Is God’s Grace Greater Than All Our Sin?

If We’re Forgiven, What’s Wrong with Sin?

Authorship of JudeMost scholars identify the writer as Jude, the half-brother of __________. They identify him as the author for at least two reasons:

• First, he identified himself as the “brother of ________” (Jude 1:1). This means he was probably not the apostle named Jude, a man who was called “the son of James” (Luke 6:16). That the author of the book of Jude identified himself as the brother of James likely aligns him with the family of Jesus.

• Second, Matthew 13:55 records the names of the brothers of Jesus as James and _________, which is shortened as Jude in English translations. It’s probably shortened for the same reason no one in the present day wants to name a child Judas, because of the association it has with Judas __________, the disciple who betrayed Jesus.

Jesus

James

Judas

Iscariot

Authorship of JudeLike his older brother James, Jude did not place his faith in Jesus while the Lord was still alive. Only after the ______________ and _______________ did the scales fall from Jude’s eyes and he become a follower of his half-brother, Jesus. 

First Corinthians 9:5 offers a tantalizing piece of information, noting that the Lord’s brothers and their wives took missionary journeys. From this limited portrait, we begin to picture Jude as a man who lived in skepticism for a time but eventually came to a powerful _________ in Jesus. And as he traveled on behalf of the gospel - telling the story in city after city with his name Judas butting up against that of Judas Iscariot - he would stand as a living example of faithfulness, a stark contrast to the betrayer.

crucifixion resurrection

faith

The book of Jude is difficult to date, primarily because

the Bible and tradition reveal so little about the personal

details of its author while the book itself refrains from

naming any particular individuals or places. The one

clue available to present-day readers is the striking

similarity between the books of Jude and 2 Peter.

Assuming Peter wrote his letter first (AD 64–66), Jude

probably wrote his epistle sometime between AD 67

and 80.

When Was Jude Written?

Jude’s edgy conciseness communicates the urgency of his

notion that false teachers needed to be condemned and

removed from the church. Few words meant that Jude would not

waste space dancing around the issue. He saw within the church

people and practices that were worthy of condemnation,

including rejecting authority and seeking to please themselves.

In response to these errors, Jude positioned much biblical

imagery to make clear what he thought of it all—anything from

Cain killing his brother Abel to the punishment of the sinful

people who populated Sodom and Gomorrah (Jude 1:7, 11).

Why is Jude So Important?

Jude’s purpose in his letter was twofold: he wanted to expose the false

teachers that had infiltrated the Christian community, and he wanted to

encourage Christians to stand firm in the faith and contend for the

truth. Jude recognized that false teachers are often unnoticed by the

faithful, so he worked to heighten the awareness of the believers by

describing in vivid detail how terrible dissenters actually were. But

more than simply raising awareness, Jude thought it important that

believers stand against those working against Jesus Christ. Believers

were to do this by remembering the teaching of the apostles, building

each other up in the faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, and keeping

themselves in the love of God (Jude 1:17, 20–21).

Purposes

Outline of Jude

I.Greeting (vv. 1-2)

II.The Issue of False Teachers (vv. 3-4)

III.The History of False Teachers (vv. 5-7)

IV.The Description of False Teachers (vv. 8-16)

V.The Resistance to False Teachers (vv. 17-23)

VI.Doxology/Benediction (vv. 24-25)

Greeting and Purpose

Mercy, peace, and love

What to do:Contend for the

faith!

Why?Certain persons

have secretly slipped in

Verses 1-4

Exposure of False

Teachers

-Doom is certain

- Guilt is sure-Spirituality is

empty

- Lives are Godless

Verses 5-16

Warnings and

Commands for

Christians

“Remember!” (1:17)

“Keep yourselves!” (1:21)

“Have mercy!” (1:22)

“Save!” (1:23)

Verses 17-23

Benediction

- Our ultimate hope

- Our infinite God

Verses 24-25

Emphasis Appealing Revealing Reminding Praising

Tone Personal concern Bold exposure Strong Exhortation Great hope

Directed to Those “Beloved in God the Father”

(1:1)

Those who indulged in “gross immorality” (1:7)

“But you, beloved…” (1:17,

20)

“The only God” (1:25)

Theme Exposing false teachers and standing firm in the faith

Key Verses 1:3, 21-23

Christ in Jude Jesus is our only Master and Lord, who will judge the false prophets at His coming (1:4, 14-16)

JUDE

Jude 1-3 (NKJV) Greeting1 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:2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

In verses 1-2, Jude modestly identifies himself and greets fellow believers.

Why did Jude most likely identify himself as a “bondservant” of Jesus instead of his brother?

Why did Jude probably leave out the word “grace” in his greeting?

Jude 3-4 (NKJV) The Issue of False Teachers3 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. 4 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.

In verses 3-4, we get a glimpse of a purpose for this epistle. Jude had hoped to write a positive letter about the

______________ he and fellow believers enjoy, but instead he felt compelled by the appearance of so many false

teachers to write a letter of ____________.

