What is the Book of Jude? Who wrote it and what is it about?
Written by Jude, the brother of James and Jesus.
You can find Jude mentioned in Matthew 13:55, and Mark 6:3
In both places Jude is called Judas, which in Greek translates to Jude. Not Judas Iscariot.
Jude was probably written in the mid-60s A.D. Considering the letter’s apparent Jewish perspective, Jude’s audience was probably Jewish Christians, or a mixture of Jewish and Gentile readers where the Gentiles were familiar with Jewish traditions.
The book is about “Contending for the Faith”.
Jude points out apostasy of the church and the false teachers/leaders who helped cause it.
What is Apostasy you asked? I’m glad you asked…
Webster’s Dictionary says, "An abandonment of what one has professed; a total desertion, or departure from one's faith or religion.”
Adrian Rogers said “a falling away from the faith” or “a turning from the faith”.
This is what we are going to be talking about over the next several weeks. The world around us is falling fast, but it didn’t just happen overnight. It has been falling since sin entered into, but even as we look over just the past 50 years or so, the world has fallen greatly.
Jude starts out this epistle (letter of specific tone, typically instructional) gently.
He introduces himself, humbles himself calling himself a servant.
Jude is connecting to his audience (Jewish Christians, probably some Gentiles how were followers).
Jude points out that those whom the Lord has called in a close relationship with the God the Father will be kept and protected from in Jesus.
Protected from what? We’ll get there.
v.2, again this is just introductory and a blessing too whomever is reading this letter.
Mercy, Peace, and Love of the Lord our God to you.
Now we change the tone of the letter.
Notice the word necessary in v.3.
Jude was eager to write about salvations that were happening and join in the joy.
However, Jude found it necessary to write about contending for the faith.
Fighting for the faith, staying true to the faith, not being lead astray in any way.
The truth of the Bible was “once for all delivered to the saints.”
If you are a professing Christian who has devoted themselves to following Jesus Christ then you are one of the Saints.
Jude points out that certain people have crept in, unnoticed.
Who are they?
Jude describes them as “designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
These are false teachers.
They are everywhere. Especially on TV and the Internet.
Not all are false, I’m on the internet.
You have to be cautious about who you listen to, what they teach…does it align with God’s word?
We are to live IN the world, not OF the world.
How do you live IN the world, and not OF the world? How do you stay away from false teachers and know the truth?
To know the answer to that, YOU HAVE TO BE IN AND READING GOD’S WORD!!!!
Christians who don’t have a good excuse for missing church are what I call “faith-based”.
What is faith-based?
It’s when Jesus isn’t important enough to put first and we’re afraid of offending people more than offending God!
BETHLEHEM BAPTIST CHURCH IS NOT FAITH-BASED…WE ARE FAITH-FILLED IN JESUS CHRIST AS OUR LORD!
We aren’t afraid to say so…
Contend for the Faith:
Read your Bible
Study your Bible
Know your Bible
