A War Over Hearts And Minds

Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. (Jude 3)

What exactly does it mean to earnestly contend for the faith? The first thing it means is that we are never to allow ourselves to be seduced by any worldview or philosophy that is unbiblical. We must have our minds saturated with scriptural truth so that our whole way of thinking is transformed by God’s word. When we are presented with other views about God, Jesus Christ, salvation, or life in general, these views should be immediately dismissed from our brains. If we are to be earnest as we contend for the faith, we must be unwavering, refusing to be swayed by any and every wind of doctrine that blows by us.

Secondly, we must live our lives in accordance with the scriptures. Not only should our minds and thoughts be transformed by the word of God, but our hearts and emotions as well, which, when combined all together, will lead to transformed actions. We are to cheerfully and willingly submit to the commands of God, doing all that we do for His glory. The lives that we live testify that the word of God is true, and also that we truly believe what He has revealed to us. So, if we desire to contend earnestly, we must, in the power of the Holy Spirit, strive with all that is in us to live lives that bear witness to the truth of what we have believed.

All of our speech and conduct should be motivated by a love for God and others with an overarching desire to make Him known in this fallen world. It is imperative that our motivation is right, and that we understand the doctrines which the bible teaches so that we can communicate them both verbally and practically as we live out the teachings in our lives. These 3 things (motive, knowledge, and practice) must all be present if we are to accurately represent God, and conveniently for us, are also the only means by which we will attain the victory which has already been provided for us by Jesus Christ.

In light of all of this, we should never compromise or contradict the bible in whatever we think, feel, say, or do, for to do so would be to lay down the only weaponry which God has provided us with to win the war that we are engaged in. Jude understood this, which is why he pleads with his readers to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. It is only in the bible that we find the tools necessary to conquer our enemies. Therefore, it is our duty to protect the purity of the scripture. We must be accurate in our dealing with the text (in preservation, translation, and interpretation), and also accurate in our application of it (in practice).

In closing, the best protection for ”the faith” (objective) is faith (subjective)! Trusting that knowing, as well as cheerfully and willingly obeying, the scriptures, is the means by which God will give us the strength and power to emerge victorious in the battle we fight, is the most potent, and in fact the only way to contend for the faith once for all handed down to the saints. We must truly BELIEVE and wholeheartedly TRUST in the word of God, passionately contending with the entirety of our lives in order that we might see God’s kingdom and rule spread throughout each individual heart and mind of the children of men, and over the entire face of the earth.

 

Jude’s Terrible Burden

Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. (Jude 3)

Jude has a passionate love for this congregation of believers to whom he writes.  They are his beloved, as he calls them, and as he sat down to write, his intention was to encourage them by speaking to them of the glorious salvation which belongs to both he and them. It seems to me that he pondered over what he should speak to his readers about for quite some time, working tirelessly to assemble a topic with which he might build them up in their most holy faith. Surely he desired to speak of the overflowing and abundant grace of God our Father toward them, the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ, and what has been accomplished on their behalf…that God was reconciling them, by the cross, to Himself, purging them of their sin and freely granting to them eternal life.

There was only one problem…Jude’s heart was terribly burdened to converse with them about another, more urgent, topic. So, rather than speak about the glories of God our Savior, he felt it to be a necessity that he speak to them about a different, though intimately related, matter. What could be more important than conversing about the above mentioned subjects? Well, nothing, of course! And you see, it is for this very reason that Jude was so profoundly consumed with the thoughts which eventually came to be embodied in this epistle. He was compelled in His heart (and surely moved to conviction by the Holy Spirit) to inform his readers of their duty to protect those doctrines which they hold so near and dear to their hearts, and so he exhorts them to earnestly contend for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.

When Jude speaks of “the faith”, he is speaking of the revelation of God, which was “once”, as opposed to continuously, “”for all”, that is, for all time and for all people, “handed down”, by God, as opposed to something which man was able to conjure up on his own or obtain by his own initiative, “to the saints” that is, the chosen people of God. In an attempt to make a difficult subject simple, it is fairly accurate and very safe to say that “the faith” which he refers to is that which is contained in the Old and New Testaments. Jude deeply desired for his hearers to know that the teachings of the scriptures, with all that they tell us about God, man, and the way of salvation, were under attack, and that it was imperative for them to be ready to do battle with the enemies of the gospel.

