instinct and not on something higher.

That’s what you were all called to. I was going to write to you about that, but this warning superseded my encouraging that calling to that which is higher. So question five, with Michael the Archangel as the standard that was mentioned in verse 9, what are the contrasts that Jude draws regarding these dreamers? Because it says these men These dreamers revile things they don’t understand and so forth. So what are the contrasts between those two things?

Yeah, we’re on question five. There you go. Question five. Any thoughts? What, what contrast do we have here?

What are the dreamers rely on? What does it say?

Their instinct? How’s that working out?

See, that’s the point. They’re relying on something from within instead of relying on something from above, and Jude’s whole point is whomever it is that is coming in and creating this difficulty is relying on that which is within themselves, and that is a direct symptom of satanic thinking, because that’s what Lucifer did. I will ascend, I will be like the most High.

He said I, I think seven times in those verses. It’s relying on that which is within, and that which is within kind of makes sense because it’s already there and we’re comfortable with it. Jude’s warning is, these men ruin that which is from above because their base instinct is dark, it’s sinful, it’s broken, it’s full of ego and pride and destruction, because pride goes before destruction. Other thoughts on contrast between what we’re looking at with Michael as the archangel as standard, and what these, these men who are coming in and doing the corrupting were doing.

Any other thoughts?

Okay, if not, let’s keep going. Verse 11. Woe to them, and here Jude’s going to circle back around to some things. Woe to them, for they’ve gone.

And interestingly, three things. They’ve gone the way of Cain and for pay, they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam and perished in the rebellion of Korah. So now we’ve got these examples, and again, there’s three, and he says, woe to them.

What characteristics? Question six. What characteristics of Cain, Balaam and Korah are we being warned about? What are the characteristics that you see there and what’s the warning? Sister Karen?

I don’t know that I’m going to directly answer your question, but we know Cain was warned. We know Balaam was warned, and certainly Korah, he had the test and he knew that, oh, he was warned. So they were all warned ahead of time, but they chose to not listen, and they were warned by God. Over.

Okay, so woe to them. They were warned by that which is above, but they followed that which was within. You see that? You see how, how he’s developing this to say, be aware of these things, Brother Jonathan. Go ahead.

They also all had favor with God before they did it. So they had the relationship that they had, it all but went the wrong direction. Okay, good. They were all in a favorable position to be honoring to God, and all went the other way.

Brother Jerry, and more than warning, Cain was told how to make a proper offering. But he still wanted to do it his way, and he ended up killing his brother over out of jealousy. Balaam was told not to.

And he was given a message to give to the king, but he still wanted the money and he wanted, wanted the glory, and then finally with Korah, it’s all pride, you know, and he wanted to be the ruler, and then they were destroyed. So there was, they were seared. Their conscience was I, you know, I want this.

And there’s no talking to them, there’s no turning back there. There was no way. This is like the epitome of iniquity coming to the fore. They can’t even see their error, and so that’s why I know Jude goes on to tell us that, you know, twice dead and so on.

But so this is where these leaders, these ones that have come in and you know, Michael the Archangel, he just, he wanted his whole thing stop Satan from taking Moses body to set it up as an idol for the people to worship. But he said, let the Lord be. He knew God’s plan, how he was going to use Satan. He could have destroyed Satan if he wanted to, but he didn’t, and he stopped at that and he said, let the Lord rebuke you.

But he followed God’s plan. He didn’t want to, and he was higher than Satan, than all the creation, and Jude now is warning the people, don’t get yourselves, don’t follow men. Here’s the faith.

This has been given to you. It’s sound. Have the foundation in Christ’s sacrifice and ransom and follow that. Don’t allow yourself to get to go here because otherwise what’s happened to these men, they cannot go back. That’s why people say, well, can Satan be changed?

Well, all these experiences, no, he is seared. He has been, he’s set. You can’t tell him anything. I mean, that’s what we’ve seen in the Middle East. We’re seeing a lot of these things now.

