"Wolves in Sheep's Clothing" Jude

“The Apostate’s Corroding Effect Upon the Church’s Witness and Worship” Jude vv. 8-11

“Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing”

A Sermon Series in Jude

“The Apostate’s Corroding Effect Upon the Church’s Witness and Worship”

Jude vv. 8-11

Introduction

The book of Jude is a warning to every church, and he is warning them of dangerous people who come into the church disguised as angels of light (2 Cor. 11:14) or wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matt. 7:15) – apostates are difficult to identify. So, Jude encourages the church to “contend for the faith,” because these hidden false teachers will constantly work to corrode the foundation of the church (like termites) until it collapses. So they have to be recognized and exposed.

“Jude prophesied that during the last days apostates will do two things. First, they will pollute the witness of the church through immorality, insubordination, and irreverence. Second, he wrote that they will pervert the worship of Christ in mode, motive, and manner. Apostates pollute the witness of the church and pervert the worship of Christ.”[1]

Apostates pollute the witness of the church (vv. 8-10)

(v. 8) Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.

(v. 8) “Yet in like manner,” – this is a reference to what had just come before referring to Sodom and Gomorrah in verse 7, “just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.” These cities were consumed with lust and pursued an immorality they should not have, here they, “relying on their dreams, defile (their own) the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.” Remember, apostates are those who have “secretly crept in” and turned the “grace of God into a license to sin. (v. 4)”

“relying on their dreams,” – these are phony visionaries. The word Jude uses for dreams is also used in Acts 2. “In that passage, Peter (preaching on the day of Pentecost) declared, 2:16-17 “But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:17 “‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;”

There will come a time in the last days when these revelatory prophecies, visions, and dreams will return. So false teachers claim dreams to be a source of “new truths” and they act as a substitute for the authoritative Word of God. The OT often uses the word “dreamer” as a substitute for false prophet.[2]

They “defile their flesh” (similar to Sodom and Gomorrah) in that they are given over to it. The word used for flesh (sarx) refers to the physical body. And defile is from a word meaning to dye or stain something, such as clothing or glass. When they are put together it is a moral corruption of the body – to defile. The apostate is morally corrupt, and does not seek to control their impulses.

But this does not mean that everyone who has a sexual sin is an apostate. John 8:7 is the story of the woman caught in adultery, “And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” Jesus stands ready to forgive our sin, he says to the woman, “go and sin no more.” Apostates do not seek forgiveness. They justify their behavior by using the grace of God as a license for their immorality. How many people doing that in the church does it take for the witness of the church to be tarnished?

The apostate “reject authority,” they like to be in places of authority, but they don’t like someone having authority over them. They want to rule their own lives and want to be free from the lordship of Jesus Christ, (v. 4 “. . . and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.)

Ultimately, all authority comes from God. Authority in the home, in the church, in government, all come from God. The apostate rejects every authority that God has established. The ultimate rejection of authority is God’s Word itself. The Word of God is our sole source of authority for faith and life.

“Apostates are ignorant people who do not know what they are speaking. They live in a dream world, having accepted the lie of Satan has used since the garden of Eden when he said to the woman, “You will be like God” (Genesis 3:5).”[3]

“blaspheme the glorious ones,” – The glorious ones is a reference to the created order, even going to the angelic host (glorious because of their appearance), who carry out the will of God in their duties. But it is also a reference to those who God places in positions of leadership and authority. So how does the apostate, the false teacher, blaspheme these glorious ones? By speaking evil of, undermining, and resisting what god has established.

Apostates undermine the established authority in the Church.

9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”

This passage is a little difficult to work through because there is no other reference to this event. Jewish tradition claims that since Moses was a murderer that Satan is saying that the body belonged to him.[4] We do know what Deuteronomy 34:5-6 tells us, God showed Moses the land that his ancestors would inherit and then, “So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord, 6 and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but no one knows the place of his burial to this day.” So at Moses’ death the devil and the archangel Michael dispute over Moses’ body.

In Zechariah 3:2 he has a vision of Joshua the high priest (who led the first group of Jews back from Babylonia captivity), was standing in heaven before the Angel of the Lord. The devil was at the right hand of Joshua accusing Joshua and the nation of Israel, “Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. 2 And the Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan!

