Missions Paul

Jude was going to write about salvation but something bothered him so much he felt compelled by the Spirit to stand against the falseness of certain leaders that had crept into the church. They were defying spiritual leadership, giving licence to all kinds of behaviours which abused grace and denied the Lordship of Jesus. They carry their own grievances; they chase after personal gain; they are uncontrollable. 

“But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.” (Jude 17)

BUT you, remember!

You are different to whatever you are seeing or hearing. You don’t have to follow the same way. You can live differently.

The answer to the stealth which impacts the Church from within today is still the Bible. Hold on to it. Teach it. Live by it. The words of Jesus and the apostles who wrote of what Jesus said is vitally important for 2023 as it was for Jude’s day. You are different!

Jude is bringing some final advice about ‘these people’. He spots a common link amongst them all. Basically it can be summed up with this: listen carefully to these people and you will see their falseness because they are always speaking!

“These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.” (Jude v16)

Grumblers – listen to what comes out of their mouths. They are people who undermine other leaders.

Faultfinders – listen to what they are actually finding fault in. It can be the teaching from other preachers.

Follow evil desires – listen to what they are going to gain from what they are seeking.

Boast about themselves – listen to what they say about themselves and what they have done.

Flatter others for their advantage – listen to what they say of other people and if they stand to gain from the ones they praise.

We can spot a lot by just listening!

“Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones ¹⁵ to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”(Jude 14-15)

Jude targets these ungodly false leaders who are pretending to be something they definitely were not and who lead others astray through their many deceitful words and ways. But why did he quote from 1 Enoch 1:9, “And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of ⌈His⌉ holy ones To execute judgement upon all, And to destroy ⌈all⌉ the ungodly: And to convict all flesh of all the works ⌈of their ungodliness⌉ which they have ungodly committed, And of all the hard things which ungodly sinners ⌈have spoken⌉ against Him.”?

I am sure there are many theologians who may know the answer to this question!

Why did he quote from 1 Enoch when the quote itself can be found in different places across the Old Testament?

1. The book of Enoch is Pseudepigraphic. Meaning though it is titled Enoch and attributed to him it definitely was not written by Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah, but probably a collection of authors. It never made it into the canon of Scripture because it wasn’t the real thing. These leaders Jude speaks against look like the real article but they are not. They are pseudo leaders.

= What might have an appearance doesn’t mean it is the truth.

• The book of Enoch was popular and maybe the false teachers were using it to peddle their agendas. To quote from their source would have been a really clever move to show them even their own resource speaks against them.

= Listen to what is being claimed and stated because within it you may find something you can use to counter the lies.

• The book of Enoch was not seen as inspired by God to make it into the Scriptures but that didn’t mean something could not be taken from it and used under the inspiration of the Spirit in a similar way to how the Apostle Paul did with the poets. This book was popular at the time and this section confirmed what Jude was saying in that the Lord will come and when He does He will judge the ungodly.

= Know the faith, history and the culture of people you are trying to reach with the gospel, be relevant and speak their language.

To think Jude may have written a different letter makes me all the more grateful for him having the courage to write like he does. This is relevant for 2023 and the Church needs to read this much ignored letter.

Jude is not letting up, he doesn’t back down, he continues to give illustrations to show how these leaders are ungodly and spottable.

“These people are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. ¹³ They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever.” (Jude 12-13)

• They attend the love feasts. The early Church practiced Agape feasts where people brought food to share.

These ungodly leaders are attending the events but they are consumers of the church, they have a spirit of entitlement, they are there not to share and give but to take and grab for themselves. The only people they look after is themselves.

• They are clouds without rain.

They give long speeches of their intent, they proclaim new ideas and promise that the best is yet to come because they are carrying something. People get excited. They look for what is promised. But these ungodly leaders have the appearance but do not deliver. They are all talk.

• They are blown along by the wind.

They change their mind constantly. They take whatever is being said by others and make it sound like they have thought of it but it lasts only until they hear a new thing. They don’t have a purpose for their life just a performance.

• They are autumn trees without fruit.

They have not produced anything. When the Bible is denied as the Word of God and the Lordship of Jesus is ignored then all that is left is death. In fact there is death twice because they are dead from not believing and teaching what they should and therefore God will remove their anointing and ministry, the second death.

• They are wild waves of the sea.

For the people at the time the sea was chaotic, confusing and something to be feared. These people are busy but they are unmanageable, unaccountable and uncontrollable.

• They are wandering stars.

