© 1999 "Yes Lord" Ministries
Jude
Lesson 2
Hi! Welcome back to this study of the Book of Jude.
(By the way, If you have not already done lesson 1, please stop now and do it. It will not take long. But, if you haven't done it before starting this lesson, you will really miss almost all of the significance of this lesson. So, stop now, do lesson 1, and then, when you have finished, return here and continue with lesson 2.)
Ok, I assume that all of us have now completed lesson 1 and are ready to continue.
In lesson 1, as you will recall, we discovered that Jude was writing to Christians (believers / followers of Jesus Christ) to warn them to contend for the faith that was ... entrusted to them. Why? -- because certain men (godless men) ... had secretly slipped in among them and were bringing error / apostasy into the Church. How? -- By teaching and living in ways that were inconsistent with and in opposition to the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In this lesson, we will look at these godless men and their apostate teachings in more detail. We will see what some of these false teachings were and what happens to people who live and teach error.
So, are you ready for your first assignment? I thought so! So, here it is:
Read the book of Jude (you will find the complete text printed out in Lesson 1 or you can use your own Bible or translation of your choice), and, as you read, underline in black, the false (apostate) teachings that these godless men were teaching and or doing. For example, the first place where a false teaching is listed is in verse 4. In fact, there are 2 false teachings in that verse. So, in verse 4, I underlined the phrases: "changed the grace of our God into a license for immorality" and "deny that Jesus Christ (is) our only Sovereign and Lord."
Ok, you know what to do. So, read the book of Jude and underline the false teachings that were being taught by the godless men.
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Great, I see that you have finished. Now, based on what you read and underlined, list the false teachings, how these godless people were living, and the things that these godless men were doing. Also, indicate the verse where you found the false teaching or the ungodly action(s). I will begin the list with the two examples that I gave you. (If you don't have enough room, you can use a separate sheet of paper.)
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False Teachings and / or actions being done in the Church
by "certain godless men /dreamers/ etc."
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(v. 4) changed the grace of our God into a license for immorality
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(v. 4) deny that Jesus Christ (is) our only Sovereign and Lord
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Well, I see that you have finished! And that was quite a list, wasn't it ! You may or may not have listed all that that these godless people did, but, if you'd like to compare, this is what I put on my list as to what these ungodly / godless men were doing and or teaching in the Church:
v. 4) changed the grace of our God into a license for immorality
v. 4) deny that Jesus Christ (is) our only Sovereign and Lord
v. 5) did not believe (God)
v. 7) sexual immorality and perversion
v. 8) pollute their own bodies
v. 8) reject authority
v. 8) slander celestial beings
v. 10) speak abusively against whatever they do not understand ...
v. 11) they have taken the way of Cain
v. 11) they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error
v. 11) in rebellion like Korah
v. 12) are shepherds who feed only themselves (do not look out for or care for the flock)
v. 15) do ungodly acts
v. 15) speak harsh words against God
v. 16) are grumblers and faultfinders
v. 16) follow their own evil desires
v. 16) boast about themselves
v. 16) flatter others for their own advantage
v. 18) are scoffers
v. 18 follow their own ungodly desires
v. 19) divide (the believers)
v. 19) follow natural instincts
v. 19) do not have the Spirit
v. 22) doubt (God)
v. 23) are corrupted
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Hmmmm, these were pretty horrible things to be going on in a Church, right? Right! But, that was in Jude's time, you say. Yes. True. But, how about today? How about your Church? How about your life? Are any of these actions present in your church? In your life? And, if so, what does God think about these things?
Well, in the Book of Jude, we are told what God thinks about these things. Indeed, there are several illustrations that tell what happens to people who live in godless ways and who teach or influence others to do the same.
So, let's look at some of these illustrations. And, as we look at these examples, let's summarize what we learn. In the first column of the following chart, I will list the verse and the godless / ungodly individual(s) and what they did. In the second column, you write what happened to them because of their ungodly actions. Be sure to give the verse where you find what happened to them. (Hint, the verse that tells what happened is not always the same verse where the ungodly action was listed.) I will do the first two as illustrations for you.
