3Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. 4For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

5Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 7In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

 Jude 1-7 Men Whose Condemnation was Written about Long Ago                                                                   

 Vs. 1-2 intro

·         1: Who was this letter written by?  How does he describe himself?  [Jude was a servant of Jesus and a brother of James.   This James is probably James, the brother of Jesus.  This makes Jude also the brother of Jesus.  (Well, half-brother on the mother’s side.)]

·         2: Jude is writing this letter to believers.  What are the three descriptions of believers he gives here?  [They are (1) called, (2) loved by God, and (3) kept by Jesus Christ.]

Vs. 3-4 about the topic: false teachers

·         3: What was Jude going to write about?  Why did he change his plans?  (What does this tell you?)

·         3: It is hard to think of anything more important than salvation!  Yet Jude decided to write about false teachers instead.  Personally, I am bummed that he didn’t get to write about salvation, but this is the message that God intended to be preserved in the Bible instead.  This tells me two things…

o        First, although it is always more pleasant to deal with the “positive” aspects of Christianity, there still are times when we need to deal with the difficult, challenging, and ugly sides.  Although it would have been greater to focus on salvation, the Bible needed to give string warnings against false teachers… or else the true teachings that lead to salvation is lost!  We need to “contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” …or else the truth will become overgrown with error. 

o        Second, it shows me that false teachers end up taking our time and focus away from the beauty of the gospel.  Although it is necessary to deal with these issues, it is still unfortunate.

·         3: What does it mean that the “faith” was once and for all entrusted to the saints?  [Here, Jude is using the word “faith” to mean the set of truths that Christians should believe.  These truths have been given to the church and are recorded in the Bible.  “Once for all” indicates that we should not be looking for new revelation in this age.  It also means that the foundational truths of Christianity cannot be changed!  (like it or not) ]

·         4: How are false teachers described in this verse? 

·         4: What does it mean to “change the grace of God into a license for immorality?”  Have you ever seen that happen?  [Christianity teaches that we are saved by grace alone, not by good works.  Although we aren’t saved by “being good”, it is WRONG to take God’s grace and use it as an excuse to sin!  It is wrong to think “God is a forgiving and loving God, so it doesn’t matter if I sin!  He will just forgive me!] 

·         4: WHY is this bad?

·         4: How does it deny Jesus, our only sovereign and Lord, when we live like this?  [The words “sovereign” and “Lord” both carry the meaning of “master.”  When we blow off God’s commands because we abuse His grace, we are NOT living like Jesus is our master!  We are living like our own master and making ourselves our own gods…. dishonoring Jesus in the process!] 

·         4: According to verse 4, where were these false teachers?  (Were they “out there” somewhere? Or were they closer?)  [Jude tells his readers that these false teachers were already “among you”]

·         “Heresy is cruel: It does inestimable damage to human beings.  It is not a mark of love; it is a reflection of blindness and rebellion.”  -D.A. Carson, Gagging of God, 358

Vs. 5-7 examples of punishment

·         5-7:  What is the main point that Jude is trying to make in verse 5-7?  [As verse 7 says, these are three examples of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.  Jude is reminding his readers about the seriousness of God’s judgment!]

·         5: The Exodus from Egypt: The Lord delivered the Jews from slavery in Egypt.  However, those who did not believe were not delivered spiritually (saved) but ended up being destroyed.

·         6: The Angels:  The cryptic reference in verse 6 is to the angels who “did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode” (NASB).  Although some think this refers to the angels that fell along with Satan, other Bible scholars think this is a reference to the “sons of God” (i.e. angels/demons) in Genesis 6:4 who somehow had sexual relations with human women, producing unholy offspring.  This was a common interpretation of the early church.  These same demons are written about in 2 Peter 2:4 where it says they were sent to “Tartarus.”  (The NIV translates it simply as “hell,” but it isn’t necessarily the same as the “Lake of Fire” from Rev. 20.)  Tartarus seems to be a permanent holding cell for demons, as opposed to “the Abyss” which is temporary prison.  The angels in Jude 6 might refer to certain demons who committed a unique sin, not just the initial rebellion with Satan.  The reason is that if these demons were the ones who rebelled with Satan, it seems that Satan would be punished with them.  However, Job 1:7 tells us that Satan roams the earth, and 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that, “the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  So, if Satan is free, then these demons must have done something else.  It seems that the events from Genesis 6:4 might fit the bill.

