Reflections in The WORD

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Fingerprints of False Teachers and False Doctrines

“I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.
And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.
Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.” ~ Jude 1:5-8

Previously (Jude 1:3-4), Jude explained how false teachers distort the concept of divine grace in order to lead Believers into sin. Now, in vv. 5-8, Jude uses three examples to reveal the nature of sin so that Believers are better able to see behind the façade presented by false teachers and false doctrines. (Many of these themes are also covered in 2 Peter 2 in very similar fashion: revealing, therefore, the importance of this subject for the church.)

In 1 John 2:16, John argues that sin falls into three categories.

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” ~ 1 John 2:16

Jude makes the same argument, but, through three examples, adds illuminating detail as the three categories are applied specifically to the problem of false teachers and false doctrines: “believed not” (The Lust of the Eyes); “kept not their first estate” (The Pride of Life); “giving themselves over to fornication” (The Lust of the Flesh).

Let us examine these examples to grasp their implications for the battle against false teachers and false doctrines.

Rejecting God’s Perspective | The Lust of the Eyes

“…the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.” ~ Jude 1:5b

The event Jude refers to in this verse occurred when the Hebrews refused to enter Canaan, The Promised Land, because giants lived there (Numbers 13-14). God told them He would give them victory over the inhabitants of Canaan, but they did not believe Him. The people disbelieved the ability of God, who had parted the Red Sea, defeated the mighty Egyptian military, and won numerous battles on the way to Canaan. They believed their eyes, in their present circumstance, more than they believed God, despite what He had done for them in the (recent) past.

By trusting their eyes more than God’s “eyes”, they denied God’s deity. If human eyes are more trustworthy than God’s “eyes”, then human perspective—i.e., the human view of life—is also superior to God’s perspective: mankind can “see” better than God can. Consequently, God is not sovereign: man is sovereign.

The fundamental problem with those Hebrews was not their fear of giants. The fundamental problem with those Hebrews was their unbelief in God.

As a result, except for Caleb and Joshua, who both had believed, God did not permit any of those Hebrews to enter Canaan (Numbers 26:64-65). Instead, over a forty-year period, every one of them was destroyed, leaving their children to inherit The Promised Land.

It is important to note that though the time-period certainly seems long, they did not die “natural deaths”; for both Caleb and Joshua remained strong and lived for several more years. God could have sustained the rest likewise, but He removed His blessing from them; only keeping them alive long enough to successfully raise a new generation to be their replacements.

Application. False teachers would be foolhardy to enter a church/Christian-group and tell Believers to stop believing in God. Such an obvious attack would easily be repelled. Instead, false teachers/doctrines encourage Believers to trust in their own understanding: to believe what they can “see”. Accordingly, when the culture claims that evolution is true, false teachers encourage Believers to see the creation account, in Genesis 1-2, as just a story, not something to be believed literally.

Alternatively, Believers are encouraged to stretch the creation account to make it accommodate evolution. Why? Because we “understand”, i.e., we can “see”, that evolution is “true”. So God’s Word—and, therefore, God Himself—becomes subservient to man’s understanding. And so, by that way of thinking, God is no longer sovereign.

The lust of the eyes is not just wanting the things we see/perceive as desirable. More fundamentally, the lust of the eyes is relying on our perception of reality as a more valid, more trustworthy, source of information than God’s Word. When Eve was tempted to eat the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, she was attracted by its beauty and, in assessing what to do with the fruit, she valued that information as superior to God’s instruction not to eat it. She trusted her eyes, her perception, her understanding more than she trusted God’s Word. Hence, she ate the fruit, she sinned (Genesis 3).

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” ~ Proverbs 12:15

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” ~ Proverbs 14:12

“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.” ~ Proverbs 21:2

To resist false teachers/doctrines, we must stop relying on our eyes, our perception, our understanding to determine how to navigate life. Instead, we must put our trust in God’s eyes, God’s perspective, in God’s Word. If God is really sovereign, if God really does exist, then His perspective is far superior to mine and, therefore, it would be absolutely irrational not to trust Him.