These people don’t want a two state system. They want, it’s us and nothing else. So this is iniquity coming to the full here is what he’s trying to show them, and it’s easy, it could be easy to fall into that trap with the wanting glory of men instead of wanting to please our heavenly Father, and praise him.

Okay, thank you. So I just want to sum up the things you said about Cain, Balaam and Korah because you basically almost read my notes and you know, in Cain it says the way of Cain is the way of jealousy and competition, the way of Balaam, and that’s basically what you said. Brother Jerry, the way of Balaam is compromising righteousness for personal gain. He wanted the money and Korah.

It was self appointed righteousness. I can be God’s representative. Back off. So those are the things that show these, this rebellion, even though they had been given that which was sacred. Brother Larry, your hand was up.

Yeah, basically what you just said and Jerry said just a little bit extra, and that is so I think what Jude is saying. Look for these characteristics. Not only do some of these individuals bring in unholy doctrines or you know, rebellious doctrines, whatever, but you could probably pick up if you listen to their words, where there’s a lot of I, there’s a lot of me, and you got somewhere in there like a fruit tree, you know it’s a peach tree or you know, it’s an apple tree after a while, I mean one or two things you don’t, you can’t tell.

But if you look at the whole tree after a while and it’s got apples on it, you know it’s an apple tree. At least you got a good idea. Not a final judge, but I got a pretty good idea. This is, this is where it’s going. So, so you look at jealousy, right?

I mean also in that first thing with Abel, what he was jealous of his brother, right? You look at, you look at the wages of Balaam and wages can be not just money. You got to look at wages as people. People can be wages. Where you look at individuals like diotrephes in John 3.

He didn’t even want Paul to come to his little ecclesia because it was all his people, they were all gathered around him and he was really important and he liked the G, he liked the following. So you got some people, their wages are a following. They get a following after them and pretty soon they got 10, then they got 40, then they got 100, and they’re all following him in his personal ambition. So you got jealousy, ambition, pride, look for those things along with what they tell you.

So the warning of Jude is becoming much more practical as, as he goes through and he brings up these, all these examples, you’re going to see how it just becomes part of this is what real life looks like. Brethren, please watch Please be aware, please stand your ground on for righteousness, and just three scriptural references just on each of these three. We won’t read them in the interest of time. Genesis 4, verses 5 through 6 is Cain offering and becoming angry for Balaam.

Second Peter 2, 15, 16. Peter describes Balaam’s activities and number 16, verses 1 through 3, and I just want to read verse 3 because now you’ve got the standoff and the fact that Jude comes back to this rebellion once they were delivered from Egypt twice I think is, is noteworthy and that’s why we’re taking a little bit of extra time on it. So in numbers 163 he says they assembled together against Moses. So this is Cora and all, and said to him.

And this is what they said to Moses. Here’s what they said to Moses, God’s appointed one who got the ten plagues in order and then delivered millions without a shot being fired. Here’s what they said to Moses. You have gone far enough for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is in their midst.

So why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord? That’s self appointed righteousness, and that’s why this rebellion is brought up twice. That just exactly what you said, Brother Larry. It’s that the gain for personal adulation.

And the next day, of course in numbers 16.

Oh, I’m sorry, no, I got the verse twice. But next day what happens is they’re wiped out and they’re told, they’re warned. Jude is saying be aware because these things are going to happen, they’re going to be serious and, and they’re going to hurt as many of you as allow them to hurt you. So he is going way out of his way to help us understand and have that sobriety of thought. Any other thoughts on the characteristics of Cain, Balaam and Korah and what we’re being warned about?

Okay, if not, let’s continue.

Well, we got about a half hour left. I don’t know if we’re going to make it.

We could go over time. I’m just saying. Jude, Jude, verses 12 to 13. Now these verses are going to show us the results of following rebellious leaders. All right, so just want to lay out a couple of things.