Shooting across the sky they try and dazzle but it is a fleeting moment, they soon pass away, here today gone tomorrow.

The result? A forever blackest darkness. An eternal loss. Gone forever.

If only the ‘ungodly people’ were more obvious. Sometimes they are difficult to spot straight away. They worship God, are strong in their beliefs, loving towards people and have elements in their lives to show they are godly people. So how do we know who to trust? Jude helps us:-

“Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.” (Jude 11)

Jude uses 3 characters to show us how people can be deceived even though they think they are right and what he says helps us in making sure we are following and being with people who will not lead us astray.

Cain’s way:- a) his gift was not accepted by God but his brother, Abel’s was; b) he refused to change his mind; c) he murdered Abel.

• Watch out for those who have lost their passion for a relationship with Jesus, their personal faith has withered or perhaps their anointing is not what it was.
• Watch out for those who carry disappointment and feel in some way rejected

Balaam’s error:-a) he used his authority as a prophet for personal gain; b) encouraged God’s people to worship idols.

• Watch out for those who chase after material wealth for themselves or their work.
• Watch out for those who hear from God for others but are not being held accountable themselves..

Korah’s rebellion:-a) despised the authority over him (Moses and Aaron); b) he politically gathered 250 other leaders to join with him to topple Moses; c) the ground swallowed him and his supporters up as judgment from God.

• Watch out for those who carry resentment for their leaders.
• Watch out for those who politically try and persuade others to think the same.

Watch out and do not follow such people. They are unrepentant and ungodly people and will come under God’s judgment.

A Pastor asked me for help yesterday over a serial adulterer (he used to be a church leader and a missionary) who was now trying to convince his wife that this was God’s will for their lives. That God was giving permission for this because He understands his needs.

This is not unusual now. All kinds of behaviours are happening under the name of God and His apparent loving kindness towards us so that we can be whoever we want to be and do whatever we want to do. This is not outside the Church but within. On the back of so called ‘dreams’ or other messages from God, people are indulging in selfish behaviours, they defy spiritual authority so that Pastors are given no respect and (helped by the Message) they drag the glory of God into the mud of the earth.

We are in the time of Jude:-

“In the very same way, on the strength of their dreams these ungodly people pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings. ⁹ But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” ¹⁰ Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.” (Jude 8-10)

Jude uses a story not familiar to us because it isn’t in the Bible. We don’t know where the story comes from but Jude’s readers knew it obviously. He uses it to counter these false prophets who have slipped into the church and are defying the spiritual leadership. Archangel Michael would never have even thought to have rebuked the devil in his own name but only in the name of God. So these ‘ungodly people’ who think they can carry on living self-centred lives with no restraint and give abuse to any spiritual leadership who suggests they are wrong, stand in their own authority which Jude says is no authority at all, it is no higher than an animal.

If you have ever sat in such a meeting when the ‘ungodly’ are not only rejecting the Pastor or leadership of the Church but are pouring scorn on them, mocking them, hurting them simply because they no longer like the message being preached and the practices of the church, then you know something of what Jude is saying. He says Michael would not even speak to the devil like this but would say, ‘God will take care of you’. Jude says they do not understand. However, their lack of understanding is going to destroy them.

Last week I sat in a meeting where one man launched at his Pastor with such anger that I had not seen for quite some time. I actually had to raise my voice so that I could be heard in order to quieten him. It shocked me. There was the Pastor humiliated before me and badly hurt. I didn’t know whether to cry or hit the angry man. I figured the second option would make things worse so I sat on my hands. What was his complaint? He wasn’t being used within the Church the way he wanted to be used. However what was the real issue? I didn’t find that out until the next day when I discovered the angry man was involved in immorality within the church and incredulously so was his wife. Jude calls them ‘irrational animals’ and sadly their behaviour is destroying them and their destinies in God.

Not everything done in the name of God or heard in some spiritual dream is from God. Not every complaint is really about the complaint. Sometimes animal reactions come because of hidden animal behaviours.

“Our baptism service was amazing this morning” was the text I received last night from one of my Pastors. I know I will be blessed this morning by getting similar reports from other churches. God is good. The church as I see it is growing and is blessing the community around with the love of God. But we do face challenges and these are similar to the ones of 2,000 years ago as Jude writes his letter to the church. There are church leaders bowing to the pressure of the world and leading the people astray with an understanding of the gospel that was certainly not passed down to them. Beliefs have changed and as a result behaviour has changed all under the banner that God loves all. Jude speaks into this with a direct challenge to those who pervert the grace of God and deny the Lordship of Jesus by saying you will be punished. God delivers but He destroys (as the Wilderness years/Exodus shows us); God creates and He holds in chains for eternal damnation (as the fallen angels reveal); and now:-

“In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.” (Jude 7)

It’s not easy reading is it? Some don’t read it and some don’t believe it. That’s the easy option.

