Jude pt 4 - The Last Word

These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up 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. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

When wolves arise inside the church, how should the people of God respond?

A Word for a Divided Nation

Before we get into Jude this morning, I want to address what is on many people's minds in our nation this week, and around the world—distressing, heavy things. In speaking about it, I don't want to do two things. I don't want to minimize the realities; there are real issues and real problems we face as a people. At the same time, I don't want to sensationalize them. There are people who benefit from division, and because they benefit they want to promote it at every chance.

Like any nation, we have problems that are not easily addressed. Research this year suggests our nation may be more divided today than at any time since the Civil War. Though we are called the United States, there are times we don't show much unity. More than 60 million children will put their hand on their chest and call us "one nation under God, indivisible," yet it often doesn't seem that way. The events in Louisiana, Minnesota, and especially Dallas are distressing.

It is also distressing how many people excoriate the president for not bringing unity. Understand: the president can't make unity. If you think a better person in the White House will bring unity, you are seriously mistaken. It won't fix what we have in our nation.

Five Things We Must Acknowledge

When these things happen—not just this week, but every week in places all around the world—those who believe the Bible need to acknowledge at least five things.

First, we live in a broken world. You don't have to look far to see it—the Middle East, Belgium, Paris, Florida, Dallas. We are constantly reminded.

Second, the brokenness of this world is the result of sin. All brokenness is the result of sin, and we who believe the Bible understand where it comes from.

Third, sin results in death. When you see death and destruction, it comes from sin.

Fourth, only in Jesus Christ is life and peace. We must hold strong to that truth.

Fifth, if you are a Christian, you have the message of peace—the gospel of Jesus Christ, the very thing that brought you into relationship with God and ultimately makes division reversible. Here at Cross Connection, our mission is life in connection with God, one another, and the world through Jesus. That is the only way to find what so many people are calling for. Pundits constantly talk about reconciliation—it is only found in Jesus Christ. It will not come through new political leaders or legislation.

The Ministry of Reconciliation

One of my favorite passages on this is Ephesians 2:14–19:

For He Himself is our peace, who has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace... Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.

There is only peace and reconciliation through the cross of Christ. He alone deals with sin, the brokenness it brings, and the death that results.

If you're a believer, you have what Paul calls the ministry of reconciliation. In 2 Corinthians 5:17 he writes:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation... Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation... and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ... be reconciled to God.

If you follow Jesus, you are a representative of the peace and reconciliation of God. When people in our nation call for reconciliation, we must point them to the only place it will be found. There is far more behind the headlines than is being spoken about, because there are people who benefit from division. But ultimately we must recognize: the world is broken because of sin, sin brought death, Jesus brings life and peace, and if you're a Christian you have that message.

There was once a time you wouldn't hear of devastating events for days. Now it's instantaneous—every person with a phone can livestream a tragedy. We're bombarded, and it will only increase. But what it reveals is the need for the gospel. This world needs Christ, and if you're a Christian, you have what this world needs.

Jude's Call to Action

You've heard them thousands of times—on commercials, radio, websites, magazines. Marketers call it the call to action. As Jude closes his small letter, that is what he is now doing. He already prefaced it in verse 3:

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

That is Jude's pitch: contend earnestly for the faith. He wrote to Christians 2,000 years ago, but the words apply to us in the 21st century. Defend the faith once delivered to the saints.

When we hear "contend earnestly," we often picture standing on the ramparts of a city wall, defending what's inside from a besieging enemy. There is truth to that—an enemy does seek to come against the church. But prophetically we know the enemy will never succeed. Jesus said in Matthew 16, "I will build My church, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it." Look at history: just about every time the enemy comes with great force against the church from outside, the church grows stronger. What ultimately destroys churches is not the enemy from outside—it's what comes from inside, what Jude says "comes in unnoticed," the wolves in sheep's clothing, the false teachers.

Identifying the Wolves

In verses 4 through 15, Jude described these false teachers: they come in unnoticed, distort the grace of God, reject the rule of God, and deny the lordship of Jesus. They look like Christians and often speak like believers, yet their lives don't fit their words, and they can lead people away from a strong faith in Christ.

Now in verse 16 he continues to out them: "These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage." As Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, false prophets will come into the church, but you will know them by their fruit.

They are grumblers—murmurers. Jude already referred to ancient murmuring in verse 5: "the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe." After Israel crossed the Red Sea, they wandered 40 years, and their true nature came out in constant murmuring against God and against Moses, grumbling about what they didn't have or didn't like.

They are also complainers. There's a slight difference. A complainer is an irritable, testy, cantankerous person always looking for something to complain about—and when they find it, they tell other people just how bad it is. Spend a week here at Cross Connection and you'll find something to complain about. The pastor wore sandals on Sunday morning—there you go.

These people are destructive to the faith. In verse 12 Jude calls them "spots in your love feasts," but a better translation is rocks under the surface of the water, reefs on which your faith can be shipwrecked. If you find that by your nature you constantly look for something to complain about, stop it and repent. And if someone is always coming to you to grumble, tell them to stop and repent—because such things lead into gossip, bitterness, anger, and all kinds of works of the flesh.

Walking After the Flesh

Jude says they "walk according to their own lusts"—after the flesh and not the Spirit, the contrast Paul gives in Galatians 5:16:

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

This touches the makeup of humanity. God, a triune being—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—made us multifaceted as well: body, soul, and spirit. The body interacts with this world; the spirit interacts with the things of God. Every human is born led by the flesh, the appetites of our bodies leading our souls. But when you become a follower of Jesus, a death takes place, and you are to be led by the Spirit.

