Only one chapter long, Jude isn’t short on content. He answers some questions here that you have been wondering about for years.
Why don’t we ever talk about Jude when the topic of “once saved, always saved” comes up? It seems me in his opening comments that he is pretty much convinced that God can accept and approve of our actions, and then later disconnect from us if we refuse to obey. You could say that God punishes, but we don’t lose heaven….but what about the angels who rebelled? They end up in the Lake of Fire forever. What about the people who perished in the desert because they didn’t obey? They never entered the Promised Land. It seems pretty clear to me…obey all the way to the end and when this life is over you will inherit what was promised.
That’s why Jude changes the subject of his letter from salvation to remaining faithful. The Church is under attack from false teachers who are creating strife and division. These greedy men have one thing on their minds: “what’s in it for me?”
Jude exhorts us to resist this teaching by rejecting the false teachers and re-stating what is wholesome and good. And, by supporting and encouraging one another. This is the way of love, the way of mercy and the path of peace. Helping, encouraging, supporting and forgiving bring a community of believers together instead of tearing it apart.
We live in divisive days. People seem eager to shout about ways we are different, rather than celebrate the ways we are the same. I’m no fan of racial or social inequality. I am a believer in one God, one saving faith, but I don’t have to persecute everyone else who is different from me, or become violent with those who have more money or power, or authority. In heaven’s view these are minor issues. Do you really think God cares if you are Republican or Democrat? Do you think God is impressed with your bank account, or your portfolio? The only thing that we can do that will impress God is to point others to Him, and remain obedient to Him.
And if that impresses God, then shouldn’t it be something that we celebrate as well? Three cheers for the servants! Toss the false teachers out on their ear!
Okay, one other thought…. Enoch lived long before the flood and the law. We don’t know much about Enoch’s time…but we know this: God was interacting with people. Enoch either had a vision, or spoke with God. He knew that there would be a “second coming” when Christ would return to earth with a heavenly host and take dominion over the earth once again. This just reminds me that even though we have so much knowledge contained for us in the Bible, there is still much that has happened that we don’t have a record of. We have everything that we need for salvation and a life filled with power through the Holy Spirit…but we don’t know everything God has done. His works are still beyond our ability to conceive. I would love to know some more of the accounts of God dealing with people from before the flood. Someday in heaven, I suppose I will….
Imagining..
PR