Jude 22-25

Jude 22

(Jude 1:22 KJV) And of some have compassion, making a difference:

 

Here Jude is teaching us that the believers, when dealing with unbelievers, who may be caught up in the apostasy of false teachers, are to approach them with compassion. The word ‘compassion” carries with it the meaning of pity. When dealing with someone caught up in a false gospel, and they are sincerely seeking the truth, they are not be hit over the head with a hard cover edition of the Bible but are to be treated gently. Now there is a time when “iron sharpens iron,” but there are times when a seeking person needs to be sat down and things explained to them.

 

Remember, Jude is dealing with false teachers and the only way to win over a disciple of false teaching is to refute those teachings with the truth of Scripture. If they come to you, to try and convert you to their way of thinking, then you need to rebuke them because they are coming as a missionary for their false teaching.

 

(2 Th 3:6 KJV) Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

 

(2 John 1:10-11 KJV) If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: {11} For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

 

According to 2 Thessalonians 3:6, even if a Christian comes to you with false teaching, you are not accept them into your house but the Bible commands us to withdraw ourselves from them. This is to protect ourselves and other members of our family from being infected with false teaching. This should also apply to the local church that those who bring in false teachings, should be temporarily excluded from the church until they return once again to solid doctrinal teachings.

 

Jude then goes on to admonish us in “making a difference.” He is not advocating us to be biased in our desire to see people saved but he is telling us that we need to tailor our truth presentation to the personality of the person we are witnessing to. Some people require a gentler approach and others need a more hardened approach. Some people require the iron and some require the velvet. This is the distinction that we are being asked to make. That is because as we go on in life we will encounter all kinds of people with diverse personalities. God wants us to be prepared for the people He will send us to.

 

Jude 23

(Jude 1:23 KJV) And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

 

Jude goes on to give us another group of people which we are to help deliver from the clutches of the false teachers. This group is the one that is deeply involved with the false teaching. Basically, the Bible is counseling us to bring the truth to these people with a certain urgency, yet with a certain fear. That fear being the possibility that we could also be drawn into that teaching if we are weak Christians. Apologetic rescues should not be done by those who are weak in the Scriptures, as they can be easily drawn into the false teaching.

 

The garment we are to hate is the one polluted by the false teaching. It is symbolic of the laws of the leper found in Leviticus 13:47-59. It is even possible that the cloths on a lepers body can also become infected with the disease. This is why Jude uses that symbol, since sin is symbolized by leprosy in the Scriptures. The word “pulling” in this verse carries with it the idea of a snatching away and we see that portrayed in the life of Lot when he was taken swiftly out of Sodom and Gomorrah before the destruction takes place. This is what the Christian is to do. We are to rescue people before the day of destruction, which is judgment day. Not everyone will heed the call of the true Gospel, only God’s Elect. Nevertheless, we must be in a position to attempt to pull as many as we can.

 

Jude 24

(Jude 1:24 KJV) Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

 

In this verse we find the beginning of one of the great benedictions in the Bible. Not only is this a benediction and should be read to the congregation but we need to dissect it to bring out some of the great truths packed in it.

 

Keep you from falling - The first major truth in this verse is that we read that God is the one who keeps us from falling. In the context of the book of Jude where we were reading about the false teachers who come to the Christians with their silver tongues and promises of bliss while delivering nothing but hopeless and futile teachings, we read that only those who are rooted in Christ and who are stable in the Scriptures will not be moved from the truth of Christ to follow another gospel.

 

(1 Pet 1:4-5 KJV) To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, {5} Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

 

In this verse we read that we are kept by the power of God. The Christian does not have the power to maintain their salvation so it is God who under girds the Christian by sustaining them with His own power. This is a great truth since the true child of God can never be moved into believing a false Gospel since it is God’s power that sustains and protects us.

 

The word “from falling” in Jude 24 is a Greek word which not only means that God will keep us from falling but it carries with it the meaning of “not stumbling.” Have you ever been walking and you stumbled and fell over a rock or some other hindrance in your pathway? This is what this word is implying. It is used only once in the New Testament. It represents a sure footedness just like a Ram or a Mountain Lion which can run from cliff to cliff without worrying about stumbling or falling. Have you ever seen a squirrel jump from tree to tree or walk along a wire like they don’t have a care in the world? This is what the Lord is telling us that when we are true believers, we can walk in the truth and light of the Gospel with a sure footedness and have no fear that false Gospels will ever affect our walk or our salvation.