We must also be ready, as Jude exhorted his original audience, to earnestly contend for the faith. Satanic forces are constantly at work in this world, and they will continue to work against God and His people in order to destroy the way of salvation until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ in judgment. The strategies which our enemies employ are diverse, so we must strap on our armor and always be prepared to stand firm against them, refusing to be ignorant of Satan’s devices.  As for the specific attack which was being mounted against the church to which Jude originally penned this letter, that is a topic which we will deal with in the future…Lord willing. Next time we will deal with what it actually means to earnestly contend for the faith.

 

The Known Universe

 

A Pastor’s Prayer For The Church

May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you. (Jude 2)

I want to briefly examine Jude’s greeting to the church, though surely it is much more than a greeting, is it not? Shouldn’t we also see it as the heart’s desire and deepest prayer of this under-shepherd of Christ for his sheep? There are 3 things which Jude wishes for this congregation (and all churches for that matter), and we shall briefly look at each individually. To begin with, we see mercy. In the first place this is mercy from God, specifically the mercy of God which will bring about their sanctification (being conformed to the likeness of Christ morally and spiritually), both individually and together, as a congregation. It also speaks of a mercy which should be ever-present within the church as the saints interact with one another. They should show mercy to their brothers and sisters in Christ just as the Lord has shown (and continues to show) mercy to them.

The next thing which Jude desires to see at work in this congregation is peace. There should be in every believer a peace which passes all understanding, one that comes from a complete trust in the sovereign God who works all things together for good for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. Regardless of an individual believer’s circumstances in life, he/she should not be anxious about anything, and rest securely in the love of their Savior. I also believe that Jude here speaks of a desire for peace between the brethren as they interact with one another. Of course, there is no place for contentions, slandering, or backbiting in the church of God. There should be a unity of heart, mind, and purpose as the body of Christ works together to glorify Him in this fallen world.

The third thing that he mentions is love. He speaks of a love which once again originates with God the Father…a love which is epitomized in the life and death of Jesus Christ, who laid down His life for God’s beloved. But just as with the prior 2, Jude wishes for this same love to be practiced unceasingly within the fellowship of the saints. In response to the love of God, which is working powerfully in them, they are to love one another, reflecting the love of God through their relationships. This love must be a love which consists of all knowledge and discernment, for true love rejoices in the truth of God’s word. Though it must also be with all sincerity of heart, for mere deeds without concern and compassion are as a clanging cymbal or a noisy gong.

Jude’s final plea is that all 3 of these graces would be multiplied to his hearers. Jude recognizes that mercy, peace, and love are already present in this congregation, for God has already been working mightily in His church. But it is not good enough that these Christians stop where they are. They, as with all believers, have not, and will not, attain to perfection this side of glory. He prays that the grace of God would increase amongst, and within them, that it would be multiplied, that it would continue to grow and grow and grow, until the great and glorious day when the Lord Jesus Christ returns for His people. Knowing this, that as God answers this prayer for His people, that their joy will abound and the light of God’s glory will be revealed to an ever greater extent in this dark world. We should all follow Jude’s lead, greeting our brethren as powerfully as this and praying that these graces might be multiplied in the church, both locally and universally.

 

He Who Has An Ear…

Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ. (Jude 1)

Jude clues us in on whom his audience is by giving us 3 descriptions. The first of these is the word “called”. This is a theological term which speaks of an internal work of the Holy Spirit upon God’s chosen people. Through the preaching of the gospel message, the elect individual is granted spiritual life, a new heart, mind, and desires, wherewith he/she is awakened to the understanding of the truth of their sinful condition as well as their desperate need for the Savior.  The one who is called is thus enabled to repent and believe in the person and work of Jesus Christ in order to receive the free gift of salvation, which is the inevitable result of this effectual call of God.

The next phrase Jude uses to describe his audience is “beloved in God the Father”. Wow! Think of what it means to be beloved in God the Father! What comfort, what peace, what joy! What greater information could a man receive than the knowledge that God, the Almighty, Sovereign, Creator of all things, loves him? Is there any love which is more powerful, more substantial, more fulfilling than the love of God?! Imagine the way in which the faces of the recipients of Jude’s letter must have lit up when they heard these words! In fact, is this not the reason why God called them in the first place…because He loves them? He shed His grace on them abundantly by freely granting them spiritual life and salvation…for even in eternity past, these were His beloved.