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

If you've been a Christian any length of time, you've experienced this—Romans 7, where Paul says the good he wants to do he doesn't do, and the bad he doesn't want to do he practices, crying, "O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?"

The works of the flesh are evident: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelries. Those who perpetually practice these will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control—is the evidence God's Spirit has revived your spirit.

My encouragement: don't spend too much time with people inside the church whose lives are characterized by the lusts of the flesh. Paul doesn't tell us to leave the world—we're to be in the world sharing the gospel. But within the church, where people profess Christ yet live by the works of the flesh, Scripture repeatedly says, "from such turn away." Bad company corrupts good morals, and it will defile and destroy the church and your faith.

False Teachers Have a False Spirituality

These wolves are also big-talking flatterers who use flattery to gain advantage. I cannot tell you how many times someone has wanted to debate me on the finer points of the sovereignty of God and free will—while that same person is living in adultery or completely absorbed in pornography. There's a massive disconnect. They know all the right things to say, they speak great swelling words, and yet their lives don't fit.

So point one: false teachers have a false spirituality. Paul told Timothy they have "a form of godliness but deny the power thereof," and "from such people turn away." Some say that doesn't sound loving. But understand—this is the very type of person who shipwrecks the faith of others. They speak a good game, even quote Scripture, yet their lives are directed by the flesh, not the Spirit.

Don't Be Shocked by Wolves

How are we to respond? Verse 17: "But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles... that there would be mockers in the last time, who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts."

Point two: don't be shocked by wolves in the church. The enemy is always seeking to worm his way in. We shouldn't be startled when people talk like Christians but live like heathens. They may wear the outer cloak of Christianity, but on closer examination their lives don't line up with Scripture. And this is how they distort the grace of God—"it's okay that I live like this, because God is gracious." No. As Paul said in Titus 2, the grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness, not to make excuses for our flesh.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:15, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves." They were in the church thousands of years ago and will be until Jesus harvests the wheat from the tares.

Verse 19: "These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit." They walk after the flesh because they have not the Spirit of God and no true saving faith. "Sensual" means governed by earthly appetites. As a result, they are divisive. When you meet someone always causing division by words or actions, they are in no way exhibiting the nature of Christ.

How We Are to Be

Verse 20: "But you, beloved, building yourselves up 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."

We know how false teachers are. But how are we to be? First, build up your faith. Second, pray in the Spirit. Third, abide in God's love. Fourth, be merciful.

Point three: we must be grounded in faith, fervent in spirit, steadfast in love, and abundant in mercy. How do we contend earnestly for the faith? Not by beating people up with the Bible—though that might sound fun. We grow up in our faith, walk after the Spirit and not the flesh, abide in the love of God, and show abundant mercy toward others.

Making a Distinction

Verse 22: "And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh."

The church is not a private country club; it's an open place where people come. When they come, hopefully many are not yet believers, and their lives won't look righteous. A distinction needs to be made. Some need compassion, mercy, and grace, because the kindness of God leads to repentance. But others need fear—held over the hot fires of judgment to bring about reverence leading to salvation.

Point four: it takes a lot of fire to turn a wolf into a sheep. Some of you came to the church not seeking salvation but seeking what you could get from other people—with unrighteous motives. Thankfully, God saves people like that. You were quite certainly a wolf when you came, and yet the potential for future judgment stirred in you a righteous fear that worked unto repentance.

I'm reading through Joshua right now and just came to the Gibeonites. Selected for judgment because of their wickedness, they came to Joshua out of fear, masquerading as travelers from a faraway country with torn clothes and moldy bread—though they lived right over the hill. God allowed them to be saved and even employed them in His kingdom's service. But their first motive was fear of judgment. Some people need to understand the fear of coming judgment to be brought into salvation. There is a time and place to hold someone over the fire—because we hate the garments stained by the flesh, which will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The Final Word

At this point you might be sitting here thinking, "What if I'm a wolf?" I'm so thankful for Jude's final benediction, verses 24 and 25. When we look into the mirror of God's Word, it exposes the areas of our lives that are out of order—and every one of us is out of order, under construction, in process by the Spirit of grace. When we see ourselves in the light of who God is, we realize how far we are from righteousness.

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

What an encouraging word. God is the Savior. Though I am completely fallen and in desperate need of His grace, He is able to keep me from stumbling and present me blameless before His righteous presence. When I stand before Him one day, not one bit of me will say, "That's right, I should be here." I'll stand with exceeding joy because I know in me nothing good dwells—it's all of His grace. It's all of grace, not works of righteousness, for all our righteousness, as Isaiah 64:6 says, is as filthy rags before Him. But He alone is the majestic, powerful, wise Savior—and both wolves and sheep need His salvation.

Closing Prayer

Father God, I thank You for Your Word. It is challenging, and when we come to a text like this we should rightly be challenged. Lord, help us to be those who have not only experienced Your grace but who extend it to others. Help us to be conduits of Your forgiving grace, carrying it to a world in desperate need. I pray for each of us, that we would grow in the grace and knowledge of You, our great God and Savior. And Lord, I pray for this church—that You would guard us, help us to be as wise as serpents yet as gentle as doves in dealing with people who may not be where they should be in their walk with You. Help us to discern, to make a distinction between those who still need compassion and grace and those who might need a rebuke and a firm challenge. By Your Spirit, make us discerning and wise. Pour out Your Spirit upon this church, that we would shine brightly, carrying Your good news to a world in desperate need. We ask this in Jesus' name. And all those who agreed said, Amen.