Satan was arguing that based on Israel’s breaking the covenant promises they should be condemned. Joshua is wearing filthy clothes symbolizing the nation’s sin. In response, the Angel of the Lord (preincarnate Christ) defended Israel by deferring to God the Father and asking Him to rebuke Satan (1 John 2:1). The Father honored the Son – and God reaffirmed His commitment to Israel’s future justification, promising to forgive Israel’s sin and clothe her with garments of righteousness (Zech. 3:3-5). Jesus as the Son of God could have pronounced judgement, but instead deferred to God the Father.

When Michael contended for the body of Moses, he did just what the Angel of the Lord did. The Son submitted to the authority of the Father. Jude wants us to recognize that the archangel Michael submitted to the order of creation – Michael did not see it as his place to pronounce judgement (that was God’s job.) Even though he was a high-ranking angel, he still did not outrank God’s created order and plan for the universe. So, if (Jesus as the Son of God didn’t and) an angel didn’t (who is much higher on the food chain than us) didn’t do it, we surely should not do it.

Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” Jude says, “But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand,” – apostates speak evil of their leaders, God’s plan in the church, because they don’t know and they do not understand the things of God.

God buried Moses (through Michael), and no one knows where he was buried. Jude is about to transition into how apostates affect worship, but the devil has always fought to be worshipped, and when that doesn’t work, he tries to corrupt worship within the church. He constantly offers a counterfeit. If people knew where Moses was buried, they would gather at the site, and it would be worshipped as a relic.

Apostates don’t understand the things of God,

yet they fight against what is good in the church.

10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.

Here Jude contrasts the archangel Michael with the apostates in the church in two ways. First, they “blaspheme all that they do not understand,” this refers at least to angelic beings, but probably extends to other spiritual matters. They don’t understand spiritual things, the things of God – so they revile them and slander them. They do not understand “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.”

Secondly, the false teachers are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals do – by going against God’s Word and His church there are consequences of their own destruction which they can’t see as being their fault. They are governed by their own natural fallen instincts, and that immorality leads to their destruction.

Apostates pervert the worship of Christ (vv. 11)

11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.

Jude pronounces three cases of woe, and all three relate to worship. Let’s first go back to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They both ate of the forbidden fruit and sin entered into the world. They tried to cover their sin by the work of their own hands which God rejected. God killed an animal (shed its’ blood) and used the hides to cover their nakedness. This was the God given way of dealing with sin, blood had to be shed. Hebrews 9:22 “. . . without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

The Way of Cain

(v. 11) “For they walked in the way of Cain is a reference to Genesis 4:3-7, the first recorded worship service in history, “In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

First off Cain was religious (he went to church), but he wanted religion on his terms. Cain offers a sacrifice based on the work of his hands. He worked hard, went out into the field, planted the seeds, harvested the crop, brought a portion of his hard work as a sin offering – and God does not accept our works as a means to cover our sin.

Hebrews 11:4 “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks.” Abel’s act of worship was by faith in the shedding of blood to cover his sins. Apostates corrupt the worship of God by taking it away from faith and moving it toward works. Cain rejected the way of substitutionary atonement.

Those that follow the way of Cain say, “Joe is hard-working, he is nice to other people, see how he provided for his family. God should accept him into heaven, he’s a good guy.” No. “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God – all need the shed blood of Jesus.” Salvation is by God’s grace, through faith, in Jesus’ bloody sacrifice upon the cross.

Balaam’s Error

“abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error” – His story is found in Numbers 22-24. A Moabite king named Balak wanted to hire a prophet of the Lord, named Balaam to curse the Israelite army.

Balaam originally sent them away, but the more he thought about it the greedier his heart became. Balaam then returned to the king and said something like, “I can’t curse them (God had told him not to do it), but I have a plan which will cause God to curse them for you (for a fee of course). So, Balaam arranges for women to invite Israelite men to a big sensual feast. Fornification took over and the curse of God came upon His people, resulting in 24,000 Israelites being judged and killed.[5] Balaam used his spiritual insight to obtain material gain. He was involved in religion for what he could gain from it.