Destruction, disobedience and death. Think about those things as we read Jude 12 and 13. These are the men and there are the lists. We want to break down each one and just get your thoughts on each one of these pieces. Who are hidden reefs in your love feasts.

When they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves. Clouds without water, carried along by winds. Autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted. Wild waves of the sea casting up their own shame like foam. Wandering stars for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.

That’s heavy warning. That is deep, that is. Pay attention. That’s his message. His message is, do not play any kind of mind game that makes you take this lightly.

These are your lives we’re talking about. Question 7. What lessons and warnings are specified in these descriptions of these quote unquote dreamers? Okay, and again, dreamers are taking reality and making it into their own version of reality that. That suits themselves.

So let’s take them one at a time and get your thoughts first. Hidden reefs in your love feasts. When they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves. Hidden reefs in your love feast. What are your thoughts on that?

What does that even mean?

Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see the hand. Oh, because he didn’t raise his hand. No, no, I said it in secret to her, but okay, I just said the hidden reefs thing obviously, is shipwreck. Okay, Brother Jonathan, your hand was up. Oh, he’s got more.

Okay, now he’s warmed up now that I’ve been forced, and isn’t this a. As much a like an indictment against those who knowingly, I guess, for lack of a better word, entertain or permit these particular individuals in their fellowship because. Not just because of the damage it can do to them and to these hidden reefs, but also to the other brethren at large. Because if you bring in, let’s say, hypothetically speaking, someone who fits this description that Jude is talking about and you know it or have an idea that that might be the case, but you want to be loving or caring or whatever, and you bring them into a group they may not know and that, you know, the.

You know, there can be damage or harm caused as a result of that as well. So I don’t know where I’m going with that, but anyway. Okay, well, let me. Let me get some direction for it. When you have a hidden reef that causes shipwreck, you know what happens as you’re going along.

And all of a sudden, without knowing it, you’re in big, big trouble and you’re beginning to sink and you’re like, the reaction is what happened, but the reef was always there, and that’s the key. We want to understand that we don’t want the warning is earnestly contend. Here’s the warning. Earnestly contend.

To be aware of that which destroys the Sanctity of our fellowship in Christ and don’t allow it in. That’s what he’s saying. Don’t get near the reef because you earnestly contend to keep the sanctity of what you’ve been called to clear. Brother Jonathan, first Timothy 1:19. Keeping faith in a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.

Okay, read that verse again. Keeping faith and a good conscience which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith, which some have rejected. Remember he talked about dreamers? He’s saying faith in a good conscience. A good conscience is a holy conscience.

And that when you reject the holiness of a spiritually driven conscience, you open yourself up for potential hidden reefs. Okay, Good, good. Scripture, Sister Julianne.

Ephesians 4:14, that we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine and by the slay of man and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in way to deceive. Okay, that’s Ephesians 4:14, whereby they lie in wait, waiting to deceive. They’re just looking for the opportune time. Hidden reefs are there and they’re going to destroy if you get too close. Jude is warning us, don’t go this way.

Open your eyes, open your minds from a studied perspective so you can see these things coming. Brother Larry, I think a really important part of that. Brother Rick, I appreciate you bringing that out. Quite honestly, I. I didn’t even understand that hidden reefs part. So thanks for teaching me that.

These are the men who are. Are hidden reefs in your love feast. Why? I mean, you got to have that love feast part in there because you don’t see it coming. Like you said, if you’re in a ship and you see this reef, you don’t see this reef, and all of a sudden it damages your hull.

You’re done, you’re sunk. But he says in your love feast, so let’s pretend that’s an ocean of love, right? And so we have this real struggle as Christians because we know we’re to love each other. We’re to show the kind of love not that the world loves. Because you can go to B’ Nai David, you know, place, or you can go to a.

To a Chinese temple, or you can go to a Baptist and you can find love. Love can be everywhere. Love is ubiquitous. Right? But what about our kind of love?

