Epistle of Jude Lesson Two

Epistle of Jude Lesson Two


Opening Prayer:

“Abba Father please open Your Word to our hearts and hearts to Your Service in Jesus Name, Amen.”

Introduction:

(vs3) 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.

(vs4) 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.

“the common salvation” – This is not “common” as in cheap or something that everybody has but simply equally shared. What does this mean? How does this apply?

Back in the 80’s a survey poll found that 70% of Americans who go to church say that you can be a good Christian without going to church. Is this a true belief based on Jude’s idea of a “common salvation” (Hbr. 10:25)?

“I found it necessary” – No doubt Jude was following the leading of the Holy Spirit. Is this a lesson to us (through Jude’s action) to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit in every decision that we make?

“contend” – How does this jive with our age of “tolerance” (Gal. 1:6-9)? We can contend without being contentious!

We can “contend” in many different ways:

- Positive: Give an unmarred Christian Witness, Tracts, Support training of Faithful Christian Workers, etc. What are some other examples?
- Negative: Withhold Support from those who compromise the Faith either in message or actions. What are some other examples?
- Practical: Living uncompromised lives and give the credit to Christ who has done the “good work” in us.

"The truth is like a lion. Whoever heard of defending a lion? Just turn it loose and it will defend itself." – Spurgeon.

“the faith once for all time delivered” – What is “the faith” referring to?

“The faith is the body of truth that very early in the church’s history took on a definite form (cf. Acts 2:42; Romans 6:17; Galatians 1:23).” (Blum)

How does this apply to the Book of Mormon, Science and Health, etc?
“There is no other gospel, there will be none. Its content will be more fully understood, its implications will be developed, its predictions will be fulfilled; but it will never be supplemented or succeeded or supplanted.” (Erdman)

“For there are certain men crept in unawares” – How did these men creep in “unawares” (Matt. 7:15, 2Cor. 11:13-15)?

“who were before of old ordained to this condemnation” – What is this “condemnation”?

How do you recognize false teachers (Matt. 7:16-20)?

“turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness” – Are we to use grace as a license to sin (Rom. 6:1-2)?

“and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” How is this done (actions, Theology)?

Closing Prayer:

“May the Testimony of Christ dwell richly in our lives and hearts as we enter Your Mission Field with Your Message of Forgiveness, Amen.”