September 3, 2023 • Jerome Gay Jr. • Jude 1–2
We concluded our series in the https://visionrdu.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=38b225582ed69766208fdf9a6&id=74c2f94c37&e=892855c997 and I've been amazed by what God has done. I almost cried seeing so many people come to the altar for prayer and to trust Christ. God is truly at work. We called the last installment of this series https://visionrdu.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=38b225582ed69766208fdf9a6&id=90f45e4e2d&e=892855c997! Our Thought Tattoo this week is simple:We contend, Christ converts! People to Pursue 1. Doubters (Jude 1:22) – those who waver. 2. Doomed (Jude 1:23) – those in hell fire. 3. Defiled (Jude 1:23) – those who are defiled.
Jude has a spiritual as well as a relational concern, and this concern leads him to give us a detailed description of https://visionrdu.us20.list-manage.com/track/click?u=38b225582ed69766208fdf9a6&id=4270de6391&e=892855c997. Jude wants to give his readers a reminder about the judgment that false teachers will face. This is an important reminder because sometimes it looks like false teachers and abusive leaders will get away with abusing people and taking advantage of them. Jude makes it clear that they won’t escape the judgment of God. To highlight the judgement that false teachers will face, Jude quotes Enoch 1:9 from The Book of Enoch. The Tactics of False Teachers and Enemies - Partnership (Ezra 4:22) – offer a relationship. - Punishment (Ezra 4:4) – rejection. - Payment (Ezra 4:5) – buy your loyalty. - Plot (Ezra 4:11-16) – scheme against you.
We learned three things from this section of Scripture: False teachers reject biblical exposition (Jude 1:8). False teachers rely on themselves (Jude 1:9-10). False teachers rebel against God’s authority (Jude 1:11-13). We must be aware of the teaching and character of false teachers because they lead people astray. In today's climate people can have millions of subscribers, the title pastor, prophet, or apostle and lead millions of people astray. As we continue our journey through this book, let's pray for false teachers to repent and people following them to find healthy communities of faith that preach the gospel.