Right? That’s a very special love, the love of Christ, and so when it’s saying, I think to me, Is, you know, love is important. It’s one of the final tests. But the question is not only do you love your brethren, but do you love the Heavenly Father and are you obedient to him?

Do you love him and His Word and his Son more than anything else? Right. So when you. When you demonstrate your love for God, you can’t say, well, we love all the brethren, so let’s let them all come and talk about whatever they want and we’ll just accept it because we love each other. Right.

It can’t be that way. You’ve got to contend earnestly. Going back to what you said, you got to contend earnestly, but in love. So somehow we’ve got to contend without being contentious. Amen.

Right. So that’s the trick and that’s the hard part. Maybe that’s why it’s a little flock, because we have to love the truth with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, because it’s an extension of our Heavenly Father and at the same time love our brethren even when sometimes they veer off different directions and we have to show them Melchizedek priesthood mindset of wanting to help them before they go too far off. Right. So we can’t be just laissez faire, like we’re just going to love each other.

Let’s not talk about it. You know, let’s not talk about the hard truths. No, the problem is not talking about the hard truths. It’s the way in which you talk about it. It’s the tone, it’s the love.

Right, and sometimes you’re misunderstood. I’ve probably been misunderstood sometimes because I can get very passionate about things. But I think we have to show that love for God first and for His Word, and be careful of those hidden reefs that sometimes get covered up.

Because we want to love all the brethren, but we push the harder truths, the media truths, off to the side like they’re not important. No, they are important. Maybe change your attitude in a way, because you could be dead right on the truth, but dead wrong in the way you’re expressing it. Yeah, and you pass from death unto life because you love the brethren.

And that love has to be a sanctified, selfless love. It can’t be just a feeling. Understand? Love is not a feeling, it’s an action. That’s the whole point that we need to see here.

Now. We’re way behind on time. Sister Karen, go ahead.

Could it also be that they betray your trust? They love bomb you with an agenda and so that you’re not Seeing what’s really going on, and then they take advantage of you. So let’s take that because we’re running behind. Let’s talk about clouds without water, because that’s exactly what you just described.

What’s a cloud without water? Clouds are good because clouds bring rain and rain is necessary, and we love it when. Because rain comes. But a cloud that comes and you say, ah, rain is coming.

And then there’s no rain. Consistently, there’s no rain. Then all you have is clouds that produce drought, and it’s like, wait, what happened? But they’re clouds.

It’s supposed to rain. You see, it’s the deceptiveness of looking the part but not being the part. So just want to give you the Earnestly contend for clouds without water to only stand under the refreshment of true blessing from above, rather than the perceived blessings of human imagination, desire and ego. Clouds without water. Brethren, our time is really fleeting, so I’m going to go through these.

If you have specific thoughts, please, please, please raise your hands. But because I really want to try to. I don’t know how we’re going to do this, so we’re going to wing it. Carried along by winds. Well, let me give you the earnestly content from my own observations here.

Carried along by winds Earnestly contend to stand firm in true and sound doctrine, always proven by the entirety of Scripture. Ephesians 4:14 says, As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness and deceitful scheming. This is what Jude is warning against. These are clouds of water. Carried along by winds.

We don’t want to be carried along by winds. We want to stand firm on the ground, the solid ground of truth. So we’ve got those two pieces. Any thoughts? Yes, Sister Robin.

Quickly on the caring for themselves part. Young’s Literal says, shepherding themselves. So to me, that caring for themselves seems to be more of a selfish thing. But shepherding themselves means kind of ties in with the rebellion theme that you were talking about earlier. Over.

And all of this, brethren, has to do with rebellion. Just understand, even if the rebellion starts out sort of innocently, whenever we wake up one day and find ourselves standing in opposition to the sacred will and word of God, we are rebellious. I didn’t mean it. Well, you’re still rebellious. Well, I don’t want to.

Well, you still are. Change. That’s what Jude is telling us. Be aware that these things can happen to you, and brethren, when we are aware one of.