The third description is that they are “kept for Jesus Christ”. God’s call is not one which He rescinds, nor does His love cease. Rather, Jude informs His audience that God is keeping them in order that He might one day present them to His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ. This is a faithful promise from the God who cannot lie! He preserves His people whom He calls, not only because He loves them, but even more so…because He loves His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus, for whom He keeps them! The called and beloved of God can rest assured that they will never be forsaken by Him, they will, at the consummation of all things, be received into glory, for their confidence in His keeping them resides in the fact that He preserves them out of His eternal love for the Son.

Jude’s descriptors paint for us a picture of the church of Jesus Christ. As to which specific body of believers he originally penned this epistle, we are not sure, but there is most assuredly a message of severe consequence contained in its verses for believers of all ages and times. I should point out also that these are important characteristics to understand when coming to the body of this letter. The recipients, the church, will be set in contrast to another group that poses some sort of danger to them. It is also important to take note that the most significant means by which God keeps His people whom  he loves and has called is by warning them through His inspired apostles and prophets in the Word of God, the bible. This is yet another reason that we must consider this portion of scripture as of utmost importance and take heed to the message which the Lord has communicated to us for the sake of our preservation.

 

Jude, A Bondservant of Jesus Christ

The very first descriptor that Jude gives of himself is that he is a bondservant of Jesus Christ. What exactly is a bondservant? In short, it is someone who willingly and joyfully commits himself to be the slave of someone else. Wow! Who on earth would willingly make themselves a slave to another person? What man, in his right mind, would submit sovereignty over his life to another? If, by chance, a man were to do this, he would have to have complete confidence in the one who would be his master. He would have to know that his master is loving, good, merciful, and just… basically, he would have to trust fully that he is better off letting his master rule over his life then he would be if he himself were to maintain control. 

What makes this even more interesting to me is that Jude willingly makes himself the slave of  not just anyone, but his older brother! Surely, while growing up, there must have been some animosity (or at least envy) on Jude’s part. I mean, imagine being the younger brother of Jesus Christ! How would you feel as a child if you were in constant need of correction yet your older, sinless, brother, consistantly received praise from your parents for his perfect behavior? Think of the way in which Jesus speaks of Himself in the Gospels, you know, that He is God in human flesh, the judge of all the earth, the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets…if I were his brother, I might have told Him (I say this reverently) to “quit being so high on yourself”! I imagine the brothers of Jesus (possibly) thinking along the same lines as the brothers of Joseph…feeling that they’d be better off if they killed Him (or at least through Him into a pit and sold Him into slavery).

Then one day, everything changed for Jude. Eventually His brother was murdered, and brutally so in the form of crucifixion, only to be resurrected from the dead three days later, proving that He was exactly who He claimed to be! What a shock this must have been for him! Every doubt and every evil thought that He had ever had about his brother must have flashed before his eyes. The guilt, the shame, and the fear which must have overtaken his sinful soul! It was at this point that Jude looked to the cross, recognized the mercy and love of his brother after the flesh, and his heart and mind were graciously changed forever. He witnessed first hand the glory and power of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ, and it was at this point that he joyfully and willingly submitted himself as a bondservant of Jesus Christ. The cross was more than enough evidence to give Jude the confidence that Jesus Christ was infinitely more capable of ruling over his life than he himself was.

 

The Epistle of Judas?

Isn’t it ironic that the Lord, when chosing someone to pen this brief letter which deals specifically with the topic of apostasy, designated a man who possesses the same name as the greatest apostate of all time…Judas? Just who is this man Judas who wrote this epistle? We know from his own words that he is the brother of James, which distinguishes him from other Judas’ in the New Testament. I believe that it is safe to draw the conclusion that this “James” must have been well-known to the original audience of the letter, since Jude expects that they will be able to deduce exactly who he is by stating his relationship to the man.

The most well known James in the New Testament who remained alive at the time of the writing of this letter was a man who was very prominent in the Jerusalem church, a man who was also the half-brother of our Lord Jesus. If this is the James whom Judas is speaking of, which is very likely, then he also, being the brother of James, is the half-brother of the Lord Jesus. This gets me even more fired up to read this letter! There are few relationships on this earth which are more intimate than that of brothers. Judas was privy to things that no one except for His closest family knew about His life on this earth! He watched our perfectly sinless Savior grow from His childhood, through adulthood, and all the way until the climax of His incarnation on this earth…His death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven.