2 Peter 2:15-16 says, “They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, 16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.” Balaam’s error was that he used his position as a prophet “for the sake of gain” so it leads us to ask the question, “What is our motive for worshipping? Is our motive to obtain or to see what we can get out of it? Or do we gather to give God glory?

Korah’s Rebellion

“perished in Korah’s rebellion,” – We find the story of Korah (a cousin of Moses) in Numbers 16, who was a Levite, but he was not chosen to serve as a priest. He was angry because he was not chosen and lured by pride formed a conspiracy with three other men and led two hundred of Israel’s elders in a rebellion against Moses (God’s prophet) and Aaron (God’s priest). God had appointed Moses and Aaron, and Korah was too blind to see that it was God who had appointed them, so when he opposed them, he was opposing God. Korah didn’t like Moses and did not want to submit to his leadership – so he formed a rebellion.

Korah did not like having Moses being over them as a leader, Numbers 16:3 “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” We have just as much right to lead, as you do, “we are all holy.”

Numbers 16:32-35 “And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the people who belonged to Korah and all their goods. 33 So they and all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol, and the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. 34 And all Israel who were around them fled at their cry, for they said, “Lest the earth swallow us up!” 35 And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the 250 men offering the incense.”

This form of apostacy is the person or group who is divisive and brings dissension into the church. But look at Moses’ reaction to this rebellion, Numbers 16:4 “When Moses heard it, he fell on his face,” because he understood something the rebellious group led by Korah did not – Moses did not take their attack personal. The rebellious group were going against what God had established – God was with Moses and not with them, and they didn’t even know it. He left the issue in God’s hands.

“The experience of Korah is recorded for all posterity as an example of a man who, in his own quest for power and recognition, defied God’s legitimate authority over the people of God.”[6]

“Cain ignored the word of God, Balaam opposed the Word of God, and Korah rebelled against the word of God. This is the progression of the apostate. He begins simply ignoring what the Bible says then progresses into opposing the Bible by trying to say that it is not the Word of God but simply contains the Word of God. Once they are at this point, it will not be long before they openly rebel against God and His holy Word.”[7]

Apostates undermine and corrupt genuine worship. How?

They want the church to be focused on a false gospel (Cain), personal gain (Balaam), and a rejection of authority (Korah).

_____________________

[1] O.S. Hawkins, In Sheep’s Clothing, Jude’s Urgent Warning about Apostacy in the Church (Neptune, New Jersey; Loizeaux Publishing, 1994) 52-53.

[2] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 2 Peter & Jude (Chicago, Illinois; Moddy Publishing, 2005) 172.

[3] Hawkins, 53.

[4] Matthew S. Harmen, Expository Commentary, Volume XII, Hebrews-Revelation (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publishing, 2018) 513.

[5] Numbers 25:1-9, 31:15-16.

[6] O.S. Osborne, 70.

[7] O.S. Osborne, 68.

“Failing to Remember God’s Word is Dangerous” Jude vv. 5-7

“Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing”

A Sermon Series in Jude

“Failing to Remember God’s Word is Dangerous”

Jude vv. 5-7

Introduction

When our kids were younger Kimberly’s uncle and family were staying with us for a few days, and he was incredibly helpful. He helped me fix my weed eater, he installed an outlet outside, and on one of the days we were working in the attack. If you have ever worked in an attack you will know that it is typically hot, itchy, and difficult. I left to got to the big box store for supplies and while I was there Kimberly called and told me to get some drywall while I was there – David had fallen through the ceiling. Later when David and I were talking he explained that he just got too comfortable walking from rafter to rafter and for whatever reason decided just to step on the insulation in between the rafters, and down he went. One miss step away from disaster.

Satan works like that. He makes dangerous things look safe. He gives us a false sense of security. He makes it easier for us to make a mistake. Satan tries not to scare us to death, but rather to make us think we face little danger of a spiritual fall.

Jude warns of the dangers of false teachers, whose end is destruction. We must be alert for them, and recognize their deception. Earlier in verse 4 is says that false teachers had crept into the church “long ago were designated for this condemnation,” because their sin resembles three well-known events in the OT.

