Title: “A Final Warning from Jude” Scripture: Jude 1:17-25
Type: Expository Where: GNBC 8-28-2022
Intro: Abraham Piper is the apostate son of retired pastor and author John Piper. The younger Piper has made $$millions in mocking Christianity on TikTok and other social media platforms. This past week I was listening to a Doug Wilson critique of a recent AP rant in which he states: “Maybe, instead of thinking there are serious questions in life, we ought to first tell ourselves: “Nothing is serious.” I suppose that is how Piper can soothe his conscience. However, does it really work? You students, will you tell yourself that before your midterm or final? If so, will it affect how you study? Your grade? Will any of us employ Mr. Piper’s existential ponderings when it comes to our boss’ requirements for us? How about when we go for our annual physical and the doctor says well you have cancer but there is a good course of action with very successful possible outcome. “Ha, ha, doc, it’s not serious.” So why would Piper assume that about the question of greatest importance, our eternity? Because he is an apostate! Mr. Piper would do well to listen to the final words of Jude this morning.
Prop: Examining Jude 1:17-25 we’ll see 2 final exhortations from the Apostle.
BG: 1. Letter written sometime b/t 65-80 AD, after II Peter, certainly after Peter’s death (64ad)
2. Jude, the brother of the Lord, may be in view. The strongest reason on behalf of this view is that Jude identifies himself as “the brother of James.” A well-known James is presupposed. The only one to fit the bill is James, the brother of the Lord.
3. Jude’s purpose in writing was to encourage Christians to contend for the faith, delivered once and for all.
Prop: Let’s examine these last verses of Jude in order to see the Apostle’s final exhortations.
I. 1st Exhortation: Believers are Warned of Present and Coming Apostasy. Vv.17-18
A. Jude Expects a Different Outcome for his audience.
1. Jude begins his exhortation noting the difference of a true Christian and apostates.
a. “But you…” – Jude is setting this whole section in opposition to the previous verses (Last week.) denoting the emptiness and meaninglessness of the false teachers and their vapid audience. Look back at vv. 15-16 at the utter debauchery of these people who called themselves Christian! “But you…” Highlights the difference and the distinction. There are differences and distinctions between Christians, churches, fellowships, etc. There were those who think they are “in the club” yet refuse sound teaching, the Apostle’s doctrine, and holy living, who are in rebellion to authority and even revel in it. Jude says they are condemned. Jude still says this today!
b. Jude identifies God’s view of the true believer: “beloved”, loved of God! Praise the Lord! Are you trusting Christ? Do you love His Word and Church? Are you trying to honor Him with your life? God calls you “Beloved”! Have you told yourself that this week, dear one? God loves you!
2. Jude Exhorts Believers to Remember! (ought)
a. “remember” is one of the key words and concepts in the Bible. Many will remember today as the day of their baptism. The Jews were to remember all sorts of things: circumcision, deliverance from Egypt, Commandments, various holidays and celebrations, sacrifices, their relationship to God. Illust: We remember key events in history- 10/31/1517; 7/12/1690; 12/7/1941; 9/11/2001; Easter Sunday 33 AD. We are to remember the day gave life to Christ.
b. Christians are to also remember: The Lord’s death and resurrection, Specifically, we are to remember the words spoken of by the Apostles. We are to remember Apostolic authority. (We are to reject ANYONE today who claims this authority since the Canon is closed.) Read II Pet. 3:2 (Almost verbatim. Seems as though Jude is quoting Peter.) What did the early Church remember? Acts 2:42 – “They devoted themselves to the Apostle’s Doctrine, and the fellowship , to the breaking of bread and to prayers.” Sound doctrine/worship, fellowship, communion, prayer.
B. Heed Jude’s Warning against Apostasy. V.18
1. Jude speaks of a season of Apostasy.
a. What is this season of apostasy? “last time” – time – chronos- a space of time, a fixed time, a season. Friend, there will always be seasons of apostasy in the history of the Church. There will also be a final season of apostasy. There is a last day coming, There will be a trumpet blast. The eastern sky will open, The dead in Christ will arise. The Lord will return. However, if we are alive to see this or die before His return, there will be a “last time” for each of us. That’s why we need to plead with the lost and the backslidden and content with the apostates.
b. Read II Peter 3:4 – Friend, life can lull us into a spiritual slumber. Do not be lulled into complacency. Illust – After Thanksgiving or Christmas meal – sit down in that rocking chair..begin to rock (lulled) and doze off to sleep! But Pastor, everything is fine! They said the same in the Days of Noah. Same in the Days of Sodom and Gomorrah, Israel’ & Judah’s destruction. Individuals today mock the 2nd Coming, Mock the Coming Judgment. Illust- Professing Christians mock the WOG on Social media. Shameless behavior. Truth is, I don’t know when the last days will be, but I know that each of us will have a last day. Turn to Christ!
