Good morning and welcome in today. Today we’re going to take a look at some scripture from Jude, beginning at verse three.
3. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
4. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
5. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
First of all, the apostle says, He gave all diligence to write to them. When you are diligent it means that you show care and conscientiousness in one’s work or duties. It is a steady, earnest and energetic effort, devoted to accomplishing some sort of undertaking.
Jude was very diligent to write to the church. He called them beloved, which means he cared for them very much. He did not turn away from his purpose, but continued to educate them in the common salvation, it was needful for him to do so. The word needful means that something is necessary and required.
Imagine going on a camping trip somewhere, but you didn’t bring any food or water with you. These are things that are needed in order to survive out in the woods for two weeks. The Apostle Jude was giving out the things that were needful for the salvation of the church. He was teaching them and exhorting them to earnestly contend for the faith.
When you do something in an earnest matter, it means showing sincere and intense conviction.
Earnest means zealous in your intentions, purpose, or your effort. It is characterized by or proceeding from an intense and serious state of mind.
When you earnestly contend for the faith, you will struggle and actively resist those who are opposed to the truth of God’s word. You will strive to maintain the truth and the integrity of the teachings of God’s word even in the face of great difficulties. You will stand up for the truth even when surrounded by heresies and false beliefs that are held by certain people.
I want you to remember that the faith was given to us approximately 2000 years ago. It’s referred to as the common salvation. Jude refers to it as the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
The word once means on one occasion, or for one time only. You might claim that you climbed a mountain once. You might say that you rode a horse once. Once means that it was only handed down one time. What has happened in the last 2000 years is a slow degradation of the teachings of the Christian faith. The beloved brother Jude warns people in the church to earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
When you look around at Christianity today, you will see them ordaining women and preachers in the church, you find them ordaining openly sinful people. This is completely contrary to the things that Jude taught.
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation….
Can you tell me an animal that creeps on the ground? It’s a snake. To creep means moving slowly and carefully in order not to be heard or noticed. All over the world, these people are creeping in. There are snakes in the church.
They completely deny the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. They turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. God has provided marriage for a way for people to avoid fornication or sexuality.
Lasciviousness has to do with things that are outside marriage such as fornication, or adultery. God really despises fornication, which is sexuality with somebody who is not your spouse within the bedroom. God teaches that the bed is undefiled, so whatever you do in the bedroom is between you and your spouse.
Lasciviousness is having sexual relationships with other people, but you’re not married to them. It’s homosexuality and lesbian relationships. Many of these people profess to be Christian today, and are living in these sins.
When you deny something, it means the state that one refuses to admit the truth. It means to contradict and to contravene. It also means to refuse to accept as true or valid. It means to declare to be untrue, or to reject as false, and refuse to accept and believe.
I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
God does good works towards us and he is very forgiving and patient, kind, and merciful. But Jude is teaching here, that even though Jesus saved the people out of Egypt, he destroyed them that didn’t believe. Think about a dad who cares about you, and loves you very, very much. But then, when you completely rebel and disobey him, he eventually will have to punish. That is what the Lord does. The Lord Jesus does good works to us, but those who don’t believe and willfully reject him and his love, are going to be destroyed.
Ultimately, the word believe in the dictionary means to accept something as true, or to be sure of the truth of something. One dictionary says to accept something as true, genuine or real, or to have a firm or a wholehearted religious conviction, or persuasion. Sadly, there will be people today who do not believe the truth of what Christ taught, and they’re not going to be able to inherit eternal life without repentance. Even though he took them out of Egypt, and led them through the Red Sea, even though he delivered them from the hands of Pharaoh, he destroyed them that wouldn’t believe. Christianity is more than just claiming that you believe, it’s about having sincere belief in your heart.
The Lord Jesus, when he was on the earth did so many miracles, and healed so many people; the blind, the sick. Even though he did so many amazing things there were still people who would not believe in him. True faith is more than saying, I believe, it’s about trusting in what Jesus did for us. It’s about believing in the miracle that he did.
Not everybody who says, Lord, Lord is going to be in heaven. It has to do about doing the will of God.
Think about that for today. And Lord long, we’ll talk to you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye Bye, everybody.♥️
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