Explain how and why the word “contend” is used in these verses?

warning

salvation

Now we see Jude use the word “grace.” Why now?

Jude 5-7 (NKJV) The History of False Teachers5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

In verses 5-7, we see that history has shown us the conduct of apostates of the past; we also see that God

punishes the wicked and perverse.

The warnings of God were against ____________, pride, lust, greed, ____________________,

perversions, and ____________.

unbeliefsexual immorality

rebellion

Jude 8-16 (NKJV) The Description of False Teachers8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” 16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.

In verses 8-16, Jude describes the conduct of the apostates presently in the church: they _______authority (vv. 8-10), ______ in error (v. 11), lead _________, (vv. 12-13) and please _____________

(vv. 14-16).

reject walkfalsely themselves

Jude 17-23 (NKJV) The Resistance to False Teachers17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

In verses 17-23, Jude warns that such persons are sure to infiltrate the __________ and try to _________ the

fellowship (vv. 17-19). The best way to resist them is to keep __________ in the faith, to live in God’s _______,

and to show _________ and concern for those who doubt (vv. 20-23).

church divide

growing lovemercy

Jude 24-25 (NKJV) Doxology/Benediction

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,And to present you faultlessBefore the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,25 To God our Savior,Who alone is wise,Be glory and majesty,Dominion and power,Both now and forever.Amen.

In verses 24-25, Jude concludes his exhortation with a benediction that promises ultimate ___________ over apostasy at the __________ _________ of our Lord.

victorycoming again

Fight for the truth! Stand up against error! The book of Jude is the very definition of punchy and pithy proclamations—with its short commands and statements popping off the page like machine-gun fire. But in our day and age, punchy has become rude or unacceptable.

In many circles the forcefulness of Jude will not be tolerated, the crowds preferring a softer and gentler side of the Christian faith. But Jude reminds us that there is a time and a place for the aggressive protection of the truth from those who would seek to tear it down.

How can you participate in defending the truth from error?

Application

How to Respond to CriticsJude 9 (NKJV) – Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he

disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

Isn’t the dispute between Michael the archangel and the devil based on an apocryphal story?

Problem:Jude records an account in which Michael the archangel and the devil have a dispute over the body of Moses (see v. 9 above). This account is not found in the Old Testament and is also considered to be found in a pseudepigraphal

book (false writing) titled The Assumption of Moses.

Solution: Just because the account is not found in any Old Testament passages of Scripture doesn’t mean that the event did not occur. The Bible often cites

truths from books that are not inspired, but which contain some true statements. A biblical author is not limited to citing only Scripture. All truth is God’s truth, wherever it is found. Again, Jude’s point is that if such a powerful

being deferred to God to deal with Satan, how much more should we as human beings remain humble in our weakness and defer to God too.

How to Respond to CriticsJude 14 (NKJV) – Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men

also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,

Doesn’t Jude cite the uninspired Book of Enoch as divinely authoritative?

Problem:Jude quotes the Book of Enoch (see v. 14 above); however, Enoch is not an

inspired book but is considered pseudepigraphal (a false writing) by the Christian church.

Solution: First, it is not certain that Jude is actually citing the Book of Enoch. He may

simply be mentioning an event that is also found in this uninspired book. It is noteworthy that Jude does not affirm that Enoch wrote this statement. He simply records what Enoch said. Jude may have been using a valid oral

tradition and not the Book of Enoch. Furthermore, even if Jude took this statement from the Book of Enoch, it is

still true. As I have already stated, many true statements can be found outside of Scripture. Just because Jude quoted from a noncanonical

(extrabiblical) source does not mean that what he says is necessarily wrong.

Jude 14 (NKJV) – Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,

Doesn’t Jude cite the uninspired Book of Enoch as divinely authoritative (cont’d)?

Solution (cont’d): Remember that the apostle Paul cited truths from pagan poets (Acts 17:28; 1

Cor. 15:33; Titus 1:12) without implying that these books are inspired. Indeed, even Balaam’s donkey uttered a truth (Numbers 22:30). The

inspiration of the book of Jude guarantees that all it cites is true.Finally, the external evidence for Jude is extensive from the time of Irenaeus (ca. AD 170) onward. It is in the Bodmer Papyri of AD 250, and traces of it are found even earlier in the Didache (2:7), which probably dates from the

second century. So there is evidence for the authenticity of the book of Jude, which is not diminished by this allusion to what Enoch said. The existence of Enoch and his communication with God is a fact established elsewhere, both

in the Old Testament (Gen. 5:24) and New Testament (Hebrews 11:5).In addition, Jude quotes this Jewish writing not as an authority, but as a vivid contemporary description of a Day of Judgment which is substantiated fully in the Old Testament is coming. Then the false teachers will receive their due,

as will those whom they lead astray.