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What happens to people to live in godless ways
and / or who teach or influence others to do the same
Who and what they did .............................What ultimately happens to them
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.v. 4 certain men who slipped in among you and .............................. v. 4 are condemned (their condemnation was
changed the grace of our god into a license for immorality.................. written about long ago)
and deny that Jesus Christ (is) our only sovereign and Lord.
v. 5 God delivered the Jews out of Egypt but they did not....................v. 5 God destroyed those who did not believe
believe and obey and follow God as their Lord
v. 6. The angels who did not keep their positions of authority
but abandoned their own home
v. 7. The people in Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding
towns who gave themselves to sexual immorality and perversion
v. 10. All who speak abusively against what they do not understand
(of God's teachings) and also against what they do understand
v. 12 those who ... are without qualm - shepherds who feed
only themselves
v. 13 those who are wild... foaming up their shame... wandering stars
v. 15 those who do ungodly acts ...
v. 15 those who speak harsh words against Him (God, Jesus)
v. 16 those who are grumblers, faultfinders
v. 16.those who follow their own evil desires
v. 16 those who boast about themselves
v. 16 those who flatter others for their own advantage
v. 18 those who are scoffers who follow their own ungodly desires
v. 19 those who divide you (the Church and the Believers)
v. 19 those who follow mere natural instincts
v. 19 those who do not have the (Holy) Spirit (of God)
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Wow! Awesome judgments!
Obviously, God does NOT treat disobedience (sin) lightly! He does NOT overlook sin ! Ultimately there WILL be a price to pay for all disobedience (sin).
And, as you so correctly noted, the results, the price that will be paid, the "What ultimately happens to them" includes condemnation, and they are destroyed, kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day, suffer the punishment of eternal fire, are destroyed, are ... twice dead, in blackest darkness forever, are judged by God, are (to be) convicted of all the ungodly acts they have done, will be in the fire (of hell forever) ...
So, what to do??? What if someone in your Church --- what if you or I are sinning in one or more of these ways? Will these horrible things happen to that "Church member"? -- to that shepherd (pastor/ leader/ deacon/ elder/ etc.) - to you? -- to me?
Before you answer those questions, let's first evaluate whether or not these people to whom Jude is referring, these "certain godless men," are real Christians (Believers in and followers of Jesus Christ) or if they are members of the Church (perhaps even with positions of authority such as pastor, bishop, deacon, elder, etc.), but are not saved (believers in and followers of Jesus Christ).
To evaluate whether or not these "certain men" are believers (saved, Christians), read verse 4 again. In fact, write that verse in the space provided:
Jude verse 4:
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Now, underline the phrase in verse 4 which tells you whether or not they are true Believers (Christians, saved).
Did you underline the phrase "they ... deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord."
You did! Great!
So think about that ! Does a True Christian deny Jesus as their only Sovereign and Lord?
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Circle your answer:............YES...............NO
But, these "certain men" do deny that Jesus is the only Sovereign and Lord!
So, what does this tell you about these "certain men", these "godless men" who have secretly slipped in among the believers. Are they True Believers or are they Unsaved (lost, non-believers in Jesus Christ)?
Circle the correct answer: They are............True Believers................Unsaved
Correct! These men are not true believers; they are unsaved.
Now, let's look at that question again: So, what to do??? What if someone in your Church --- what if you or I are consistently and repeatedly sinning (as a lifestyle) in one or more of these ways? Will these horrible things happen to that "Church member"? -- to that shepherd (pastor/ leader/ deacon/ elder/ etc.) - to you? -- to me?
Write your answer in the space below and explain why you answered as you did.
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Yes, you are correct. These punishments will happen to everyone who refuses to acknowledge Jesus Christ as their only Sovereign and Lord!
It doesn't matter if that person is a "member" of the Church or if he or she is an officer or an official (deacon, elder, Sunday School teacher, choir member, etc.) in the Church or is even the Pastor (shepherd) of the Church. Unless that person (and you and I) recognizes that he or she is a sinner and confesses his /her sins to Jesus Christ, and has asked for forgiveness from Jesus, and has accepted Jesus Christ's free gift of salvation, and has made Jesus Christ their only Sovereign and Lord - then that person is not saved ! They have denied that Jesus is their Sovereign and Lord.
And, you have seen in the book of Jude what happens to EVERYONE who denies that Jesus is the only Sovereign and Lord.
Obviously, then, before we go any farther in this Bible study each of us must stop and ask ourselves the question:
Am I saved? Have I really bowed my knee to Jesus Christ and acknowledged and confessed my sins to Him and accepted His free gift of salvation and have made Him the Sovereign and Lord - the ONLY Sovereign and Lord of my life?
Have you done that? Have you been saved? _________________
When did you do that? When did you make Jesus your Sovereign Lord ?
