A Daily Walk

Guest (Male): Here's what's ahead of us on A Daily Walk as we begin a new study in Jude.

John Randall: Within his epistle, Jude will use powerful images and illustrations from the Old Testament to help believers stand in the midst of a world of confusion and contention. A world that says we must love without truth and tolerate anything and everything without limits.

The faith that was under attack then is still under attack today, and this attack on the faith takes place in all different parts of the world.

Guest (Male): This is A Daily Walk where you never have to walk alone. We're about to begin the book of Jude, and Pastor John Randall will show us this epistle is all about earnestly contending for the faith. We'll see why that's so necessary in a world like ours today as our study develops. False teachers and those that are undermining what God is doing are all around us, and we need to be aware of that and then contend for the faith.

Let's open our Bibles now to the book of Jude. The book of Jude, it's the second to last book of the Bible, right before Revelation.

John Randall: The book of Jude, and in Jude chapter 1, beginning in verse 1. Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ. Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Although the book of Jude is shorter in length in comparison to other epistles that are found within the Bible, it remains both relevant and extremely powerful in its content. And what makes it so relevant is its theme, which is to contend for the faith.

Now, when Jude refers to the faith, he doesn't mean an individual's ability to believe. He's actually referring to Christianity itself, with its historic doctrines and life-giving salvation. The faith represents the truth that was given by God through the apostles to the church.

It's not the act of believing that is under attack, but what is believed as being the true message of the gospel. Jude is calling the church to step into the ring with apostasy. And the word apostasy means a defiance of an established system or authority, a rebellion, an abandonment, or a breach of faith.

When you consider forms of apostasy as revealed in scripture, there are two main types. First of all, there is a falling away from key and true doctrines of the Bible into heretical teachings that claim to be the real Christian doctrine, yet in reality they are false doctrine.

A second form of apostasy would be a complete renunciation of the Christian faith, which results in a full abandonment from Christ. Within his epistle, Jude will use powerful images and illustrations from the Old Testament to help believers stand in the midst of a world of confusion and contention.

A world that says we must love without truth and tolerate anything and everything without limits. The faith that was under attack then is still under attack today, and this attack on the faith takes place in all different parts of the world.

I think of the attack on the faith in foreign countries. In many parts of the world, if you were to contend earnestly for the faith, it would cost you your life. In many foreign countries, the most dangerous thing that you can be is a Christian.

I think of the attack on the faith in the forms of government. I don't need to elaborate, but you understand. You see it, it's all around us. I think about the attack on the faith in the area of academia as we observe how far it has drifted from any semblance of any kind of biblical worldview whatsoever.

Did you know that schools like Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Dartmouth, Princeton, they were all founded and built for the purpose of spreading the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Every one of them had a biblical foundation.

Every one of them was founded for the preaching of the gospel, the training up of ministers and godly Christian laymen and women to spread the gospel across America. That was the purpose. That's not the case today. It's tragic.

I also see an attack on the faith in once great denominations that have actually turned their back on sound biblical doctrine. It's not only made its way into denominations, but also even in churches. And the drifting can be rather subtle and unnoticed, wherein places of worship are very current on culture but unaware of biblical doctrine.

Places where the focus is taken off of what God's word says, which brings salvation to the sinner, equips the saints for the work of the ministry, and instead there is a crafting of well-communicated discussions about how to be happy and how to be prosperous.

The teaching becomes more about the opinions of a life coach than absolute truth from the Author of life. The message can become so diluted that there's no substance at all. Where every sinner is made to feel comfortable in sin without any conviction of the Spirit, they don't see any need to return to Christ in repentance.

People can be emotionally moved, but they are not radically changed. And then, in an attempt to connect with culture, the temptation can be to abandon the Bible and focus upon the perception of the church's image and try to win the world by becoming like it. That'll never accomplish anything.

