Remain in God's Love I. Questions A. What should Christians do in the face of distress and trial? B. How should Christians treat those who are falling away? II. Base Text: Jude 1:20-23 III. Context A. Jude, the Lord's brother, was sufficiently disturbed by the trends he saw to write to exhort Christians to contend earnestly for the faith delivered to all the saints (Jude 1:1-3) B. He felt it was thus necessary because of those who had entered among the Lord's people: false teachers who would lead the people astray (Jude 1:4-16) 1. Jude 1:4: described as ungodly, turning God's grace into lasciviousness, denying the Lord Jesus Christ 2. Jude 1:5-7: appeal to the destruction of the Israelites in the wilderness, the imprisonment of angels, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah as warnings 3. Jude 1:8-11: these false teachers likewise defile the flesh, disrespect authority, blaspheme the honorable, in contrast to how Michael rebuked Satan in regards to the body of Moses; the false teachers rail against things they do not know, and what they think they understand leads them to destruction like unreasoning animals; Jude pronounces woe on them, going in the way of Cain, Balaam, and Korah 4. Jude 1:12-13: the false teachers are as hidden reefs in their love feasts, shepherds only feeding themselves; they are unprofitable like waterless clouds, trees without fruit, wild waves, wayward stars for whom hell is reserved 5. Jude 1:14-15: Jude quotes 1 Enoch 1:9 to affirm the warning of imminent judgment and condemnation of the wicked C. Jude then reminded Christians of what the Apostles had spoken: there would be mockers walking after their lusts, those making divisions, sensual, without the Spirit (Jude 1:17-19) D. Thus Jude strongly warned Christians about the dangers of false teachers and the condemnation they would suffer IV. Interpretation A. Keep in the Love of God (Jude 1:20-21) 1. Jude now specifically exhorts his audience of Christians he deems faithful regarding what they ought to do in light of his warning 2. The primary exhortation is to keep themselves in the love of God a. Importance of being in God in Christ (John 14:21-23, Hebrews 10:22, James 4:8) b. One could put the emphasis on obedience to keep oneself in God's love, but likely better understood focus and emphasis on finding strength and sustenance in the love of God c. In the face of despair and discouragement, no greater place to keep oneself than in God's love which never fails 3. Part of the means by which Christians keep themselves in the love of God involves building themselves up in their most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, and looking for the mercy of the Lord Jesus unto eternal life a. Building up in the faith a crucial aspect for life in faith, emphasized in 1 Corinthians 14:26, 1 Thessalonians 5:11, Hebrews 10:24-25 b. Christians need to encourage and support one another, and all the more so in times of distress and opposition c. Praying in the Spirit, cf. Ephesians 6:18: in concert with, consistent with His purposes, perhaps even strengthened by the Spirit d. Looking for the mercy of Jesus unto eternal life has a view toward Jesus' return and the day of judgment and resurrection; the focus on mercy is a recognition of our unworthiness B. Jude then guides Christians toward three exhortations regarding their work with others (Jude 1:22-23) 1. Those who doubt should receive mercy: perhaps a reference to those who have heard the false prophets and now entertain some doubts; to show them mercy would help to not alienate them further 2. Others need to be saved, snatched out of the fire: this would involve those who had fallen prey to such false teachings and are in need of restoration (Galatians 6:1, James 5:19-20) 3. Still others they should show mercy with fear, hating the garment stained by flesh: these are the ones likely tempted and fallen into forms of immorality; this is the closest the Scriptures come to teaching "love the sinner, hate the sin" C. Thus Jude encouraged his fellow Christians to endure in their faith V. Application A. Remain in God's Love 1. Jude has described what seems to be a pretty dire scenario; some really serious things going on in the churches of the day 2. He expresses sharp condemnation and excoriation of these false teachers leading Christians astray 3. And yet, when turning back to address his fellow Christians, he reminds them how the Apostles warned about this kind of thing, and exhorted them to remain in God's love 4. We might be in a situation like Jude describes with some false teachers around: we can certainly mark them according to Romans 16:17-18, but we also do well to remain in God's love, encourage our fellow brethren, pray in the Spirit, and look forward to Jesus' mercy 5. We might find ourselves in a distressing situation in life that tries our faith: we do well to remain in God's love, encourage our fellow brethren, pray in the Spirit, and look forward to Jesus' mercy 6. In fact, there is no situation in which it is inappropriate to remain in God's love, encourage our fellow brethren, pray in the Spirit, and look forward to Jesus' mercy! 