The Epistle of Jude

Jude 1-2

AUTHOR: Jude, the brother of James and the half-brother of Jesus Christ Himself (cp. Mt.13:55; Mk.6:3).

WRITTEN: "To them that are sanctified ... preserved...and called" (Jude 1).

• Jude wrote to a specific people in a particular situation.
• This is seen in his calling them 'beloved' and speaking so directly to them as though he knows them in a most personal way (Jude 3-5, 17-18, 20).
• But their identity is nowhere given.

PURPOSE: 'To exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith" (Jude 3-4).

• Jude states explicitly that he set out to write about "our common salvation.'
• But all of a sudden, he changed his epistle to combat false teachers and their apostasy.
• He addresses this epistle to:

I. THOSE WHO ARE "CALLED"

A. THOSE IN CHRIST HAVE BEEN "CALLED"...

1. We have been called with "a holy calling".

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” (2 Tim 1:9)

2. This calling was not according to our works.

3. It was according to God's own purpose and grace before time began.

B. THIS "CALL" CAME THROUGH THE GOSPEL...

1. We became God's chosen and called through the means of the gospel.

“But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Th 2:13-14)

2. By having the gospel preached to "every creature", the call is made available to all.

a. This is consistent with God's desire that "all men be saved". 1 Ti :3-4

b. This is consistent with God's offer of His Son as "a ransom for all". 1 Ti 2:5-6

c. This is consistent with the Lord's unwillingness that "any should perish", but that "all should come to repentance". 2 Pe 3:9

C. OUR RESPONSIBILITY, HAVING ACCEPTED THE "CALL", IS TO MAKE OUR "CALLING AND ELECTION SURE"... “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Pet 1:10-11)

1. Obviously Peter is referring to the establishment of certainty within our- selves.

2. The question is not one of security but of assurance.

3. Christians who do not have the sense of assurance are just as secure as those who do, but they are not enjoying the spiritual position they have in God's family.

4. We are to exercise diligence to assure ourselves--to examine the evidence from God's Word and apply what God has said to our own lives (cf. Rom. 8:28-30).

5. The Christian who is growing in his spiritual life will have confidence about his standing with God.

6. Personal fellowship with the Lord in personal prayer, Bible study, service and day-by-day dependence--the exercise of diligence--are the steps to an abiding assurance of salvation and the lasting joy of peace with God.

II. "SANCTIFIED" BY GOD THE FATHER

A. The words “sanctify”, and “sanctification”

1. Mean to make holy, to set apart for a special purpose

2. Therefore, God has set apart those who have been called.

B. The process of sanctification:

1. Is said to be the work of the Holy Spirit

a. "sanctified by the Holy Spirit" Ro 15:16

b. "sanctified...by the Spirit of our God" 1 Co 6:11

c. "sanctification by the Spirit" 2 Th 2:13

2. Is also said to be the work of the Word of God.

a. "Sanctify them by Thy truth. Thy word is truth." Jn 17:17

b. "that He might sanctify...by the word" Ep 5:26

3. Since the Word of God is said to be the "sword of the Spirit", the Word is evidently the instrument used by the Spirit to help bring about our sanctification.

C. The progress of sanctification:

1. The Biblical view of sanctification is one of an on-going process.

2. It begins at conversion, and continues as we grow in the faith.

a. The church at Corinth was made up of members...

1) Who were "sanctified in Christ Jesus" - 1 Co 1:2

2) Who had been "sanctified" -1 Co 6:11

b. Yet, many of these members were "babes in Christ" and "carnal" -1 Co 3:1-3

3. As written to the Hebrews, those in Christ are "being sanctified". He 2:11

III. "PRESERVED" IN JESUS CHRIST

A. THE MEANING OF THE WORD "PRESERVED"...

1. It means "to guard (from loss or injury)"

2. It is used to describe that which is closely watched and guarded...

B. THIS WORD SPEAKS OF OUR WONDERFUL ASSURANCE IN CHRIST...

1. We are being carefully "guarded" in Christ!

2. Peter expressed it in a similar idea: “Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Pet 1:5)

3. Paul expressed his own confidence in God's preservation:

“And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (2 Tim 4:18)

4. Jesus reassured his disciples that no one could "snatch" them out of His hand:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” (John 10:27-29)

5. The believer is a person...

• who is watched over by God.
• who is guided and directed by God day by day.
• who is strengthened by God to walk through all the trials and temptations of life.
• who is protected from all the enemies of life, even death.
• who is to be escorted into heaven quicker than the blink of an eye when the time comes for him to leave this world.
• who is given life, both abundant and eternal.
• who is given assurance of God's presence and love through all of life.

Next week we will look at “Contending for the Faith” v3-4