You can't do that. You can't win the world by becoming like the world because the world does the world better than the church does. Tolerance and acceptance of sin is defined as being loving, whereas speaking against sin and calling for repentance is branded as bigotry and hate speech.

Tragically, those who come into an environment like that think that because they attend a service that they're saved, but they've never heard the faith actually presented to them and they are lost. This is very serious.

And Jude zeroes in on this ancient and ongoing battle and in so doing, what he's going to do is he's going to expose false teachers by equipping the church to be able to identify them in order that they can stand firm in their faith and contend for it.

And so we begin this evening by first of all considering the author of this epistle. And by the way, when I use the word epistle, it's synonymous with the word letter, and I will use them interchangeably. Epistle equals letter, letter equals epistle. Paul wrote epistles, Jude wrote an epistle, there you have it. What's an epistle? That's what it is, it's a letter.

First of all the author, verse 1, Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ and brother of James. Like most of the other general epistles, the title of this little book takes its name from its author. Most scholars believe that Jude was the half-brother of Jesus. Mary and Joseph had more children after the fact. If you didn't know that, it's in the Bible. They had more children.

And the reason that many people believe that Jude was the half-brother of Jesus is because he refers to himself as the brother of James. And although there were many men in the Bible with the name James, this particular James was one of the leaders in the early church, he's mentioned in Acts chapter 15.

He's also the author of the book of James and the half-brother of Jesus. Jude is also mentioned amongst the list of Jesus's brothers in the gospel of Matthew, but you may notice the name Judas is mentioned. Judas is actually the Hebrew name. It wasn't uncommon for you to say, "Hey Judas," and many people would turn around back then.

It was a popular name, but the Greek equivalent being Jude, it's like, don't call me Judas. Jude is good. And no parent I've ever met, by the way, just a side note, no parent I've ever met has ever called their child Judas, ever. I've never dedicated a baby, "Let's dedicate baby Judas to the Lord." It's just never happened.

But this guy, Jude, like his other brothers, he didn't start out believing in Jesus as the Messiah. In fact, in the gospel according to Mark chapter 3 and verse 21, when Jesus was in the midst of ministry, his family came down to try to rescue him from his Messiah complex.

Why? Because it says in Mark 3:21, "But when his own people heard about this, they went to lay hold of him and they said, 'He's out of his mind.'" Imagine growing up with Jesus as your older brother. Why can't you be like Jesus, Judas?

But needless to say, they thought he's crazy, he thinks he's the Messiah. They sought to lay hands on him. In John chapter 7 in verse 2, it says, "Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand, and his brothers, which would have included Jude, said to him, 'Depart from here, go into Judea, that your disciples may see the works that you're doing.'"

For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world. For even his brothers did not believe in him. They didn't start out believing that Jesus was the Messiah until the resurrection. There's no denying it.

First Corinthians chapter 15, Paul tells us that James saw Jesus resurrected and no doubt was then converted, and I would say probably Jude followed suit and was converted during that time as well. We also find in the book of Acts chapter 1 verse 14, it says that Jesus's brethren, his family, were part of that group that was praying in the upper room for the Spirit of God to come upon them.

In First Corinthians 9:5, Paul mentions to the church in Corinth about the brothers of the Lord. Jude came to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but you'll notice that Jude gives a very brief self-description to his readers. And you know something, you can tell a lot about a person by what they say about themselves and what they don't say about themselves.

Jude, again, being the half-brother of Jesus, you talk about credibility. If I'm opening this letter, I'm the half-brother of Jesus, if you must know. So check out my letter. I would put that down just so people would be sure to read this thing. Oh man, this is so short, I'm not reading it. Oh wait, he's a brother of Jesus? All right, I'll read it. I mean, he could have said that.

But he didn't. He didn't promote himself. Jude calls himself the bondservant, some of your translations read the bond-slave, of Jesus Christ and the brother of James. In the Old Testament, there was a law that if a person was a Jewish servant that they would serve their master for six years.

