This letter from Jude pulls no punches as we have seen. We need this letter today as much as when it was first written. For centred around the Christian faith are those who by their choices to be whoever they want to be and do whatever they want to do are harming what was passed down to us generationally. We must continue to stand up for the truth given to us. Jude has told his readers to remember what was spoken to them by all the apostles and not just him.
“They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” (Jude v18-23)
Yesterday morning a lady messaged me to say thank you for the encouragement I gave her to pack her things and move out of the house with her children and with the support of her Pastors to leave her serial adulteress husband who believed God had given him licence to abuse his vows to her. In the afternoon I sat with a friend listening to how he is trying to carve out a new path after seeing his wife walk away from their marriage simply because this is what she wanted to do. Yesterday was a day seeing the impact of ungodly desires.
In 2023 all around us and within the Church, from pulpit to pew, the ‘ungodly’ are following ‘their own ungodly desires’. Jude encourages us not to be like them but instead ‘build yourselves up in your most holy faith’ v20.
These are not just the last days but they are days of evil. Not only do the scoffers mock the Coming King they scoff by their behaviour the Lordship of the King. Look around you and see what is happening to the Church. The scoffers with their behaviour scoff at the Lordship of Jesus and they do it from within the Church. These ungodly desires are simply themselves taking the place of Jesus by becoming the central figure of their life.
But this is not you! Jude tells us to take responsibility for our journey as a Christian. I encourage the Pastors that I care for to have a ‘mentor/friend’ a ‘spiritual director’ or whatever the title but someone they regularly turn to in order to help them on this journey. However this does not negate the fact that each and every one of us are responsible for our own spiritual growth. We cannot hand this to anyone else. We have to grow upon the foundations of our faith passed down to us. This means we are not the most important person but Jesus is.
Missions Paul 