7. Life is full of hindrances, difficulties, and stumbling blocks; these are the key means by which we can endure and overcome them in the Lord, and we do well to take advantage 8. The love of God is what will sustain us through anything; people may fail us, but God does not; He will strengthen and sustain us through what we must endure 9. Building up in our most holy faith reminds us we are not in this alone; joint participation and strengthening in faith will get us through 10. Prayer works wonders, but only when we draw near in prayer 11. The goal must always be before us: the hope of resurrection; to understand it as the mercy of Jesus unto eternal life reminds us it is not ours by right but through the gift of God, that we are unworthy, and thus in a more humble posture, seeking for all to be delivered in mercy B. Show Mercy 1. Jude describes a situation in which most of us would feel uncomfortable: false teachers are around; some have already been led astray by false teaching or have fallen into immorality; others are wavering in doubt 2. He does not counsel for them to leave and go somewhere else; in fact, despite all the difficulties that were manifest in churches in the New Testament period, at no point does any Apostle recommend or suggest that any Christian leave the local church with which they are associated to go to another 3. Instead he encourages them to stand firm and embody Christ: to show mercy to as many as possible to save those who can be saved 4. There will be sin and occasions for stumbling among the people of God; if all the faithful and righteous depart, what will happen but collapse? 5. Thus there is commendation to try to show mercy, a recognition that our own standing before God was not earned, and thus we have no ground upon which to condemn others, appealing that they also would take hold of mercy from Jesus 6. This is not a capitulation to sin or justification of evil: we must maintain hostility toward the "garment stained by the flesh," and we seek to rescue people from the peril 7. But it does require us to stand firm for Jesus in uncomfortable environments 8. Is this a blanket condemnation of leaving a church? No; there may be situations in which leaving is the only profitable or appropriate option 9. Nevertheless, it shows us that leaving should not be the first impulse C. Jude therefore expects Christians to endure trials from false teachers; we can also see how the same lessons would apply to trials from many other sources D. We do well to remain in God's love, build one another up in our most holy faith, pray in the Spirit, look forward to the mercy of Jesus unto eternal life, seek to show mercy to the wayward, and all to the glory of God in Christ! E. Invitation Scripture, Meditation, and Application 1: Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints (Jude 1:3). Jude would have rather written regarding other matters but was constrained to encourage them to contend for the faith. Many false teachers were preying upon Christians in their midst. Their condemnation would come swiftly. Why must we always contend for the faith? 2: But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life (Jude 1:20-21). False teachers might be about, but Jude exhorted Christians to keep themselves in the love of God. They would do so by building each other up in faith, praying in the Spirit, and waiting for the vindication from Jesus in mercy. Throughout any trial these things can sustain us in our faith. Why do so many want to turn away from God when they experience trial? 3: And on some have mercy, who are in doubt (Jude 1:22). Jude was aware that some Christians now doubted in faith because of what they heard from false teachers. Jude wanted faithful Christians to show them mercy. Judgmentalism and condemnation would push them farther away; it was best to embody Jesus and be patient and loving with them. What are the best ways to encourage Christians to maintain faith despite doubts? 4: And some save, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh (Jude 1:23). Some among the Christians had fallen prey to false teachers or to immorality. Jude wanted faithful Christians to do all they could to encourage them to return to the Lord, displaying mercy toward them. They were not to justify or commend the immorality or accept the false teaching, but they still needed to embody Jesus toward such people. It may make us uncomfortable, but the Lord can strengthen us to remain steadfast. Why is it so important for Christians to resist the urge to flee when difficulties arise?