JUDE:
THE FIRST FUNDAMENTALIST
Granted that “Jude” is the shortest epistle in the New Testament, but it really is one of the most powerful epistles in the New Testament, and one of the most dynamic in coverage. I purposefully classify Jude as the First Fundamentalist, and not just another conservative Biblical writer. In many ways Jude seems to be the Jewish writing counterpart of our Gentile writer, the apostle Paul, in that both stand for and contend for the purity and truths of God’s Holy Word, the Bible.
There are many good Bible based conservative evangelical writers, but there are few real fundamental writers. The difference between the two is that conservative evangelicals believe and may teach all doctrines of the Bible, but the fundamentalist takes the next step. He stands for and contends for the truths of the Word of God. The problem with so many of these evangelicals is that their emphasis is on the jelly; they really do not have the back bone to stand and contend for the purity of the Word of God.
Below is the basic outline you may use in your study of this powerful little epistle:
Book of Jude
The FUNDAMENTALIST will:
1. PREACH SALVATION (vv. 1-3).
2. CONTEND FOR THE FAITH (v. 3).
3. EMPHASIZE FAITH, NOT LICENSE (v. 4).
4. TEACH JESUS AS GOD (v. 4).
5. PREACH AGAINST SIN (vv. 5-10).
God hates sin and will always punish it!
6. SPEAK OUT AGAINST ALL FORMS OF COMPROMISE (vv. 11-16)
7. DEFEND THE AUTHORITY OF THE SCRIPTURES (vv. 17-19)
A. Inerrency of the Scriptures
B. Verbal and Plenary Inspiration of the Scriptures
8. PROMOTE GODLY LIVING (vv. 20-21)
9. PRACTICE EVANGELISM (vv. 22-23)
10. LIVE TO GIVE GLORY TO GOD (vv. 24-25)
Unfortunately for most Christians, this is one of the least studied and preached part of the New Testament. As a result, the average man sitting in the pew has no real idea what he should be doing as a Christian, or even what real Christianity is.
In order to rally believers to defend their faith, Jude gives out several warnings.
- He first lists what had taken place with Israel and what their unbelief had brought them to (v. 5).
- In verse 6 he shows that not even sinning angels will escape the judgment of God.
- In verse 7 he shows what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah when those cities fell in to illicit and unnatural sexual activity.
- In verse 8 Jude warns of those who defy the Word of God.
- In v. 9 Jude shows the extreme power of Satan: that is, that not even the mighty archangel Michael could directly oppose Satan but needed to call on God Himself to help him. This should be a warning to all of us mortals that if even an arch-angel could not oppose Satan on his own, how can we possibly think that we can oppose Satan on our mortal own, and without the help of Almighty God.
- In v. 10 Jude describes these fallen angels and their mortal minions as “brute beasts” and “corrupt.” He describes these false preachers as following the same path as did Cain (who wanted to worship God without blood (a bloodless religion); he describes them as following in the footsteps of Balaam who was in the ministry for profit and NOT for the glory of God. Unfortunately this is the blight of many churches today: their pastors were called by mammon, the demon of money, wealth and fame, but not called by God. Jude also warns us of those of the ilk of Korah who withstood God’s man, Moses, and his authority.
- In v. 14 he tells us that even before the Great Flood that Enoch had told about such false teachers and also about the return in judgment of the Lord.
- In verses 20-21 Jude emphasizes the duty of all believers to live holy and for the glory of our Holy Savior.
- In verses 22-23 Jude emphasizes our duty to win the lost from the sinner’s hell to which they are already heading.
- In verses 24 Jude rejoices in the eternal security of all believers, and;
- in v. 25 shows us that all glory is to Christ our Savior, and that it is He who holds all dominion and power of the earth.