Jude wanted to write a joyous letter, but instead he had to write a warning. Certain ones had crept in unnoticed.
We are to contend for the faith. The Christian life is not unopposed. There is a spiritual attack directed against us, there is a warfare. There is a hassling from the devil. There are dangers we face, and we need to know what they are to better stand against them
The purpose of the letter is twofold. To warn the Christians of the dangers that face them. Second, to instruct the believers how to defend against the dangers.
I am not a negative person, but if Jude had to preach this to his people so should I. Now I know we are surrounded by thoughts, morals, customs, that contradict everything you and I believe. Jude is not talking about the dangers in the world, but the dangers that filter into the church. We are automatically aware of folks outside the church, but here is a fellow that is one of us, a part of our fellowship. He professed to be a believer. This is a real danger.
Vs. 4 says, “certain men crept in unaware”, meaning they came in the side door. It is sad to think you cannot trust the beliefs of everyone in the church. This message is found throughout the entire word of God. Romans 16:17-19; Philippians 3:17-19
Jude is not talking about false teachers in the church. It is not apostasy of belief, but an apostasy of behavior. Christian men and women who in their living are not Christ like.
I. The Danger of Irreverence.
1. Vs. 4 says there were ungodly men. The word ungodly means irreverence. It means a lack of respect and reverence for God. it means withholding from God true worship.
a. It is possible for people to come and go from our services and never worship God.
b. It is those who do not take God seriously.
2. This could be called the first crack in the dam. The germ from which all other diseases come from.
a. Irreverence can be seen in the music.
b. Irreverence can be seen in the preaching
c. Irreverence can be seen in the attitude of the people
3. There is two kinds of irreverence
a. The lack of respect toward God
b. Lack of respect for man
4. Do we have any Cain’s?
a. 1 John 3:15; hateth means to cherish ill will
b. Matthew 5:21-22; Jesus says to criticize, to defame a person’s character, to slander or to murder.
II. The Danger of Immorality
1. Turning the grace of God into lasciviousness
a. Means blatant immorality, total disregard for standards, absolutely no respect
b. It’s best expressed with the words, “If it feels good, do it”
2. Lasciviousness means to disregard the moral laws of God.
a. Vs. 13; Openly, throwing it in our face.
b. This is going on stronger today than ever before, and there is the danger of the believer being drawn into this kind of a life.
3. They have turned the grace of God into….
a. Immorality is bad enough, but immorality justified is even worse.
b. Word “turned” means to put one thing in the place of another.
c. They defined grace as a license to do anything you want to do.
d. I wonder how many of us have traded in God’s mercy. And on God’s mercy.
e. How many have deliberately, knowingly, willfully, gone against the known will of God for us.
1) In the back of your mind had the thought, “I know it’s wrong, but God will forgive me.”
4. The danger, a gradual Lessing of morals, within the fellowship, the church.
a. It makes me sick to see some of the so-called moral standards of some of our people.
b. Much in our own fellowship, God will clean house.
5. We are gradually being brain washed by the devil
a. Like boiling a frog
III. The Danger of Insubordination
1. Vs. 4; denying the Lord, vs. 8; despise dominion, or they rejected the authority over them.
2. They deny, not with their teaching, but with their living.
3. The word “Lord” means absolute ownership, absolute control.
4. And there is the danger facing every Christian, of being insubordinate.
a. Saying we will not have this man to rule over us.
b. We went to do our own thing, run our own show.
5. This insubordination involves two things.
a. It involves rebelling against the person in authority. The Lord Jesus as Master.
b. Secondly, it involves rebelling against the place of our appointed position. Rebelling against our appointed places.
c. Jude is giving us three illustrations of rebelling.
6. The #1 problem today is this, people rebelling against their appointed place.
a. It started with the devil, then to Eve.
b. It is seen in our homes, kids, wives, in their women’s lib.
c. God has given you a place to serve and to rebel against that place it is sin. It is a danger to your life.
In the first fourteen verses, we saw the dangers of the Christians life. The danger of irreverence. The danger of immorality. The danger of insubordination. Remember these dangers are within not without of the church.
In the last verses, 14-25, there are three words we can use for the defenses of the Christians life. They are remember, recognize and remain.
I. Remember What the Lord has Done. Vs 17
1. All though the bible, God has given us the command to remember.
2. Remember the warnings from the past. Fear God
a. A privileged people forgot
b. A position being forgot
c. God is no respecter of persons. We are to fear God regardless of who or what we are.
II. Recognize Those Who are the Offenders. Vs. 19
1. How can we tell if a person is a part of the apostasy? Jude gives us three ways.
a. Those who cause divisions. Vs. 16-19
1) Murmurings, stared I the homes
2) Finding fault, blaming others.
b. Worldly minded, sensual, natural, causing divisions. No spiritual apatite.
c. Having not the spirit, not saved.
III. Remain, Abide, Keep Yourselves in the Law of God.
1. First, what this does not mean. There is never a time when we can get to the place God does not love us.
a. The love of God is not conditional.
b. Romans 5:8; 8:35
2. Nor, does this mean you and I can make ourselves more lovable.
3. Stay in a position where the love of God can do for you all that He wants to do.
a. The Prodigal Son
b. The sun may be shinning, but you may not be in it.
c. God is always loving, but you may not be in His love.