Prayer

Don’t Forget What God Has Already Done (vv. 5-7)

Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it,

Jude continues his warning of “wolves in sheep’s clothing” that have crept into the church by reminding them of something they once knew. Often, we don’t need new information, we just need to be reminded of something we already know. To enable believers to contend for the faith once delivered to them, Jude begins by recalling three biblical examples in which God judged those who departed from his ways.

The memory here is not just to recollect these stories. It is to remind them of the stories so that they will take action based on remembering what happens in the stories. All of the stories end in destruction. Hebrews 4:7 “. . . again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” . . . . ., “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” To wake up the apathetic pew person, he gives three lessons from the past:

Remember The Danger of Failing to Persevere in Faith (v. 5)

that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

The Israelites exited Egypt victorious. They saw God perform the plaques, ending with the death of the first born. They were spared everyone one of the plagues, and were given the Passover feast to remind them of how God had passed over their households. They exited Egypt plundering the Egyptians as they left.

At Kadesh-Barnea they passed through the Red Sea and watched the Egyptian army drown. They arrived at the edge of the Promised Land and they sent in spies, who came back and gave a report of what they saw. 10 of the 12 reported back that it was impossible to win a victory; only Joshua and Caleb said that it could be done.

But because of their unbelief and rebellious hearts they were not able to enter the promised land – instead that generation was doomed to wander in the desert for the next forty-year. They lost the victory because of their unbelief.

“Amazingly, the Israelites did not believe that the same God who had parted the Red Sea, destroyed Pharoah’s army before their eyes, provided manna from heaven every morning, led them with a cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night, and provided water from the rock could enable them to overcome the land in Canaan after He had promised to do so all along.”[1]

Paul gives a similar warning as Jude in 1 Corinthians 10:1-5 “For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, and fall drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.”

Why were they overthrown in the wilderness? Why was God not pleased with them? Because they refused to believe God in spite of the victories God had given them. Jude warns the church that God deals sternly with those who turn their back on Him in unbelief after having seen Him use such wonderful power. This supports our definition of an apostate, “Israel’s judgement was a vivid reminder of what happens to those who, having heard what God expects and witnessed what He can do, still fail to believe.”[2]

The truth of manna, and the parting of the Red Sea, and deliverance from Egypt, the plagues, etc. should have informed and strengthened their faith in the present. God never tells us to refer back to a time in order to show faith, He requires that we have faith in the present. Are you trusting God today, now?

The apostle Paul says, 2 Corinthians 13:5 “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?” Filling out a card at youth camp, praying a prayer when you were a kid, walking an aisle, getting wet in a tank years ago – are not avenues of assurance. Today, right now, are you looking to the cross, are you trusting in Christ? We must believe and trust God’s Word all the way to the end.

“Israel’s apostacy stands as a warning to all those who think an initial commitment secures their future destiny without ongoing obedience. Those who are God’s people demonstrate the genuineness of their salvation by responding to the warning given.”[3]

Jude wants us to draw a connection between the Israelites and the church today. But remember that Israel was a country (a nation) and the people of God. So, not every circumcised member of Israel was truly circumcised in heart (Deut. 10:16: 30:6; Jer. 4:4).

“Jude constructed an analogy between the saving of Israel out of Egypt (a physical act) and God’s saving act in Jesus Christ, but we ought not necessarily to conclude from this that the Israelites liberated from Egypt were truly circumcised in heart, that they truly belonged to the people of God.”[4] There were those among the Israelites who thought they were God’s people, but their lack of faith showed that they were not.

An apostate is a person who has received light but has no life.

Remember The Danger of Failing to Do What You Have Been Assigned (v. 6)

6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—[5]

The second lesson from the past is a reference to angels who lost their position, their vocation. Verse 7 tells us that the sin of the angels was similar to the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah, sexual immorality and perversion.

Genesis 6:1-4 may give us some insight into what Jude is referring to, “When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.”

“The term “sons of God” is translated “angels” in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the original Hebrew text). Also, the Hebrew rendering of “sons of God” is used exclusively in the Old Testament to describe angels.”[6]

These angels left heaven and rebelled against God in order to have relations with humans, thereby losing their position in heaven. These angels of heaven and light now live with the consequence as they are, “kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day,” This sin was so severe that God placed the offending angels in chains to prevent them from committing such perversity again. They cannot go back to heaven.

