Jude

LeRoy Eims

We know little about Jude other than that he was the brother of James. His letter is a warning against false teachers that abounded in his day. Unsound doctrine is harmful at any time, but it would be especially so in the early days of the church. While the people were being indoctrinated in the principles of the Christian faith and were being taught the basics of the gospel, it would be a simple thing for many of them to become unsettled and confused by the subtle arguments of false teachers.

It was then that the church in its infancy needed to be grounded in the truth as declared by Christ, and divinely communicated by those inspired by the Holy Spirit to compile the New Testament.

If a person's faith is built on a false base it is devastating. It will affect him the rest of his life. This can be seen in any walk of life or field of endeavor. If a person is taught to drive on the wrong side of the road, the consequences will be serious indeed. If a person is not trained properly when he is learning some sport, it will hinder him the rest of his life. The formative years are crucial.

The false teachers that Jude warns about had already crept into the church and led many astray. As seen by the Epistles to the Corinthians, Galatians and Ephesians, Paul had to expose and refute the heresies that had taken root in these churches.

In his first and second epistles, John refuted the doctrine that Jesus had not actually come in the flesh and declared that beliefs so contrary to the truth concerning our Lord were incompatible with that which would come from a person who had truly been born again. It is at the beginning of the Christian life that a false, unsound teaching contrary to divine truth can work havoc and make shipwreck of the spiritual growth of the untrained soul.

In no uncertain terms Jude denounces the wickedness of false teachers and condemns their teachings. “For there were certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ." (Jude 3,4) He minces no words as to the nature of these people.

While primarily referring to some particular class of men that belonged to his day, it is a general characterization of the whole body of false teachers. They would corrupt the church from within throughout the ages and thwart the progress of the Great Commission of Christ to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Those who have studied church history know only too well how the church has suffered from such people.

He reminds them that their security is in Christ alone. "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God, our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever." (Jude 24,25)

Study this book to learn the path of truth.