And I want to go back to what Brother Larry said, one of the things I think that’s really, really, really important is how do we handle it with one another? Well, we may have a clash. How do we handle that? Just because there’s a difference in perspective on Scripture doesn’t mean that we need to say, ah, there they are. They are hidden reefs in our love feast.

Those are clouds without water. Those are autumn trees without fruit. We gotta be careful. We gotta be careful because even Michael the Archangel would not cast judgment, and rather than cast judgment, what we need to do is we need to go forward.

And I’m referencing this because we’re not going to be able to discuss it in great detail. Toward the end of the writing of Jude, verse 22, have mercy on some who are doubting, save others, snatching them out of the fire, and, and on some, have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Does that mean you hate them?

No, it means you love them and you’re reaching for them. So when we clash, brethren, and we are truly trying and working toward being faithful even unto death, and we have those difficulties, we have a choice. We can become rebellious, and this is hard language. But the only reason I don’t typically use hard language, but because we’re studying Jude, that’s kind of where we are.

We can be rebellious by pointing the finger and saying, you out without a word. Well, I’m standing for truth, and you might be. This is what the Scriptures teach, and it might. But am I a representative of Jesus Christ?

Think about that. Okay, we’ve got about 10 minutes. Let’s talk about autumn trees without fruit. That’s. That’s exciting, right?

That’s fun. That’s happy. None of this is happy. Okay, none of this is happy. Let me give you the Earnestly contend here.

Earnestly contend with these treatments without fruit to avoid any and all unfruitful leadership or suggestions and instead to be fruitful in accordance with spiritual fruitfulness, and we’ll just reference Galatians 5:19 through 23. It talks about the fruit of the flesh and the fruit of the spirit, and just a quick note on the fruit of the Spirit, and we’re going to touch on this a little bit in our discourse later in the convention. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control.

Against such there is no law. The word for patience. I’m spoiling my talk, but it’s okay. The word for patience Here is not the patience that we think it is. The word for patience is forbearance.

Forbearance means self restraint. The patience we always think about is endurance, carrying the load and just taking the next step and taking the next. That’s not what the fruit of the Spirit is here. This is forbearance. This is self restraint.

And it fits in with what Jude is teaching us. Don’t get stuck in the way of thinking. That becomes divisive. Hold yourself back. Because when we hold ourselves back, we make room for God’s spirit to guide us instead of ourselves.

Any thoughts on trees? Autumn trees without fruit? Yes, Just the example that Jesus encountered the fig tree that didn’t bear fruit and he cursed it because it should have borne fruit because he was there. Okay, next phrase. Doubly dead.

Uprooted. That’s pretty strong language. Any thoughts on doubly dead and being uprooted, Brother Larry?

Well, this is where it gets serious.

We are all dead. We’re all dead. I mean that’s what it says, and we consecrate it for you’re dead and your life is hid with Christ, right? So we consecrate.

We’re dead. So we died. We don’t. I’m not coming back on the earth. None of us were consecrated.

None of us are coming back with an earthly resurrection, right? We’re dead to this earth because we’re spirit minded human beings. We’re begun to the spirit nature, trying to make it quick. This says doubly dead. So these are talking about those who are consecrated.

They died once, but they went too far. Maybe the brethren tried to reach out and help them. Maybe the brethren prayed for them and prayed for them and prayed for them and helped them. Maybe they didn’t wade through all the books they wanted to go through. That were often other philosophies dreaming other things.

But they really reached out and made an effort like we will in the kingdom. Always play the kingdom, so to speak, show God that we want to be there helping people. But because we made all these efforts and no matter what, they were stubborn and they just had their own mindset and too much pride in some cases, and so therefore they were doubly dead. Second death was where they ended up.

And it’s like again, that’s God’s judgment, but that’s how serious it is. Doubly dead. It also says that if I can skip ahead there where it says, since we’re out of time, with whom the black darkness has been reserved forever, that second down. So this is a serious thing. Yeah.