“Scripture does not spell out the specific realms of angelic authority, but there are hints that some are assigned to specific roles (Dan. 10:18-21; Luke 1:18-38).”[7] Jude describes these angels as leaving their dwelling place (and the original language indicates a finality of their leaving) rather than remaining in their proper place of service, and did things they should not have done. They rebelled against God’s plan and design for their lives in order to pursue the lust of their heart. In the context of false teachers and the church, and our being the church – God has a purpose and calling for you here and now, don’t be pulled away from it by anything.

We see pastors and leaders step away from their calling, and pursue things they have no business pursuing. And once that happens there is no going back. What disqualifies a pastor or leader from ministry and is that disqualification permanent?

The church is being warned to wake up from its forgetfulness and apathy and hold a high standard based on the truths of Scripture – the church has a very special calling. James 5:19 says, “My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.”

Remember The Danger of Being Immoral (v. 7)

7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

The third historical example or lesson that is to shock us into remembering, Jude gives is Sodom and Gomorrah. Jude is referencing Genesis 19. Two angelic visitors, appearing as humans, came to visit Lot. Lot invited them into his home for the night, and a crowd gathered outside of his house. The men of Sodom wanted the two visitors to be brought outside so that they may engage in homosexual acts with them.

Genesis 19:4-5 “But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house. 5 And they called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them.” The angels were not known to be angels; the men from the town thought they were men from out of town.

In an effort to appease the crowd, Lot offers his daughters to them (19:8). They did not want females, they wanted the two men. God strikes the crowd with blindness, but they still grope around looking for Lot’s door. The men of Sodom were consumed with lust for the men, and so God judged them. The angels, Lot and his family make their way out of the city before it is destroyed. “Somewhat like the perverted angels before them, the Sodomites in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh. They too perverted God’s intended design for them by soliciting sexual favors from His holy messengers.

Luke 17:28-30 says, “Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, 29 but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— 30 so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.”

Israel’s sin was unbelief. The angels sin was rebellion of their assignment. Sodom and Gomorrah’s sin was sexual indulgence, Jude says, “indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire.” And when the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, they “serve as an example” for all to see. The destruction of these cities is mentioned more than twenty times in the Bible.[8]

Israel stopped doing what they were supposed to do because they didn’t believe God would do what He said, Angels stopped doing what angels were supposed to do because of their lust (they left heaven forever). An entire city was judged because it abandoned living as families were designed to live. What is the common theme? Apostates do not live by faith, they reject authority (especially God’s authority), and they cannot control their sensual passions – they depart from the truth of the gospel.

Israel’s dying in the wilderness because of their unbelief (consequence was not entering the promised land). Angels wanting to have sex with humans (consequence was eternal chains), then humans wanting to have sex with angels (consequence was death by fire and brimstone). Again, Jude’s words are not written to the lost world, it was written to the church. Those that are called, who are the Beloved of God, kept by Christ, and blessed.

Jude calls the apostates who have snuck into the church as false teachers, others. The Others are like the people of Israel, like the angels, and like Sodom and Gomorrah. These Others have fallen from a position of privilege and are headed towards destruction.

The best way to know if you are saved is what you do with the sin in your life.

Do you live each day trusting God and His Word?

Are you submitting to God’s Will for Your Life?

Are you daily turning from the sin in your life?

In 1818, Ignaz Philip Semmelweis was born into a world of dying women. The finest hospitals lost one out of six mothers to the scourge of “childbed fever.” A doctor’s daily routine began in the dissecting room where he performed autopsies. From there he made his way to the hospital to examine expectant mothers without ever pausing to wash his hands. Dr. Semmelweis was the first man in history to associate such examinations with the resultant infection and death.

After eleven years and the delivery of 8, 537 babies, Dr. Semmelweis lost only 184 mothers. He spent much of his life lecturing and debating with his colleagues. Once he argued, “Puerperal fever is caused by decomposed material, conveyed to a wound… I have shown how it can be prevented. I have proved all that I have said. But while we talk, talk, talk, gentlemen, women are dying. I am not asking anything world shaking. I am asking you only to wash… wash your hands.”

