Excerpts from Message Series given at Quacco
Baptist Church, Savannah, GA
July and August 2015
Jude wrote to condemn the apostates and to urge
believers to contend for the faith. So the title of this series. The powerful expression contend earnestly stresses the
need to defend the truth continually and vigorously (cf. 1 Tim. 1:18;
6:12; 2 Tim. 4:7). . . .
From Jude’s day
until now, true believers have always had to battle for the purity of the
salvation gospel. . . .
He called for discernment on the part of the church
and a rigorous defense of biblical truth. He followed the earlier examples of:
1) Jesus (Matt. 7:15ff.; 16:6–12; 24:11ff; Rev. 2,3);
2) Paul (Acts 20:29,30; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Tim. 3:1–5; 4:3,4); 3) Peter (2 Pet. 2:1,2; 3:3,4); and 4) John (1 John 4:1–6; 2 John 6–11). . . .
Jude is filled with historical illustrations from
the OT which include: 1) the Exodus (v. 5); 2) Satan’s rebellion (v. 6); 3)
Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 7); 4) Moses’ death (v. 9); 5) Cain (v. 11); 6) Balaam
(v. 11); 7) Korah (v. 11); 8) Enoch (vv. 14,15); and 9) Adam (v. 14). . .
Jude also describes with detail the apostates in
terms of their character and unethical activities (vv. 4, 8, 10, 16, 18, 19). He also borrowed from nature to illustrate the
futility of their teaching (vv. 12, 13). Jude never commented on the specific content
of their false teaching, but solely demonstrated that their degenerate personal
lives and fruitless ministries betrayed their attempts to teach error as if it
were truth. This emphasizing on character repeats the constant theme as to false teachers — their
personal corruption. While their teaching is clever, subtle, deceptive,
enticing, and delivered in all kinds of ways, the common way to recognize them
is to look behind their false spiritual fronts and see their wicked lives (2 Pet. 2:10,12,18,19).
“. . . there are no doctrinal issues discussed . .
.” Jude does quote from non-canonical,
pseudepigraphical books (i.e., the actual author was not the one named in its title)
sources such as 1 Enoch (v. 14) and the Assumption of Moses (v. 9) to support
his points. Was this acceptable? '. . . Since Jude was writing under the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20,21) and included material that
was accurate and true in its affirmations, he did no differently than Paul (cf.
Acts 17:28; 1 Cor. 15:33; Titus 1:12).
John Piper writes, “Some
controversy is crucial for the sake of life giving truth. Running from it is a sign of cowardice. But enjoying it is usually a sign of pride.
. .” The fight for truth that is “worship
sustaining truth” will be for “knowing and loving and proclaiming Jesus Christ
for who He really is and what He really did is pleasant”
‘. . . men of yesteryear like
Athanasius, John Owen, J Gresham Machen, and today men like Ravi Zacharias engage
their minds, hearts and lives in Christ-defining and Christ-defending
controversies. It’s not because there is
an inadequacy of prayer and Holy Spirit, but because the Holy Spirit works
through the Word preached, explained and defended. The Holy Spirit makes biblical argument
compelling in the mouth of the teacher and in the heart of the student, the
listener.
Jude writes, “To those who are called . . .” What is meant by, “those who are
called”? (κλετοις kletois,) meaning an invitation, an open general call or
invitation to all people, so they can receive His salvation. This is focusing on God’s general call. God
desires that all people call out to Him and receive His salvation. But it is unfortunate that not all choose to
– but all can; all don’t but all can
call out to God for His mercy, [not just some].
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