 

Present you faultless - Not only does God keep His children from stumbling in false teachings but He also will present us faultless before Him. The word “faultless” carries with it the meaning of “without blame.” The believer can appear before the Lord without blame because of the atonement made by the Lord Jesus Christ on behalf of the Elect of God.

 

(Rev 14:5 KJV) And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

Above we read a verse which teaches us that the Christian will be before the throne of God and we will be blameless. The reason that we will be blameless is found in these two great verses below.

 

(Col 2:13-14 KJV) And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; {14} Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

 

These verses are very important in that they are teaching us that Christ did not cover our sins but He removed them, so that there will never be any sin that will be associated with the true believer. If there was any sin, then the believer would have to be judged and thrown into Hell which means the atonement of Christ would be invalid. It is a shame that many Christians believe they are going to stand before the Lord for some type of judgment. This is because there is rank ignorance concerning the subject of the atonement of Christ. It is a sad thing but the majority of Christians are very ignorant of what happened at Calvary. Most Christians do not realize it but they support a partial atonement and not a full atonement.

 

With exceeding joy - The third great truth in this verse is that we Christians are going to be in Heaven with exceeding joy. The words “exceeding joy” is a single word in the Greek and it means “exultation.” Exultation means to be extremely joyful and rejoicing. Now if we Christians had to face a judgment before the Lord in Heaven, then how could God say that we will be in Heaven with great joy? This is because the believer’s have already been judged in Christ and found not guilty of our sins because Christ was our substitutionary sacrifice who removed every sin from the life of the believer. That is why we have the great joy in Heaven because we are no longer connected to anything of earth, which was riddled with sin. (Isa 65:17 KJV) For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

 

Jude 25

(Jude 1:25 KJV) To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen.

 

Now Jude begins the final part of his message by focusing on the greatness of God. The Bible tells us that God will keep us with His power and we will have exceeding joy. Now Jude gives us five descriptions of the magnitude of God.

 

Wise - In the modern versions this description of God is omitted. Satan doesn’t think that God is wise and neither does his counterfeit bible writers. The word “wise” as used in this verse carries with it the meaning of “clever or skillful.” It is an adjective describing God. If one looks at the creation and in the animal world we see such imputed wisdom that necessitates a creator and not natural course. (Study a Giraffe and see what you will come up with) When one looks at the entire creation, both earth and the universe, we see such an immense creation with many laws and principles in action that it would be impossible for anyone to attribute it to evolution. God has also taken His salvation program and wisely hid it from the unbelievers so that it looks like foolishness to them.

 

Glory - The glory of God is made manifest in all the world. The glory of God abides in His children. Glory is the visible presentation of the attributes of God. Each attribute of God represents a facet of the glory of God. Even in judgment the glory of God is represented.

 

Majesty - This attribute of God details the fact that He is sovereign ruler over all the Earth and Universe. He rules in Heaven as well as over Satan’s crowd. There is nothing that God does not rule over. He is King of the Universe and King of Heaven.

 

Dominion - This attribute tells us that God is in control of everything in this world and universe. There is nothing that can happen outside of the planning of God. God plans and executes even the most minute things and details in our lives. If God was not in control, the human race would have destroyed themselves by their sin a long time ago. Can you imagine atom bombs in the hand of uncontrolled sinners? God also controls those things we call “disasters.” There is nothing outside the plan and execution of God.

 

Power - This speaks of the authority of God. Since God has supreme authority over the entire creation and Heaven, He maintains the right to do as He pleases according to His own plans and reasons. This does not mean that he toys with us, but everything that happens in our life has been planned and executed by God, according to His wisdom.

 

Now and Ever - Jude ends this book by saying that all the attributes and ruling sovereignty of God, is both for now and for eternity. Everything that has been done in the past, present, and future is done and will be done under the wise, ruling hand of God.

 

Amen - So Let It Be!

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