But virtually no one believed him. Doctors and midwives had been delivering babies for thousands of years without washing, and no outspoken Hungarian was going to change them now! Semmelweis died insane at the age of 47, his wash basins discarded, his colleagues laughing in his face, and the death rattle of a thousand women ringing in his ears.

How often do you wash your hands? How often do you wash your heart? We all collect “dirt” in our hearts each day. There are things we see, hear, or do that are not pleasing to God. Going on about our lives without stopping to clean our hearts from these things will harm us spiritually.[9]

“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

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[1] O. S. Hawkins, In Sheep’s Clothing, Jude’s Urgent Warning about Apostacy in the Church (Neptune, New Jersey; Loizeaux Publishing, 1994) 42.

[2] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 2 Peter & Jude (Chicago Illinois; Moody Publishing, 2005) 164.

[3] Thomas R. Schreiner, The New American Commentary, An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Scripture, 1, 2 Peter, Jude (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman & Holman Publishing, 2003) 446.

[4] Schreiner, 447.

[5] See also 2 Peter 2:4-8

[6] Osborne, 45.

[7] Matthew S. Harmon, Expository Commentary, Volume XII, Hebrews -Revelation (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publishing, 2018) 512.

[8] Daniel L. Akin, New Testament Commentary, Christ-Centered Exposition, Exalting Jesus in 2 Peter and Jude (Nashville, Tennessee; Holman Reference, 2018) 158.

[9] https://ministry127.com/resources/illustration/wash-your-hands-after-dealing-with-death

“Contend For the Faith” Jude vv. 1-4

“Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing”

A Sermon Series in Jude

“Contend For the Faith”

Jude vv. 1-4

Introduction

One of my favorite movies of all time is the 1982 classic Thing.[1] “It tells the story of a group of American researchers in Antarctica who encounter the eponymous “Thing”, an extraterrestrial life-form that assimilates, then imitates, other organisms. The group is overcome by paranoia and conflict as they learn that they can no longer trust each other and that any of them could be the Thing.”

The most dangerous threats to the church is not from the outside. Persecution and attacks toward the church have shown generation after generation to only make the church stronger. Without those attacks, the church grows complacent, lazy, and selfish – but even worse than that, is the threat of false teachers from within. 1&2 Peter deal with very similar content (false teachers), and are written in future tense (they will come), but Jude is written in the present tense (they are here).

He is not focused on the exact teachings of the false doctrine, but he is focused on what the false doctrine is producing withing the church. They are exhibiting a “godless lifestyle” and in this short book, he refers to their ungodly lifestyle six times (vv. 4, 15, 18). So, the teachers he is referring to is not so much their words, but as Jesus says, “you will know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:16, 20).

It is their character that gives them authority in the congregation. So Jude is stripping away their authority by showing their ungodly behavior. They should have no influence on the church, because their actions betray them.

Jesus warned the church that these false teachers would come, Matthew 7:15-20 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.”

Paul warned the church that these false teachers would come, Acts 20:29-31 “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. 31 Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.”

If we fast forward to the book of revelation, in the opening chapters seven churches are discussed and only two remained completely faithful. The others had fallen into doctrinal error which led to moral consequences.

False teaching leads to moral compromise.

Correct doctrine leads toward righteous living.

Prayer

A Confrontation is Coming – Fear Not (vv. 1-2)

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Jude, the author was one of four of Jesus’ brothers. None of the brothers believed in Jesus as the Messiah until after the resurrection, in which all four became followers[2]. So even though he is the brother of Jesus, he refers to himself as “a servant of Jesus, and brother of James.” He went from being an unbeliever to being a bondservant of Christ. Jude, according to 1 Corinthians 9:5 was married and had an itinerant ministry as an evangelist. He is writing to a Jewish Christian audience, who we will see, have a deep understanding and background in OT writings and teachings.

He is about get into how we should contend and fight for our faith, but before he gets into the fight and jump into the struggle Jude reminds them of three reasons not to fear this coming battle: They are 1. called, 2. loved, 3. kept and they are 4. blessed with mercy, peace, and love.

