Today’s passage: Jude 17-23

Helpful thoughts:

• It shouldn’t surprise us when false teachers and false Christians stir up division in the church.  The Apostles told us this would happen.
  • This warning gives us reason to be diligent, alert and active in our faith (Verses 20-22).
• When Jude uses the phrase, “The last time” he is referring to the time of the Church.  We often think of the last time as the Tribulation and Millennial Kingdom (From our vantage point).  But Jude is simply referring to the time after the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ…the Church Age.
• The exhortations in this passage help clarify something for us…being part of a church is not merely a recreational activity.  There is a war being waged (Ephesians 6:10-12).

Questions to consider:

1. What source of division in the church is mentioned in this passage?  How might division be caused by those mentioned in the book of Jude?  What are some general solutions to church division?
2. What are the actions given which characterize a person who is being “built up in the most holy faith?”  What kinds of things do Christians do in the midst of the spiritual warfare we are in (Verses 20-23)?
3. Why is it right (And so very poignant) to call evangelism, “Snatching them out of the fire?”  Though we can not force anyone or argue anyone into repentance, what reality should embolden us to share the Gospel with the lost?

Today’s passage: Jude 14-16

Helpful thoughts:

• Enoch is the man who walked with God and then one day, “was not, for God took him.” in Genesis 5:18-24.
  • There is a book called 1 Enoch that is considered “extrabiblical.”  This means that the book is NOT scripture, not God’s authoritative word.  This specific quote that Jude gives does contain truth, but that doesn’t mean the whole book should be included in Scripture.
• The theme word of this quote, “Ungodly!”
  • God’s response to all the ungodliness will be conviction and judgment.
• Verse 16 emphasizes the way these false teachers use their words.  Nothing (Outside of themselves) seems good enough for them until they want something from you.  Then they flatter you to manipulate you for their own advantage.

Questions to consider:

1. What kind of “conviction” is Jude writing about in verse 15?  Is this a conviction that leads to repentance or simply a guilty verdict declared?  Since judgment comes with it, which would it have to be?
2. What judgment was rendered for those who receive conviction that leads to repentance? (Romans 3:23-26)
3. How would repentance and love change what is being depicted in verse 16?  Go through the descriptions in the verse and think of what a Christian would “put on” in place of these actions (Ephesians 4:22-24).

Today’s passage: Jude 8-13

Helpful thoughts:

• The false teachers are being compared to those who were judged from verses 5-7.
• Just because somebody had a dream doesn’t mean they heard from God or saw anything legitimate (Like Heaven, for instance).
  • The Word of God is our inerrant, infallible and sufficient source of God’s revelation to man.
• False teachers speak flippantly and errantly about angels and demons.  Even Michael the archangel doesn’t do such things.
• False teachers are motivated by selfish gain.  Three examples are given for illustration:
  • Cain – Genesis 4:5-8
  • Balaam – Numbers 22:5-7
  • Korah – Numbers 16:1-3, 31-35

Questions to consider:

1. What is the overall description of perspective given on these false believers and false teachers?  How would you summarize these verses?
2. What are some big, popular and even financially lucrative books, movies, speakers, etc. that you have seen over the last few years that fit into these descriptions?  What can Christians do to protect themselves from the latest unbiblical crazes?
3. What does verse 12 teach us about false teachers?  How will they be noticed?  Will they be rooted in truth or carried along by every “new doctrine”?  Will they be giving or will they feast?  Will they submit to authority and community or will they keep their distance from meaningful fruitful relationships?  How can these questions also encourage us to be growing and moving in the right direction in our walk with Christ and His church?

Today’s passage: Jude 5-7

Helpful thoughts:

• Jude gives a few examples from history to show that false teachers will also be judged righteously by God.
• Those three example are:
  • The unbelieving Israelites during the exodus.
  • The rebellious angels.
  • The indulgent people of Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities.

Questions to consider:

1. Who was responsible for the rescuing of Israel from Egypt and the judgment on those who rejected God and would not believe or obey?  How does this affect how we see and understand Jesus and the Old Testament?
2. In what way do the three adjectives above (Unbelieving, rebellious, indulgent) go together?  How would the false teachers being discussed in the book possess and portray all three attributes?
3. Why is it important for Christians to know that false teachers will be judged?  How should this affect our posture and thinking concerning them (Ephesians 5:6-11)?  How does it also humble us and remind us of our own rescue (Romans 3:23)?

Today’s passage: Jude 3-4

Helpful thoughts:

• Jude desired to write about the Gospel itself, but realized another need of the church.  This letter is written to encourage the church to contend for the faith against false teaching.
  • This faith was “once for all” delivered to the saints, meaning it will never change.
• There always have been and there always will be false teachers.
  • They are “designated” for condemnation.
  • They are inside the visible church.
    • “Visible” meaning, they go to church, people count them as part of their church (Having “crept in unnoticed”), but God knows they are not His children.
• The method of these false teachers and false believers is to “pervert” the grace of God.
  • They teach what sounds like truth, but twist it.  These false teachers sound right about so many things, but somewhere along the way, they twist and pervert the message to lead people astray.
• We often think of “sensuality” along with lust and sexuality, but the word can include other sins as well.  It is a lack of constraint.

Questions to consider:

1. If the faith has been once and for all delivered, should any new documents or teachings or visions or any other new source of information be able to change the Gospel message?  Could the way of salvation ever change (John 14:6)?
2. What does false teaching result in (Verse 4)?  What does it turn into?
3. Is it possible to watch preachers on tv, on the internet, or to hear them on the radio, and be listening to false teachers?  Is it possible that there could be people in our church (Or any church) who are there to deceive and oppose God and would never admit it?  What would be the right way to know?  How would we rightly discover that?

Today’s passage: Jude 1-2

Helpful thoughts:

• Jude was the brother of James and half-brother of Jesus (Same mother, different Father!).
  • Though he is the half-brother of Jesus, he desires to make it clear in verse 1, Jesus is his Lord.  Jude is a servant of the Lord.
  • This letter was most likely written in the middles of the 60’s A.D.
• The description of the recipients of this letter is much like the list of the promises we claim from Romans 8:28-30.
• Mercy is not getting what we deserve.
  • Peace is a state of harmony in relationship.
    • Love is giving of yourself for the benefit of another.

Questions to consider:

1. Using the passage referenced in Romans 8, what does it mean that Christians are “called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ?”
2. In what ways do the acts of being “called,” “beloved,” and “kept” fit into the timelines of our lives?  In what ways are these actions past, present, and/or future?  Who is doing the actions?
3. If you have put your faith in Christ, how have mercy, peace and love already been lavished upon you?  In what ways does God continue to grant us things things?