2. Who were these Men of Apostasy – “mockers”
a. What is a “mocker” – a person who treats something or someone with contempt. A mocker is a baiter, harasser, heckler, persecutor, ridiculer, smart-aleck, detractor, tease, a jeering, scorning, scoffer. Ps. 14:1 “The fool says in his heart there is no God.” Ps. 1:1 “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers.”
b. Illust – I told you earlier about Doug Wilson critique of A. Piper video. Very curiously, if you watch as Piper is about to start his rant, you notice that his left hand is shaking uncontrollably. “Why, if nothing is serious, and there are no serious questions, and you are about to mock and deride God, are you “shaking like an Aspen Pine in a strong wind?” (D. Wilson quote).
3. What is the Motivation of these mockers?
a. “following after their own ungodly lusts” – Their appetites direct their lives. Sensual men separate from Christ, and his church, and join themselves to the devil, the world, and the flesh, by ungodly and sinful practices. Lusts ultimately don’t satisfy, yet you need more and more in order to feel satisfied. Destroys your life. (Right now someone here who is struggling with porn. You are allowing your appetites to be your motivation.)
b. Let holiness be your motivation. Seek to love God.
C. Applic: As in the days of Jude we see in our era both present and coming apostasy.
II. The Task of Believers In Days of Apostasy. Vv.20-25
Jude gives the Christian 7 tasks to keep in order to not only survive but actually thrive in days of apostasy.
A. 1st Task: Build Yourself up in the Faith. V. 20
1. Read v. 20 – You (beloved) – “building up” – “epoikodomountes” 1x in NT, (Verb/Present Part. Active) This refers to action that is presently taking placeor something that takes place repeatedly. II Tim. 2:15 – tells us that we are to study to show ourselves approved. Don’t just cram for test and forget it! (Why you should take Hermeneutics Class!)
2. Illust – I have no been out of HS a very long time! Blessed to attend several reunions. Always a shock to see who has changed and how much! Many for the worse. Age and gravity does that! However, I have a friend, Brian, who literally looks just like how he did in HS. Brian was a swimmer in HS. But unlike a lot of HS athletes, he has kept regularly working out, week in, week out, year in and year out, decade in and decade out for over 35 years. Building self up physically. Benefits. Spiritually we can and should too. Our spiritual lives should not be like a New Year’s resolution. Read a bit and quit. No, it must be a discipline! Bible study, worship, prayer, tithing, evangelism.
B. 2nd Task: Praying in the Spirit.
1. What does this mean? Well, read Rom. 8:26-27. Puritan Pastor William Gurnall’s observation on this passage: “prayer is the creature’s act, but the Spirit’s gift.” True prayer is not learned, like other things in this world, by honing certain techniques; it is ever a “gift of grace.” The Spirit “excites and assists” the believer as he prays. Gurnall finds a second basic aspect of prayer in the Spirit in Ephesians 2:18: to pray aright “it is necessary we pray by the Spirit of God.” Just as we cannot come to the Father through any mediator but the Lord Jesus, so to “pray by another Spirit than by
the Holy Spirit” is sheer folly. (Haykin, Ligionier, 6-2-2012)
2. What are we to pray in the Holy Spirit? Eph. 6:18 tells us: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Prayer is to be made in the Spirit (v. 18), which is not a reference to speaking in tongues. Instead, it refers to petitioning God for specific things (“all prayer and supplication”) through the Spirit, who is the One who prompts us to pray and then takes what we offer and makes it acceptable to the Father (Rom. 8:26). The Lord wants us to make specific requests, understanding that they will be granted in accordance with His perfect will (James 4:2; 1 John 5:14).
C. 3rd Task: “Keep yourself in the love of God” v. 21
1. Some might be thinking, “Now wait a minute pastor. What about Doctrines of Grace and Perseverance of the Saints?” “keep” – again, only time used in NT. Means to be on guard. To keep an eye out, to guard against loss our injury. This is a command. Illust – Many of you worked as babysitters. Nervous parent leaving child for first time: “Please keep an eye on Junior.” Why? Don’t want Junior to injure himself. Jude is saying here: “Keep an eye on yourself.” Be careful of that little flirt. Be careful of that office freebie. Be careful. Begins to do damage.