Four Reasons Not to Fear the Coming Confrontation

(v. 1b) “To those who are called,” – This is a personal selection, set apart and chosen. While we were “dead in our trespasses and sin” Jesus called us to salvation, 2 Timothy 1:8-9 “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began,” Believers can rest in the security of that calling to salvation because it is not based on what we have done, but what Christ has done on our behalf.

2. (v. 1c) “beloved in God the Father,” – love is a choice and God chose to love us, Romans 5:8 says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” There is nothing we can do to make God love us more than He loves us right now. There is nothing we can do to make Him love us any less, either. He does not love us because we are valuable or worthy. We are valuable and worthy because God loves us.

God has proven His love for those who have placed their faith in Jesus. It is a love that is eternal, infinite, and completely secure. Romans 8:38-39 “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

(v. 1d) “kept[3] for Jesus Christ,” – the word used here means “to observe, pay attention to, keep under guard, maintain,” so a better translation would be, “kept by” Jesus Christ. Jesus stands guard over our salvation. John 10:27-30 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

Jesus secured our salvation by His death on the cross, and the Father approved this sacrifice by raising Him from the dead, and He currently sits at the right hand of the Father ruling and reining over all of creation – no one can take salvation from you because it is kept by Jesus.

Can a person lose their salvation? Although the apostate knows the truth, he or she has never acted upon it. Jude wants the believer to feel the security and peace the promise of God provides. Jude begins the book by saying, “who have been called, who are loved, by the Father, and kept by Jesus Christ.” He also concludes the book by reminding us that the Lord “is able to keep you from falling, and to present you before His glorious presence without fault with great joy (v. 24). Apostates are not saved; they have not lost their salvation; they never had it.[4]

(v. 2) “May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.” – “Jude’s prayer is that his audience would continually enjoy the Lord’s blessing, no matter how difficult the spiritual battle might become.”[5] God gives mercy continually, and the result of knowing our sin is forgiven brings us peace. But this is not a rest from fighting, but instead is peace in the midst of conflict. The Holy Spirit pours God’s love into the believer’s heart – so Jude prays that the love of God be multiplied upon the church.

A Confrontation is Coming – Fight For the Truth (vv. 3-4)

3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in[6] unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

“Jude had originally planned to write a positive letter, celebrating the great truths of the “common salvation” that he shared with his readers (v. 3). But the alarming news that false teachers had invaded the congregations to which he wrote, threatening that salvation truth (v. 4), compelled him to change his plans.”[7] When Jude says, “I found it necessary to write,” he means that there was a heavy burden upon his heart to address the false teachers within the church. This is how it is in church sometimes, we want to focus on one thing, but certain realities force us to focus on other things.

For Jude, he felt a heavy burden on his heart to warn the church of what are called apostates. Apostacy is a “turning away from the truth, . . “one who has received light but not life.” Apostates claim to be Christians but they are not. Nor are they simply unbelievers, they know the truth but do not act upon it.” They perform an inside job and are tools of the enemy to destroy the foundation of the church even though they themselves may be blind to this reality.

Judas is a perfect example of an apostate – He had light, but he did not have life. He claimed to be a believer. For three-and-half years he was one of the twelve disciples. Jesus knew he was an apostate, but the disciples surely did not. But eventually fell away – and he sat at Jesus’ feet. Jude was written to expose apostates and show us that we must, “contend for the faith.”[8]

(v. 3b) “contend for the faith” – the faith that Jude is referring to is, “that was once for all delivered to the saints.” Through the Holy Spirit, God revealed the Christian faith to the apostles and their New Testament writings and the Old Testament Scriptures make up the “true knowledge” of Jesus Christ. The Bible is all believers need for life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). We don’t stumble upon God’s Word – He specifically and with finality inspired, through revelation gave the apostles the Word of God. This revelation is complete (Rev. 22:18-19).

The attack on truth began as early as the Garden of Eden, where Satan tries to get Eve to doubt God’s Word by saying, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” and on through the generations, the father of lies attacks the truth of God’s Word. One strategy for the Enemy to attack the foundations of our faith, and to cause churches to crumble from within, is to send in apostates to churches.

