Jude 3,4 - Compelled to write

1:3

It seems as if Jude had become aware of the attempt by false teachers to subvert the church. He had intended to write about “the salvation we share”, ie rejoicing in, and exploring, the marvels of the salvation that God has given to us in Jesus Christ. However, something more urgent had come up, they were under attack and he needed to exhort them to fight back, “to contend for the faith”. There is nothing unusual about our faith being under attack. What we must not do is lie back and be be passive. We need to contend for the faith. “That the Lord has once for all entrusted to us”. Our faith is not a man made thing, not something we have worked out. It comes from the Lord and was given to us by Him. So if anyone contemplates changing it they should consult the Lord first! And if anyone contemplates giving in to false teachers then, or not treating them seriously, they too should consult the Lord first and see what He has to say! For this faith has been entrusted to us once for all, the gospel is the gospel and God is not about to change His mind about how things are. We need to contend for the faith, this implies that there will be a battle, so we should not be surprised.

1:4

This verse sets out very clearly the nature of the false teaching and of the false teachers. There are “certain individuals” who are the primary instruments of this. In history there are grand schemes and movements, and their are key individuals. Both matter, and it works for both good and bad. On the good side God often works through key individuals when He is implementing His plan. Abraham, Moses and Paul are obvious examples from the Bible. In history, Luther and Calvin are similar examples. On the bad side, Hitler, Stalin and Mao feature. In the context of subverting the church there will be individuals who seek to bring in false teachings. They will work subvertly. Ie they will not openly claim to be aiming to destroy the church, indeed may not even realise what they are doing. They will often claim to be upholding the spirit of Jesus, but whatever they say they are “ungodly people”. In the case of Jude’s time they were using the grace of the gospel as an excuse, a license, for immorality. How we live matters, and there are good ways of living and bad ways of living. If any teaching starts to claim that we can do what we like then we can be absolutely certain that the teaching is not of God. They also denied Jesus as our only Sovereign and Lord. Just listen to the rubbish that those in the church who seek to be “affirming” of the LGBTI agenda proclaim. They all deny the clear teaching of the Bible, old and new.