Lesson 3 Jude 1:1-25 Stand Firm, Expose False Teachers, Rescue Those in doubt ---------------------------@--------------------------- What a calling we have dear friends! We are instructed to stand firm, expose false teachers, and rescue those who are doubting. Tall order is it not? Guess what? We are equipped and enabled to do all that God requires! We are never left to our own devises. Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and o make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy. Jude 1:24. Let s walk through this book with great joy in the one who calls, loves, and keeps! 1. Who wrote this small, but powerful book? 2. How does he describe himself in Jude 1:1? 3. To whom is Jude writing in Jude 1:1? 4. What is the blessing Jude is speaking over the Beloved? 5. Record the three bold adjectives Jude uses to describe the believer. A. B. C. 6. There is no doubt that Christ was the center of Jude s life. He refers to himself as a bond- servant of Christ. One whose will is consumed by the will of another. In this case Jesus Christ. His faith is rooted in the description that he gives for all believers in verse 1. He knows and understands the work of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in his salvation. He believes and understands that he is loved and kept. You and I sure need to know that as well. Why? Because we are called to contend earnestly for the faith. With that comes much opposition. In the case of some the opposition comes with death. Luke teaches in Luke 14:25-34, to count the cost of following after Christ. Have you really counted the cost in following hard after Christ? Do you understand that being a bond- servant of Christ is costly? Take a moment or two and pray for God to search your heart. 1
Ask Him for the understanding, the boldness, and strength to stand strong in your day of persecution. 7. Jude commands the believer to build himself up in his most holy faith. Jude 1:20. Before we move into learning about the false teachers let s build ourselves up in our faith by looking at what Jude meant when he penned called, beloved, and kept. A. Called: The called are those who have been summoned by God. Look up called in your word study tools and record its meaning. After recording the meaning of the word look up the following scripture references and record what they teach about the believers calling. Called: Strong s reference # 2822- Why are we called according to Romans 8:28? What are we called for according to Romans 8:30? What are we called with according to 2 Timothy 1:9 and Hebrews 3:1? From where were we called according to 1 Peter 2:9? What were we called to according to Ephesians 4:1? We were called by what according to Galatians 1:6? What were we called into according to 1 Corinthians 1:9? Who are those with Christ Jesus in Revelation 17:14? 2
B. Beloved: Look up beloved in your word study tools and record its meaning. After recording the meaning of beloved look up the following Scripture references and record what they teach about God s never ending love. Beloved: Strong s Reference # 25- What is the believer blessed with according to Ephesians 1:3? When were we chosen and how were we chosen according to Ephesians 1:4? What did God do in love according to Ephesians 1:5-12? C. Kept: Look up kept in your word study tools and record its meaning. After recording its meaning look up the following Scripture references and record what they teach concerning the believer being kept. Kept: Strong s Reference # 5083- Who are we kept in and how are we kept according to Ephesians 1:13-14? Who are we kept for according to Jude 1:1? What is Christ s plea with the Father according to John 17:11? Who was keeping the beloved according to John 17:12? 3
8. Are you convinced? The apostle Paul was! Look at what he wrote in Romans 8:31-39. Are you convinced now? O, I pray you are! 9. According to Jude 1:3, what was Jude s initial reason to write to the beloved? 10. The Holy Spirit changed Jude s mind. For what reason is he writing this letter? 11. Jude understands that there are false teachers who have crept into the body. He is appealing to us, the believer, to contend earnestly for the faith. He is writing strong words here. Let s look at them to see the urgency behind his appeal! Look up the words in your word study tools and record their meanings. Earnestly Contend: Strong s Reference # 1864-12. According to Jude 1:3, to whom is the truth entrusted? Do not just write the believers. Look back at Jude 1:1-3 and record how we are described. This may be a little redundant but I believe these truths need to be seared into our hearts and minds! 13. Sisters! We are called to be discerning. To be discerning we must know the word! In this case, we especially need to know what the word teaches about those who are creeping into the church. According to Jude 1:4 has the truth caught God by surprise? 14. According to Jude 1:4, who has not noticed their creeping in? 15. It has been prophesied, we have been warned, these men and women will come condemning the faith. I am thankful God does not leave us in the dark. How about you? How does Jude describe these men and women in Jude 1:4? 16. Wow! Does verse 4 speak to our day! Before we unpack the verse there is a word that we need to look up and study! The word licentiousness or lasciviousness. Look it up in your word study tools and record what it means. Lasciviousness/Licentiousness: String s reference # 766-4