Record the date when (and where you were) when you did this in the space provided below::
Date: ___________________________________-
Where I was _____________________________________
If you haven't been saved, would you like to be? Would you like to accept Jesus' free gift of forgiveness and salvation? Are you willing to forsake ALL of your sins and make Jesus Christ your Lord, the only Sovereign and Lord of your life?
If so, then pray this prayer (or one of your own words which expresses the same thoughts):
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Jesus, I know that I am a sinner! I know that I have been living my life in my own way and for my own pleasure and purposes. I have done things similar to or identical with many of the things that these "certain men - these godless men" mentioned in Jude have done!
(Now stop and Specifically confess those godless things that you have done. Confess them all to God and ask His forgiveness for them. Agree with Him that they are wrong and that you are willing to forsake these things. Tell him that you are willing to let Him be the Lord of your life from this point on.) ...
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Jesus, I thank you for dying in my place to pay the death penalty for all of my sins. And, I thank you for offering to me, as a free gift, the gift of forgiveness and salvation so that I will not have to experience the deserved punishments (as described in the book of Jude) for my sins. I do accept Your free gift of salvation. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! And, I do want YOU, from this point on, to be my God and Lord and Savior and Sovereign! I give my life to You. You are my God. I am Your servant. Use me for Your glory and purposes. Help me to live a life pleasing to You. Teach me Your ways. Direct my paths. Help me to turn from and forsake all sins and to not return to them. I give you permission to lead, guide, and direct my life forever! In Jesus' name, Amen.
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If you prayed that prayer or one like it, you are now a True Believer in Christ! You now are one of those described in Jude verse 1, ie. one of "those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ."
What now should you do? Well, in verses 20-23 of Jude, we are told some of the things that you should and can do. Read those verses and, as you read them, underline in Green what True Believers do and how they are to live and act (and as you underline, notice the difference in the way the "certain ... godless men" live and act when compared with the lives of Godly men and women.)
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Wow! What a difference!
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Godless men change the grace of God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ as Sovereign and Lord - therefore, they live lives of sexual immorality and perversion, pollute their own bodies, reject authority ..., speak abusively ..., feed only themselves ..., ..., do ungodly acts, speak harsh words ..., are grumblers and faultfinders, follow their own evil desires, boast about themselves, flatter others for their own advantage, are scoffers, divide (people), follow mere natural instincts, and do not have the (Holy) Spirit ...
But those who do not deny Jesus Christ, but acknowledge Him to be their Sovereign and Lord, do not do those things that the godless do. Instead, they have the (Holy) Spirit and they build themselves up in their most holy faith. They pray in the Holy Spirit. They keep themselves in God's love. They wait for the mercy of their Lord Jesus Christ to bring them to eternal life. They are merciful to those who doubt. They snatch others from the fire and save them (by sharing with them the information about the free gift of God's salvation through Jesus' substitutionary death to pay the death penalty for their sins.) They show mercy to others. They hate to be around sin of any kind. ...
Well, you get the idea. The lifestyles of godless men are radically different from that of the Godly!
And, it is to the Godly, to the believers in and followers of Jesus Christ that Jude gives the closing benediction in his letter. Read those verses (24-25).
Now, based on what you read in Jude 24, list what Jesus can do and does for His people (for all those who trust Him for their salvation, for all of those who acknowledge that Jesus Christ is their only Sovereign and Lord):
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Yes, Jesus is able to keep you (the believer) from falling -- And Jesus will present you (the believer) before God's glorious presence without fault and with great joy! (Jesus can do this because He personally died as your substitute and, thereby, redeemed you from your sin, making you clean and holy in God's sight.)
Astounding! Amazing! Awesome! What a wonderful God!
As we end this lesson in our study of the book (letter) of Jude, let's close by thinking on these things. Think on the difference between the ultimate fate of the godless, who deny Christ as Sovereign and Lord, and therefore will receive the eternal punishments, as contrasted with the Godly, who confess Christ as their Sovereign and Lord. They will not receive punishment but, rather, will be kept from falling and will one day be presented without fault and with great joy before God's glorious presence !
Truly, as you contemplate the difference, you will thank and praise Jesus for your salvation. You will readily and surely agree with Jude and with him say:
"...to the only God our Savior
be glory, majesty, power and authority,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord,
before all ages, now and forevermore.
Amen."
Spend some time now in prayer, praising and thanking God for your salvation.
And...we will conclude our study of the book of Jude in the next lesson.
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Scriptures unless otherwise indicated are taken from
the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright C 1973,1978,1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishers.
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