“For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(Jude 1:4)
The New Testament book of Jude, consisting of a single chapter, was written to warn believers of false teachers that had infiltrated the Christian congregation and to encourage those true believers to stand firm in their faith against these ungodly, dissenting deceivers and earnestly contend for the truth of the Gospel.
God’s truth has always stood in opposition to sin and against the flow of our fallen world. Those who seek to undermine and destroy the church of God are continually at work among us, even in our local congregations. So when we attempt to align our conversation and behavior with God’s truth and uphold the Gospel of Christ, we should expect resistance and persecution from those deceivers who seek to twist and disfigure the grace of God into a doctrine that promotes lawlessness and wickedness.
Consider Paul’s warnings to his understudy Timothy, “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived,” (2 Tim. 3:12-13). Paul spoke from a place of experience. Not only was he persecuted by those who outwardly opposed Christ and Christianity, he also knew what it was like to experience opposition from inside the church, as implied by his reference to “evil men and seducers” in this passage. In fact, his second letter to the church at Corinth was essentially written to answer and defend the insults and challenges to his authority as an apostle that arose among that group of believers, a church which he himself founded.
And of course, Christ who is our supreme example was publicly humiliated, beaten, and eventually murdered by the religious leaders of his day. We would therefore be wise to remember that churches are made up of believers, as well as those who “crept in unawares… ungodly men… denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Jude 1:4, 2 Tim. 3:5-9). Never be so naïve to believe that just because someone attends church they are a true follower of Christ.
Richard Younge rightly said, “The world is grown so sinful, that it is now a vice to be honest. O, the deplorable condition of these times! Even the devil himself did not dare to have been so brazen, as to have scoffed at holiness in those ancient and purer times of yesteryear. But now, we see Christianity everywhere so discountenanced. Our very names come into few mouths, out of which they return but with reproaches.”[1]
In response, we must see that the truth of God is fastened and fixed, rooted and riveted in our hearts and minds so we don’t respond to the serpent’s poison lies and live like a wave of the sea tossed about with every wind. For if we make shipwreck of our faith, we will make shipwreck of our souls on the rocks of perdition and destruction and will drown in the ocean of God’s wrath. Rather, labor to continually and earnestly “contend for the faith once delivered to the saints,” (Jude 1:3).
Contemplations:
- How often, Lord, have I been amazed at the strange workings of your providence in our everyday earthly affairs, and in them to see your marvelous wisdom, power, and goodness in bringing good out of evil! Sin abounds, but grace abounds to your people all the more!
- Wretched men are prone to draw the worst of evils out of the greatest good. But how often have I witnessed you raising up children to Abraham from lifeless stones… transforming sinners into saints?
- You are the only Lord (Jude 1:3-4). And therefore to you alone our obedience is required. In You, Lord, we are to hear all things you command us, and your commands are to be obeyed and not disputed. We are to hold forth the grace of God with joy and not turn it to an excuse to sin.
- Lord, we must prove what is that holy, good, and acceptable will of yours (Rom. 12:2). We are to consider that your sheep hear your voice, and a stranger they will not follow (John 10:4-5). For this explains why so many seem to wander aimlessly and follow false teachings when your will is understood and known, and as our Lord we are duly bound to follow You.
Further References for Jude 1:4:
2 Peter 2:1; Gal. 2:4; 1 John 2:22; 2 Tim. 3:6
[1] Richard Younge, A Christian Library, (London: M.I., 1660), 6.