·         7: Sodom and Gomorrah: The destruction of these cities is told in Genesis 19.  Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed for their intense wickedness, including their rampant homosexuality.

·         7: “The punishment of eternal fire,” This is one of the verses that support the fact that hell is forever. 

8In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. 9But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" 10Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals—these are the very things that destroy them.

11Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion.

12These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. 13They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.

14Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him." 16These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

Jude 8-16 About these Ungodly People                                                                                          

Vs. 8-10 they reject authority

·         In today’s Bible study, Jude talks more about what these “certain men” were like.  There are two main ways we want to learn from this section: (1) What are these destructive people like, so that we can protect ourselves and out church from them, and (2) If these people have characteristics that displease 

·         8-9: According to this section, what are some of the bad things about these people?  (Why is it bad?)

o        Jude calls them dreamers.  Although this might refer to false prophecies, it probably means that these people live in a “dream world.”

o        They pollute their own bodies, probably a reference to immorality.  (What are ways that people “pollute their own bodies” today?)

o        They reject authority and slander celestial beings.  Their arrogance is so high that they are not even afraid to talk bad about angelic beings.  Contrary to this, even Michael the Archangel, the most powerful of the elect angels, did not even dare to take on Satan in his own power but instead relied on God.  If Michael the archangel needs to be careful when dealing with these powerful beings, how much more should we be afraid to encounter them, especially in our own power!)

·         10: These people speak arrogantly about things that don’t really know anything about!  They “react” according to their fleshly instincts, doing things that bring destruction upon themselves.

Vs. 11 they repeat the age-old sins

·         In this verse Jude alludes to three Old Testament characters that displayed the same kinds of sins that these people had.  (They should have learned from these Old Testament examples… that’s part of why they are there!)

·         How many of these stories do you know without looking up?  If you don’t know them, how can they help you avoid the same mistakes?

o        The way of Cain:  Genesis 4 tells about the first brothers and the first murder.  Read 1 John 3:12-13.    What was the “way of Cain?”  How do people today fall into that same sin?  (How can we avoid it?)

o        Balaam’s error:  Balaam was a prophet who allowed himself to be used for evil because of his love for money.  (Numbers 31:16-19)  How does Satan use the love of money to draw people away from God today?

o        Korah’s rebellion:  The story of Korah’s rebellion against Moses is found in Numbers 16:1-35.  God had declared that the priests should be male Jews from the tribe of Levi and the family of Aaron.  Korah and his followers Levites, so they protested, saying that they should have the right to be priests as well, even though they were not from the family of Aaron.  God responded by swallowing them all in an earthquake.  What does this teach us?  What was Korah’s sin and how do people make the same mistake as Korah today? 

Vs. 12-13 they are like…

·         These verses list 6 different metaphors that describe these false teachers.  Think about each of these and try to figure out what they could mean.  (I will give you some hints here, but let the teens try to figure it out.)

o        Blemishes at your love feasts [NASB “hidden reefs”]:  This either refers to them being impure blemishes, like a blemish on a lamb that was supposed to be spotless, or (if the NASB translation is correct) they are like rocks hidden under the surface of the water that tear apart ships.  (Love feasts were the communion celebrations of the early church.  Why do you think that Jude mentions the love feasts?)

o        Shepherds who feed only themselves:  What’s wrong with a shepherd who only takes care of himself?  Why is this bad?  What would happen to the sheep under the care of a shepherd like that?

o        Clouds without water, blown along by the wind:  What are clouds SUPPOSED to give?  (Remember, in Jude’s culture rain is GOOD.  It makes crops grow.)  These clouds promise rain, but give nothing.

o        Autumn trees without fruit:  What is wrong with an apple tree in fall that doesn’t produce apples?  What would be wrong with an upper classmen, who has been in youth group for years, but isn’t being leader?

o        Wild waves of the sea:  Wild waves make a lot of noise and churn up a lot of filth.

o        Wandering stars:  Remember that people used to use the stars to navigate.  Wandering stars would be no use in finding direction.

·         13: Blackest darkness: Literally “blackest blackness.”  From this verse we know that hell will be completely dark. 

Vs. 14-16 they will be judged by Christ

·         14-15: What are some things that will happen to these ungodly men at the real RETURN OF THE KING?

·         (14-15: When you read J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Return of the King” with verses like these in mind, it makes it incredibly powerful!  If it is powerful and stirring to imagine the events in these books, HOW MUCH MORE to imagine what the real Return of the King will be like!)