But in the seventh year, they would be released and allowed to go free if they so desired. However, the Mosaic Law made provision for the servant to become a voluntary bondservant for life. Exodus chapter 21 puts it this way.

"But if the servant plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children, I will not go out free,' then his master shall bring him to the judges, he shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever."

Jude, like the Apostle Paul and like the Apostle Peter, picks up this title bondservant as a badge of honor. And what he's saying here, he's calling himself a bondservant of his own free will. Jude surrendered his life and his will completely to Jesus Christ.

He was devoted to Jesus in disregard to his own interest. He said, "I'm a bondservant of Jesus. If you want to know something about me, I'm a servant voluntarily because of love." I wonder if tonight you could say that about yourself, that you're a bondservant of Jesus.

He didn't force you to be a servant, but he's loved you and blessed you and called you, and now we have this opportunity to voluntarily be his servant. I'm so grateful for the Lord and allowing me to be his servant. But then we see the recipients of this letter.

This is the author, the half-brother of Jesus, Jude, a bondservant, also the brother of James. But then in verse 1 he says, "To those," here's who he's writing to, "those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ."

Now, Jude isn't writing to a particular church, but instead all believers. And he refers to his readers as those who were called, sanctified, and preserved. And each one of these words is significant, and if you're a Christian, they apply to you tonight.

First of all, those who are called. And the word called is defined as an invitation. It describes those who were called in the sense of being invited to a banquet. Not everyone responds to an invitation. You can refuse to respond.

You don't have to RSVP, you don't even have to go if you don't want to. But those who are saved by God's grace have been called because of God's grace. The fact that you're a Christian tonight is because God called you. He called you by his grace.

We've been called, the Bible says, out of darkness into his marvelous light. Romans chapter 8 verse 30, it says this, "Moreover, whom he predestined, these he also called; whom he called, these he also justified; and whom he justified, these he also glorified." This calling that we have received is a holy calling for one thing.

Second Timothy chapter 1 verse 9 says this concerning our calling tonight. It says, "Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace that was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began." This calling we have, it is holy.

Not only is it holy, but also this calling we have is heavenly. The Bible tells us in the book of Hebrews chapter 3 verse 1, "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling." It is holy, it is heavenly, and it's also eternal.

The Bible says in First Peter chapter 5 and verse 10, "But may the God of all grace who called us to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus." It's an eternal calling. Have you responded to the call of God? Prayerfully you have. Have you accepted his invitation to salvation?

Jude writes to believers who are called, but also to believers who are sanctified. The word sanctified means to be set apart, to be consecrated, to be holy. You've been called by God and set apart for the purposes of God. Now listen, in speaking of sanctification, first of all consider it positionally.

When you come to faith in Christ, you are sanctified positionally, meaning you have been set apart as holy for the purposes of God. Yet although we are sanctified positionally, we still battle against the flesh and against sin. Therefore, the Holy Spirit continues a work of sanctification in our lives that goes on progressively.

Positionally, I am seated in Christ Jesus in heavenly places right now, the Bible says. That's how he sees us. If we're called, we are sanctified, set apart for his purposes, positionally in Christ. But practically speaking, it's working its way out in my life on a daily basis.

The Spirit of God is working within me. Sanctify, as the Spirit of God is working in your life through the word of God, he's sanctifying you and one day that work of sanctification will be complete and then it will go from sanctification to glorification. But that's not going to take place until we're there.

The Apostle Paul mentions this, you remember he said, "I have not yet arrived. God's not done with me. He started the work, he's going to be faithful to complete it." So we're in a process of sanctification as well as positionally sanctified by Christ.

The Bible says when you get saved, you are justified, just as if you never sinned. You've been redeemed, justified, given a position of holiness, sanctified, set apart for God's purposes. And then as you walk with the Lord, you're growing in this process of sanctification and you're learning what it is to be holy and to be set apart.