What can the brother of the Lord Jesus have to say to us? He is only given 25 verses in the scripture to speak his heart. And in this tiny little letter, this man who surely posesses deeply profound insights into the life and character of the Lord Jesus, having known and seen things that few others, if any, ever bore witness to, decides to speak on the topic of…apostasy? Sounds strange to me, but if the contents of this letter burdened the heart of this man of God so much that it superceded in importance all else that he could have chosen to speak about, then it must be of utmost consequence that we comprehend his message to us! Let us give our most earnest attention to the contents of this letter.

 

The Importance of the Epistle of Jude

Thank God for His holy Word! Isn’t it so amazing that the Almighty, Holy One has communicated with us, sinful and rebellious man? And what of His infinite wisdom and power? And the ways in which He chose to make his will known to us? It is mind-boggling to me that He could, and would, use sinful men (I speak particularly of the apostles and prophets) to deliver His message to His people. It also baffles me that now, in this day and age, He would entrust us (those who love Jesus Christ) with His Word! Seriously, do we take into account on a daily basis that it is our responsibility to maintain the purity of scriptural doctrine both in our lives and in the church? This is an extremely weighty charge which we have been given!

How often do we study the little epistle of Jude? I say with great confidence that if we did, we would have a much greater concern for the purity of our doctrine. We would be much more wise to the dangers which lurk around every corner, and the endless attacks of the devil and his henchmen to lead men and women astray from the truth and into error. We would not only learn of the perils which await those who would depart from the truth, but also of the amazing blessings which belong to those who remain true to Christ, as well as the means of grace which God provides for His people so that they might persevere faithfully. To understand this tiny epistle would be an extremely worthy pursuit, which is why, by the grace of God, I hope to spark off a little study in the coming days.

If you would, pray for me that I might manage my time well so that I can persevere in this endeavor (for I truly desire to become more consistent in writing on this blog) without neglecting my other duties at home, in the church, and at work. Feedback and input are more than welcome…in fact I encourage it! The more conversation about the topic, the more likely I will remain captivated, and not feel like I am doing this only for myself. Though studying this book would surely be helpful for my own soul, my prayer is that it will be fruitful for others who love the Lord Jesus and seek encouragement in their walk. After all, is this not why Jude wrote to the church? To teach, exhort, and encourage them? To share with one another the love and fellowship of the Lord Jesus Christ? This is my heartfelt desire and prayer for this blog.

In Christ,

Brian MacArevey

 

A.W. Pink: True Christian Love

Love is the Queen of the Christian graces. It is a holy disposition given to us when we are born again by God. It is the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. True spiritual love is characterized by meekness and gentleness, yet it is vastly superior to the courtesies and kindnesses of the flesh.

We must be careful not to confuse human sentimentality, carnal pleasantries, human amiability and affability with true spiritual love. The love God commands, first to Himself and then to others, is not human love. It is not the indulgent, self-seeking love which is in us by nature. If we indulgently allow our children to grow up with little or, no Scriptural discipline, Proverbs plainly says we do not love them, regardless of the human sentimentality and affection we may feel for them. Love is not a sentimental pampering of one another with a loose indifference as to our walk and obedience before the Lord. Glossing over one another’s faults to ingratiate ourselves in their esteem is not spiritual love.

The true nature of Christian love is a righteous principle which seeks the highest good of others. It is a powerful desire to promote their welfare. The exercise of love is to be in strict conformity to the revealed will of God. We must love in the truth. Love among the brethren is far more than an agreeable society where views are the same. It is loving them for what we see of Christ in them, loving them for Christ’s sake.

The Lord Jesus Himself is our example. He was not only thoughtful, gentle, self-sacrificing and patient, but He also corrected His mother, used a whip in the Temple, Severely scolded His doubting disciples, and denounced hypocrites. True spiritual love is above all faithful to God and uncompromising towards all that is evil. We cannot declare, ‘Peace and Safety’ when in reality there is spiritual decay and ruin!

True spiritual love is very difficult to exercise because it is not our natural love. By nature we would rather love sentimentally and engender good feelings. Also many times true spiritual love is not received in love, but is hated as the Pharisees hated it. We must pray that God will fill us with His love and enable us to exercise it without dissimulation toward all.

 

Let Marriage Be Held in Honor Among All

Congratulations Brian and Roxane!  May God bless your lives together, and may your service to Him as husband and wife be a blessing to all.