·         16: What are the five things from this verse about the false teachers?  What do they mean?  How do we need to apply this to our lives?  [The five things were: (1) grumblers, (2) fault-finders, (3) follow their own evil desires, (4) boast about themselves, (5) flatter others.]

·         One interesting thing about the book of Jude is that two of the quotes that he makes are not from books of the Old Testament.  The quote from Enoch is from a non-canonical (not-official Scripture) book of Enoch.  The information about Michael and Satan arguing over the body of Moses is from a book called “The Assumption of Moses.”  The Jews never considered them Scripture, and Jesus never quoted from them as Scripture.   Although these books were not Scripture, we know that at least these PARTS of those books were true, because Jude quotes uses them in his letter.  Before Jude wrote, these facts were merely a part of Jewish oral history, but because Jude quotes them, these facts have become a part of Scripture.  (Although Jude isn’t necessarily approving of the whole books!)

17But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." 19These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

20But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

22Be merciful to those who doubt; 23snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

24To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Jude 17-25 Jude’s words for believers                                                                                   

Vs. 17-23 but you…

·         17-19: Jude again lists some things about these unbelievers who had mixed themselves in with the Christians.  He wants us to remember that this is something that the Apostles (not to mention Jesus) foretold would happen.  These people are (1) scoffers  [to scoff is to laugh at or to mock], (2) they follow their own ungodly desires, (3) they are divisive, (4) they follow mere natural instincts instead of the Spirit’s leading, (5) they don’t have the Spirit. 

·         20-21: “But you dear friends”  Jude swings his focus from the unbelievers to the believers.  What instructions does he have for them in this paragraph?  What do they mean for your life?

o        20: Build yourselves up in the most holy faith  (How do we do that?  How do YOU do that?)

o        21: Keep yourselves in God’s love…  (See John 15:10)  What does this mean, and what doesn’t it mean?

o        21: As you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life 

§         Although in one sense we have eternal life already, the best is yet to come.  Our salvation is secure, but it is not finalized in this life.

§         Mercy is like grace in that it is something we don’t deserve.

·         22-23: What instructions does Jude have for believers in this paragraph? 

o        22: Be merciful to those who doubt  

§         These are probably Christians who are having doubts because of the false teachings of the false teachers.  Jude is saying that we should treat these people with mercy, gentle help, instead of getting mad or frustrated at them.

§         Is doubt sinful?  [Unbelief is always sinful, but doubts can sometimes be healthy.  Here’s the difference: is your “doubt” (1) faith seeking understanding, or (2) a refusal to believe?  Faith seeking understanding is healthy and part of the maturing process, but unbelief, or refusal to believe, is sinful according to the Bible.  (For example, see Hebrews 3:12)]

o        22: Snatch others from the fire and save them: What does this mean?  (If someone next to you was loosing their balance while standing on the edge of a volcano, the loving thing to do would be to…?)   Should evangelism be important to us?  Why?

o        23: To others, show mercy mixed with fear, hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.  This is probably a reference to those deep in the immorality of the false teachers.  What do you think Jude meant when he said to “hate their clothes?”  That sounds strange doesn’t it?  (Hint: When is a time when is a time when it is necessary to burn someone’s clothes?)  [Jude wasn’t saying that we are supposed to be fashion critics!  I think he was pointing out the fact that some people are INFECTIOUS in their sin!  Jude was probably thinking about how the clothes of people with contagious diseases need to be burned because they are infectious.  In the same way, Jude wants us to have the same attitude towards the danger of infectious sin.]  What does this mean in our lives? 

§         (If time, look at Zechariah 3:1-8.  Filthy garments can be exchanged!  This story is a symbolic foreshadowing of salvation through Christ.)

Vs. 24-25 doxology

·         24-25: A section like this is called a doxology.  Do you know what doxology means?  [Doxa = glory; logos = word.  Therefore doxology means “words about glory.”]

·         24: What do you think Jude means when he writes “to Him who is able to keep you from falling”?  [Although we would fail if left to our own power, God is able to give us the strength to live for Him and to persevere in our Christian lives!]

·         24: God is also able to “present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy.”  What does this mean?  Why is this something to praise God for? 

·         25: What are the four things that Jude “gives” to God our Savior?  [Glory, Majesty, Power, Authority]  What do they mean?  What will it mean to give these things to God in your life?