Prayerfully you look different than when you first got saved. Hopefully, the sanctification process is working, and it is working if you're yielding to it. "I don't want to be sanctified. I don't want to yield to that work of the Holy Spirit." Well, you can resist it, but it's better to yield to it. And those who have resisted it, you know what I'm talking about. Don't resist, just yield, Lord, do your work in me.

And the future will be glorified. In fact, the Bible tells us in First John chapter 3 in verse 2, it says, "Beloved, now we are children of God and it is not yet appeared what we shall be, but we know that when we see him, we will be like him for we will see him as he is." That's powerful. I only see part right now, but one day I'm going to see him as he is and then I'm going to be like him. The Psalmist said, "I will be satisfied when I awake in your likeness." Until that time, God's still working.

Guest (Male): We're just getting our study of Jude underway on A Daily Walk. Pastor John Randall will be right back. To hear this message again, you can do so by podcast at adailywalk.org or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Download the Calvary South OC app to listen to Pastor John on your mobile devices too.

Well, this month we've picked out a book for you moms. It's A Mom After God's Own Heart: 10 Ways to Love Your Children. Best selling author Elizabeth George shares practical tips and encouraging advice to help you raise your children in the knowledge of the Lord. You'll discover how to help them experience his love, his blessings, and provision when you become a mom after God's own heart.

It's available now to our A Daily Walk listeners for the cost of $12 at adailywalk.org or call us at 877-242-0828. Please remember that your gifts help us to bring these shows to the radio and the internet every day. We can't do it alone, so please consider standing with us in this endeavor to get the good news of Jesus Christ out to a world in need. Again, visit us at adailywalk.org or call 877-242-0828.

It brightens our day when we hear of the good things God is doing in our listeners' lives through the teaching of the word. And yes, Pastor John reads your emails. Share your story today by email at adailywalk@gmail.com. That's adailywalk@gmail.com. Have you ever thought over this question: Can I lose my salvation? Pastor John addresses that concern as we close.

John Randall: Not only have we been called and sanctified, but also, this is great, we've been preserved. Preserved by Christ Jesus. The word preserved, it means to guard, it means to hold firmly, to watch or to keep, to express watchful care. It's actually the same word that Jude uses later on in verse 6 and 13. He uses it there "reserved" and in verse 21 he says, "keep yourselves." It's the same word.

The Lord Jesus saved us, and he will also preserve us. We are secure in Christ. I'm secure in Jesus, I'm abiding in Jesus, I'm secure. I don't have anything to worry about. Some people ask from time to time, "Pastor John, can you lose your salvation? Have you ever thought to ask that question? Can you lose your salvation?"

Say, what's your answer? Listen, if you're abiding in Christ, you got nothing to worry about. I'm abiding. He's mine, he's preserving me. If it wasn't for Jesus preserving me and his grace sustaining me, I wouldn't be here tonight. I'm his, so he's going to keep me.

Listen, Jesus said it this way in John chapter 17 verse 11, "Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to you, Holy Father, keep," it's the same word keep, "through your name those whom you have given to me, that they may be one as we are one."

Jesus said in John chapter 10 in verse 28 and 29, "I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. I love this part: Neither shall anyone snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all and no one is able to snatch them out of my Father's hand."

So I'm secure in the Lord. This is the question sometimes people can, "Can somebody lose their salvation?" My question is if you see somebody who is living like they don't know Christ, this is my question: Did they ever really know Christ to begin with? That's the question. I mean, it's not mine to judge.

As someone said, when I get to heaven there's going to be a lot of surprises. I'm going to be surprised at the people that I thought were going to be there that aren't there, and I'm going to be surprised at the people I didn't expect to be there who are there. And the greatest surprise is that I'm there. There's going to be a lot of surprises. Bottom line is abide. Just abide in Jesus. Abide in him. He's got you, you're in his hand.

Guest (Male): Our journey through Jude will continue next time. Contending for the Faith will again be our focus tomorrow. This program is made possible through your generosity and brought to you by Calvary South OC.