(v. 4) “For certain people have crept in unnoticed,” – 2 Peter 2:1 puts it like this, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies,” The purpose of these false teachers is to sneak in destructive false teachings that will lead the sheep away from the Good Shepherd. Everyone can probably name a dangerous false teacher outside the church, but those within the church are much harder to identify (because they are creeping, doing it secretly, unnoticed).

“Satan always sows in tares among the wheat (Matt. 13:24-30), raising up false brethren whom he disguises as messengers of truth (2 Cor. 11:14).”[9]

So How Do We Identify These False Teachers?

Jude references two groups found within the church, the “Beloved” and “the ungodly” which he later calls “those people” (vv. 8, 10, 12, 16, & 19). “They are a group of people who are a secret part of the Beloved. This secret group are characterized as being ungodly people who reject authority, do what they please, and speak in a manner which leads to arguments, division, murmuring, and speaking against God. This group takes advantage of God’s grace and forgiveness as well as they position themselves within the Christian community to lead others to live a life that is lacking in godliness, purity, and self-control.”[10]

(v. 4) They are “. . . ungodly people,”— These are people who play at being religious but have no genuine fear of God, or love for Him.[11] They claim to be teachers but they betray those that follow them by their shockingly immoral and unethical ways. Their sinful character undermines their authority. There is an irreverence about them.

“. . . who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality . . .” – “The verb pervert has the sense of changing something from one thing to another, alerting its very nature.”[12] They turn grace into sensuality, unrestrained vice, indecency. They are using grace as a license to sin.

“. . . and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” – Jude uses several titles in reference to Jesus; Master, Lord, and Christ – They all deal with sovereignty and submission. The ungodly, perverters of grace, deny Jesus because they do not submit to His authority, or God’s Word, in their lives. They are in control, they do what they want (specifically into sensuality). Titus 1:6 puts it like this, “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works.” Apostates know God’s Word, they may even teach it, but they do not do what it says, they do not submit to it.

Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ Is Jesus the Lord of your life: Is He your Master (Jude refers to himself as a slave of Christ)?” The people in this passage think they are doing God’s work (look what we did for you), but when God sees the work they are doing he calls them, “workers of lawlessness.” The apostate thinks they are doing God’s work, but they have been deceived by the enemy, because the whole time they went to church, taught a class, served on committees, etc, they never knew God – and Jude shows us that they are used by the enemy to corrode the church from within.

Are you growing to become more like Christ? Is holiness, purity, and spiritual growth something you see in your life?

Do you use God’s grace as an excuse to continue in sin?

Do you submit yourself to God’s authority, specifically His Word, in your life? God’s Word says it, do you do it?

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thing_(1982_film)

[2] John 7:5; Acts 1:14

[3] “continually kept,” it is in the present tense, which indicates past completed action that has continuing results.

[4] Hawkins, 12.

[5] MacArthur, 154.

[6] Inveiglers “a word that dates from the 16th century, refers to the act of using clever talk, trickery, or flattery either to persuade somebody to do something or to obtain something, but etymologically the word is linked to eyesight—or the lack thereof. Inveigle came to English from the Anglo-French verb enveegler, meaning “to blind or hoodwink someone,” from the adjective enveugle, meaning “blind.” Enveugle derives from the Medieval Latin ab oculis, a phrase which literally translates to “lacking eyes.”

[7] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, 2 Peter & Jude (Chicago, Illinois; Moody Publishing, 2005) 144.

[8] O. S. Hawkins, In Sheep’s Clothing, Jude’s Urgent Warning about Apostacy in the Church (Neptune, New Jersey; Loizeaux Publishing, 1994) 11.

[9] MacArthur, 159.

[10] Ruth Anne Reese, The Two Horizons New Testament Commentary, 2 Peter & Jude (Grand Rapids, Michigan; William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2007) 24.

[11] See Matt. 23:25; 1 Tim. 6:5; 2 Tim. 3:5; Titus 1:6.

[12] Matthew S. Harmon, ESV Expository Commentary, Volume XII (Wheaton, Illinois; Crossway Publishing, 2018) 509.

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