17. These men and women are using the grace of God to fulfill their own fleshly lust. How does Paul address this in Romans 5:20-21 through 6:1-2? Is the grace of God a license to live as we please? 18. What is the word to the believer in Romans 6:15-23? 19. What is Jude reminding the believer in Jude 1:5-7? 20. One more time! All those who do not believe will undergo what according to Jude 1:5? 21. What are the actions of the false believers as recorded in Jude 1:8? (Side note. At the writing of this lesson I am unsure of the depth of the meaning behind what Jude wrote concerning, reviling angelic majesties. I will continue to pray and study over verses 8-9.) All I do know is that Michael the arch angel did not dispute with the devil over the body of Moses. He left the rebuke to God. I think that is where I need to leave it as well. 22. Read Jude 1:10-13 and record all the ungodliness that these verses record concerning the false believers. 23. These men and women are destroyed by what according to Jude 1:10? 5
24. God knows how to keep the true believer secure in Christ for the day of judgment. He also knows how to execute judgment and conviction on the false! Jude uses the word ungodly 6 times in 25 verses. These verses are a description of ungodly men. But let s look up the word to learn it s meaning. A diligent student of the word knows that when a word or phrase is repeated the writer is trying to get our attention. Jude has mine! What about you? Ungodly: Strong s Reference #s 763-764- 765-25. Do these ungodly men and women care about anyone else other than themselves according to Jude 1:16? How does this same verse describe them? 26. The apostles and prophets of God have been warning the church about false teachers from the beginning. What is the exhortation to the church according to Jude 1:17-19? How do these same verses describe these ungodly men and women? 27. Jude contrasts the godly with the ungodly in Jude 1:19-20. The word but (As used in the NASB Translation) in verse 20 indicates a contrast. First record the action that Jude is spurring the godly too. Then explain the contrast between the two. 28. What weapon do you and I as believers have individually, and the church corporately, to build ourselves up in the faith according to Jude 1:20? 29. List some ways that we can build ourselves up in our most holy faith. 30. What other instruction are we given in Jude 1:21? 6
31. What Jude 1:21 does not say! Jude tells us to keep ourselves in the love of God. If we are not careful we can read this phrase thinking, we can loose our salvation. Re- read Jude 1:1 with Jude 1:24. Also read the following Scripture reverences that teach God keeps and grows a believer until the day of Christ Jesus. A true believer is what Revelation 17:14 says we are, the called, chosen, and faithful, we are held and kept by the power of God! Philippians 1:6- Philippians 2:13- Romans 8:35-39- Ephesians 1:13-14- 32. Now go back and re- read Jude 1:21 and explain what Jude is urging the believer to do. 33. Let s talk context for just a minute. Verse 21 is keeping us for a while isn t? We must answer one simple question as we continually feed on the bread of the word of God. That question is, Does Scripture ever contradict itself? Circle YES or NO! If you did not answer yes to that question go back and change your answerj I am trying to make light here but not really! SCRIPTURE NEVER EVER CONTRADICTS ITELF! Sister sear that in your heart. Get on your knees and beg God to change that little bit of flesh that always wants to say, BUT! We can count on God to always tell us the truth even when it hurts, and the Holy Spirit will never ever contradict the Word of God. Ok, with that being said. When Jude says in verse 21, Waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. What is he really saying? This is a place our flesh may say but Paul tells us in Philippians 4:6, not to be anxious for anything? Again context! What is the over all theme of Jude? In this theme you will find the meaning of what Jude is teaching. This is also a good time to do a word study. Look up the word anxiously and record its meaning. Anxiously: Strong s Reference #4327- Now take the meaning back to the verse and explain what Jude is teaching. 7
34. Have you ever been in a season of doubting the truths of Scripture? The believer always carries around the flesh and there are times that it will rear its ugly head and Satan will whisper, Did God really say? We are left to ponder. In this season or moment of doubt there is only one place to go, the mercy seat of Christ, the Throne of Grace, and the word of God. This is where we go to grow in maturity and strength of faith. After we have battled in the trenches it is time to give the hand of mercy to someone else. What further instruction does Jude give in Jude 1:22-23? 35. In Jude 1:22 we have the doubters. In Jude 1:23 we have those who are unsaved then Jude moves onto a group that are really heretical. Yes, both groups are unsaved but there is a progression of ungodliness. Do you know what I am trying to say? Knowing that, what is the call to the believer in these 2 verses? Read the verses again if you must. There is one word used two times in the verses that will give you the answer we are looking for. 36. We are being called back to the cross of Christ. There was a day that you and I fit into verses 22 and 23. Read what Paul says in Titus 3:3-7. What was extended to you and I? 37. Finish this lesson by reading Jude 1:24-25. Record all that these verses teach about God and Jesus. Also record what He is able to do. I am so thankful that you and I spent time reading, writing, and studying through this wonderful book together. I have learned so much and I know you have too. Jude began this book drawing our hearts to the joy of the God of our salvation. He ends this book keeping us there! Press on in JOY my dear sisters! He is able! 8