Jude 1:10-16 “But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion. These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.”
Continuing Pastor Kyle’s message, he states that these verses (above) are further examples of those who do not listen to and heed the conviction and correction. Do any of them sound familiar?
Jude 1:11-25 “But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.”
The Foundation of the Christian is humility based on Christ’s character and the walls of the structure that hold up our Christian faith is the Bible. The indwelling Holy Spirit uses the Bible to usher in connection and communion with God, while growing, maturing and strengthening us using conviction and correction when we get off-track. But, another way that the Lord uses the Bible is to bring us comfort and encouragement. Along with the Word of God, Jude inspires to devote ourselves to prayer to keep us in the love of God and to wait for Jesus’s triumphal return eagerly. These are very inspirational and reassuring words to hear.
Verse 22 tells us to “have mercy on those who doubt”. Mercy is defined as: that benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant. In this sense, there is perhaps no word in our language precisely synonymous with mercy. That which comes nearest to it is grace. It implies benevolence, tenderness, mildness, pity or compassion, and clemency, but exercised only towards offenders. Mercy is overlooking were a person is at or a wrong that they have done. At the Cross, the Lord Jesus had mercy on us by not looking at where we were at, but looked at us by where we would be at after we were saved by His grace. Similarly, we are to have mercy on those who doubt. We have to deal with sin when is arises but we do not want to be the “sin police” by profession.
There are non-negatable issues when it comes to the Gospel and the inerrancy of the Bible, but acceptable differing opinions on some Christian doctrines. We have church doctrinal beliefs based upon our association of like-minded churches and that is godly and good. Aren’t there times when we are the ones needing mercy for our doubt or as a sinner trying to find our way back to God and His graces? Mercy received and given brings us comfort and encouragement.
Jude 1:24-25 “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever.” Amen.
Praise is the roof covering on our Christian faith, that keeps our head up and our focus forward. I hope that you are beginning to see the complete picture. There always seems to be something in life that tries to knock our heads looking down and take our focus off of the Lord. Praise of God tells us to keep our head up and our eyes on the Lord. When we choose to praise God in faith, hope and love with honor and glory, we are in the safest place possible. Only God can bring supernatural comfort to those who are mourning, hurting and scared. Only God can trade a faint heart into pure gladness and joy. That solid structure of the Christian life is what we are trying to live for each and every day.
In Christ, Brian
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