2. Make no mistake about it, the Lord unconditionally loves His children. Christian, you are loved with an eternal, lasting love. However, the believer is completely capable of taking him/herself out of fellowship with the Lord through sin and expose self to the Lord’s discipline. Illust: Not a one of us can stop the sun from shining, however, we can put up an umbrella to keep it from shining on us.
D. 4th Task: “Waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life”
1. So, this is a participle, (modifying the verb – “keep”). So, how are we to “keep ourselves in the love of God”? By waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. (aionion zoen)
2. Illust: Every child can relate to this. Every child can explain this. Growing up, my brother and I had those little Advent calendars that you opened the door of on the corresponding date in December. Anticipation. Finally, on Dec. 25th, opened! Door was 2x bigger than any other. When we opened the door on the calendar we knew a greater, present reality existed: “IT WAS CHRISTMAS MORNING!” Time to open presents and celebrate. So part of how we keep ourselves in the love of God is to continually stoke the anticipation of our Lord’s return or our going to be with Him. (Why should take the Heaven class!)
E. 5th Task: “And have mercy on some who are doubting”
1. This means to have compassion on some who are doubting. Not all doubting is rooted in sinful or reprobate behavior. Some people are honest doubters and need help and counsel in these days. (This is why should some out for Apologetics class!)
2. Now Jude is making a distinction here in this and the following verse. Pastorally, we must be sensitive and discerning. Jude is talking about apostates in this entire letter. The context is again, a person who is struggling with apostasy. There may be an underlying reason for this. Possibly this person was unintentionally or even, sadly, intentionally, by church leaders. Maybe this individual has fallen under the spell of some apostate teacher with a flashy personality. Maybe the individual has had a personal loss and is struggling through a season of doubt. Maybe they were molested. THIS IS NOT the time to clobber them with the WOG or criticize and belittle them. Need to be dealt with gently, carefully, cautiously. Remember we are seeking restoration with this type of individual, not condemnation.
F. 6th Task: v.23 – “Save others, snatching them out of the fire…” (The fireman’s verse!)
1. Illust: Zech. 3:2 was the evangelist/theologian John Wesley’s life verse. “a brand plucked from the burning” – In 1708, 5 yrs old John Wesley was living in the Epworth Church parsonage where his father was the priest. As was common in that time, for some reason the house caught fire. All safely escaped, save one. John Wesley. Young Wesley’s life hanged in the balance as the fire ravaged the parsonage. Wesley was stuck in his upstairs bedroom. A rescuer stood below his window and pleaded with the frightened child to jump. The flames were no licking at the door of his room and the roof was on fire. Finally, due to the man’s pleadings and assurance, John Wesley leaped from the window and into the arms of safety just as the roof collapsed! Wesley always knew that he had been spared by God for some great purpose. Listen, apostates stand on the brink of damnation.
2. Friend, spiritually, in dealing with some apostates we are to use mercy. However, here, with others, we are to use bold action with resolute warnings. Illust: Past week I had to do just that. A Christian I know has walked headlong into a heinous sin. Proud of it. Boastful. Letting the whole world know. So, I contacted that person and rebuked that person severely and told that person they were in mortal danger of their soul. Why that response? The action deserves it. Right now you may know someone who is in mortal danger. DON’T be a spiritual wimp! If you really love that person address the issue.
G. 7th Task: “Have Mercy with Fear, Hating even the Garment Stained by the Flesh”
1. A final task is given. Again, it is a matter for discernment. “Hating the garment” – we do not hate the person. We hate the sin. We hate the error. We hate the apostasy. We are living in an age in which undiscerning individuals cannot make that distinction. All too often now Christians who are serious about sin and righteousness are labelled “haters” by theologically inept and discernment lacking individuals. “Hate the garment” is proverbial. It is a warning to have nothing to do with, to not attempt to employ the methods or activities of the apostate individual in an attempt to restore. (
2. There is a difference between doubt and disbelief. Those in the category of doubt need to be treated with distinction. Doctrinal defilement spreads quickly, so it is important to “hate” theological error. Passion flows out of compassion. The Greek word for “compassion” occurs 31 times in the NT but is only translated as “compassion” three times. It is translated as “pity” or “mercy.” We need a capacity for mercy. Mercy is not natural to us. We are cruel and live according to the law of the jungle. We do not want to be bothered with false teaching. Our attitude is, “let them go to hell.” We are the best Christians some people know, but they will never hear it from us because we have no compassion. And not calling sin, sin, is NOT compassion, it is cowardice!
H. Appliction: The benediction: vv. 24-25. This is one of the great benedictions of Scripture. A literal translation would be: Now unto Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you (make you stand) before the presence of His glory blameless with great rejoicing, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, might, and authority before all time, both now and forever. Amen.