And that was wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever, and so, brethren, Jude’s warnings are warnings that should make us stop and think and think about two things. First of all, let’s assess the input to make sure that it is scripturally sound and clear that we get. But second, and perhaps most importantly, let’s do the self assessment. Let’s look in the mirror and say, what am I contributing and what am I thinking and feeling?

Because sometimes the words that come out of our mouth can be masking something that’s on the inside, and we got to be careful with this. I’m not trying to scare anybody, but Jude is being profoundly serious about. These are matters of life and death for all of us, and we need to be clear.

Clear that we need to stay within the sanctity, within the sanctity of God’s word, God’s will, God’s way, God’s providence, and God’s spirit. That’s it. That’s what drives us. That’s what does my life look like. That’s what it looks like.

That’s what we’re striving for it to look like. Do we make mistakes? Yep. Do we have bad thoughts? Yep.

Do we have bad feelings? Yep. What do we do? A just man falls seven times and rises up again. When we fall, we get up and repent.

That’s what we do. Lord, I am sorry. My thoughts were inappropriate and I am working at changing them. Show me how and then check in later with yourself in prayer to make sure that we are going in the right direction. Brethren, it’s very, very important that we take the warnings of Jude seriously and say, this is our life.

This is what we’re called to, and what we’re called to, as he started the book, is very different than what he’s describing here. Brother Mark, your hand was up. Got it? Yes.

I appreciate the scripture I have is in Romans 8:13. This is an admonition, you know, for if you live after the flesh, he shall die. For if ye, through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live, and a comment on the twice dead is, if the Christian sins willfully, the seed of the new nature is dead, nothing would be, nothing would then await him but the second death. So that’s when it talks about doubly dead.

You die once and. But the second death is the doubly dead is the just reward of your character, and again, I want to just take a moment here and just make some comments. On second death. It’s not a happy subject.

Second death doesn’t happen by accident.

It doesn’t. It’s a choice. Just as Satan chose to violate his commitment to stand for godly righteousness in the garden and became the deceiver, second death is also a choice. We are not going to. If you are striving, brethren, if you are striving to serve God and it’s in your heart to do so, and you’ve made bad mistakes, I cannot find any scriptural reasoning that says that even though you’re striving, you’ve made bad mistakes, that you’re destined for second death because your heart is still striving to serve the Lord.

So please be clear on that. It doesn’t happen by accident. It doesn’t creep up on you and take it, you make it part of your life because you choose a direction. When you read Hebrews chapter 4, verses 4 to 6 and it describes second death, it gives you the sense of a decision making process. Jude is writing to tell us, be aware of the darkness, be aware of all of these things and stand for that which is righteous.

That’s what he’s saying now, brethren, we are out of time. So what I want to do is go down to the last, go down to the last question because I want to just touch on the last verses here in Jude, Jude 2425. Now, to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, blameless with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority before all time, and now and forever. Amen, and the point of this is in the midst of all of the warning and all of the depth of what happens and what can happen and what has happened within the church.

And we’ve seen the corruption through the ages. We, we’ve seen the corruption. We’ve seen how all of the, the Christianity is not recognizable in the world. When you look at original Christianity, it just, it just isn’t what Jude, how Jude ends, this tremendous, tremendous warning is he says to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, blameless with great joy. Take heart.

If you take these admonitions seriously and if you look at your circumstances and brethren, hear me on this piece. If you look at your circumstances and you feel like something is amiss inside, please seek out someone amongst us whom you can trust and talk to them and let them take your hand and pull you out of the fire.

Let them, because this is saying. He is able to keep you from stumbling. But it’s not going to just come miraculously. It will come because we are a body and we work together. This is the message that Jude was giving us.

Be aware of the difficulty. Be aware of the strain. Be aware of the struggle. Be aware to contend earnestly. Let us build each other up in this most holy faith and contend earnestly.

May the Lord add His blessing.

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