Jude tells it as it is about the God we worship.

If blessed as we are with what God has given us in this world abuse that blessing by demanding to be able to live our life as we please then we desecrate the goodness of God.

Sodom and Gomorrah were 2 cities that were great places to live because of the blessing of God but they took that blessing and used it for their own sinful purposes. They abandoned their Creator and turned their lives into self-service becoming masters of their own destiny. However their destiny ended with fire and punishment.

The Church need to heed these words. Especially those who stand behind the pulpits and peddle a gospel that wasn’t handed down to them. If these people do not stop twisting the truth to suit the demands of the created then they will face punishment, whether they believe in the punishment of eternal fire or not. That’s not only some creed but it is what Jude writes. It is the Bible.

Those who have by stealth turned the Church away from what it originally held on to in terms of its belief and behaviour will be judged by God. They will not go unpunished. Jude gives 3 examples: the deliverance and destruction of the Exodus and Wilderness years; and here is the second example, the fallen angels.

“And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.” (Jude v 6)

Jude raises questions for us and there doesn’t seem to be concrete answers.

Who are these angels? We only have 2 main passages to imagine if this is what Jude is thinking of: Isaiah 14: 12-14 “How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon.  I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” And perhaps Genesis 6: 1-2, “When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.” We may presume this is what Jude is referring to. But from this verse 6 we can see that there is one major point Jude is teaching us:-

No matter the title and status of these ‘ungodly people’ (v4) even if they are seen as leaders within Church it will not prevent them facing judgment. If angels who know the presence of God more than us all and are now bound in chains then what will happen to those who have perverted the grace of Jesus and have denied His Lordship if they live their lives with no repentance?

God is love right? He is. Hell doesn’t exist, right?

Jude gets into the subject matter by reminding us that God does punish.

“Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.” (Jude v 5)

The Lord delivered and He destroyed.

The Lord saves them through the Exodus escaping via the Red Sea yet nearly all of that generation died in the wilderness. Leaving doesn’t mean you arrive.

Every time grace is abused the Law kicks in.

You can experience many blessings from God and not believe in Him and so even the blessed can be punished.

You can start the race but never complete it.

Why?

Somewhere along life’s path you can begin to disbelieve what you had been taught.

Jude warns us that God does punish. He is bigger than the level He is reduced to.

One of my childhood memories is that of my Dad being in the kitchen around 10pm every night listening to the news on the radio. On the surface that is exactly what he was doing. However, the family know now that those were the times he was operating with stealth. Underneath the noise of the radio he was operating with extreme care and quietness to make himself a nice supper usually of cheese and crackers. It was cunning, underhand and one of my early recollections of stealth.

Stealth has been used all our life and we often don’t even recognise it is happening.

In 1969 the film ‘The Italian Job’ made 176 million US dollars. However it is one of the best examples of stealth marketing for a company who sold Mini Coopers. The British Motor Corporation refused to donate any of its cars to the film-makers who actually used 16 of their Mini Cooper cars. Within 3 weeks of the film being shown the BMC boasted of 20% increase in their sales of the car.

Stealth is used in war. The US arguably have the best stealth bomber planes in the world. They are created so as to get into enemy territory unnoticed deflecting or absorbing radar signals.

Stealth is used by the enemy of our soul, the great deceiver.

In writing all this I do so as we read the next verse of Jude. He has told us that he has changed the reason for writing this letter because he needed to tell Christians to contend for the faith given to them. Here is why:-

“For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” (Jude v 4)

Stealth.

That’s what made Jude change his mind to write how he does.

Certain people have slipped into the church unnoticed. He doesn’t say who they are but he does reveal how they did it. They came in talking about the grace of God. How wonderful this amazing grace is!

With grace there is no shame. So does that give you licence to sin or does it bring healing to those who have sinned? For some it could be both.

How it leads to the denial of the Lordship of Jesus we are not told by Jude, he just says it does. Whether that is by belief or behaviour or again perhaps it was both.

In 2023 stealth attacks on the church have come in greater measure and the message Jude carries and writes could not be more important! In some places the Church is no longer recognisable to how it was birthed and for some stealth has been the reason.