Rejecting God’s Preeminence | The Pride of Life

“…the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, [God] hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” ~ Jude 1:6

In this verse, Jude gives us a glimpse into the heavenly realm. As revealed in Isaiah 14 and Revelation 12, satan and the angels who supported him, tried, unsuccessfully, to take over heaven. They rebelled because they were not satisfied with the domain (estate) of authority to which God had appointed them. So they left their appointed jurisdiction (their habitation), in search of a higher dominion of their own choosing.

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” ~ Isaiah 14:12-15

This was the pride of life: the rejection of authority in order to determine one’s own position in life. Those angel’s did not want God to rule over them, they wanted to rule over themselves (or to choose their own ruler). They wanted to be the architects of their existence; they wanted to chart their own course through the universe.

Application. Again, in using this example, Jude reveals the subtlety employed by false teachers/doctrines. False teachers/doctrines would never try to teach Believers to rebel against God, to attempt to become God themselves (though there are some pagan religions that teach that). Any false teacher would be laughed out of the congregation with such an approach.

Rather, as Jude shows us, their approach is much more cunning. Instead, false teachers/doctrines teach Believers that if they have enough faith they can do anything they want. Typically, this false tenet arises from a deliberate distortion of Christ’s teaching as shown below:

“And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.” ~ Luke 17:6

However, false teachers/doctrines omit the attendant Scriptures which complete the teaching, such as

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” ~ Matthew 7:21

In other words, faith, even faith as small as a mustard seed, must be employed to accomplish God’s will, NOT man’s will. Therefore, Believers cannot exercise faith in God to accomplish their own desires. One cannot by faith in God make oneself rich, or make oneself healthy if those outcomes are not God’s will.

Moreover, there is no Scripture that states that all Believers should be materially wealthy and physically healthy. On the contrary, Scripture emphasizes spiritual wealth and spiritual health. We know many saints were poor (2 Corinthians 8-9); we know Paul had an infirmity (2 Corinthians 12); we know Jesus Christ had no place of His own to “lay his head” (Luke 9:57-58).

Nevertheless, this false teaching is quite successful and even endemic in modern churches. It is appealing because it gives the illusion of self-determination. It seduces believers into thinking that they, through exercising so-called faith, can define their own limits for their lives:

If they are poor, they can “faith” their way to wealth, according to their own wills.

If they are sick they can “faith” their way to health, according to their own wills.

All the while ignoring the fact that God plays the decisive role in all outcomes. And disregarding that Christian living is ALL about yielding to God’s will.

“Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” ~ James 4:2-3

Undoubtedly, the Bible teaches us to exercise faith. However, that faith is not to be exercised to accomplish our wills. Faith is not to be exercised to take us out of God’s will for us. Faith is not to be exercised to have us leave our first estate, to abandon our God-appointed habitation. Rather, faith is to be exercised to accomplish God’s will for us.

Faith is to be exercised to excel in the habitation in which God has ordained us. No one comes into the world by accident. God has appointed each soul to a unique set of circumstances and limitations and opportunities. God intends that we navigate through life from that starting point by faith and in accordance to His will, not ours. God defines our goals and God defines the path by which we get to those goals.

“And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to His will, he heareth us:” ~ 1 John 5:14

Rejecting God’s Proprietorship | The Lust of the Flesh

“…Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” ~ Jude 1:7

In this verse, we are reminded of the extreme depravity of Sodom and Gomorrah. However, Jude points out a particular result of their depravity that is sometimes overlooked. The men of Sodom were aware that the “men” who were visiting Lot and his family, were not “normal” men, i.e., that they were strange (i.e., different, not human) flesh. The men of Sodom knew that they were really angels.

In the account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, in Genesis 19, the men of Sodom wanted to rape Lots visitors. But they miraculously made all the men of Sodom blind, in an effort to disable the mob that had surrounded Lot’s house. This awesome miracle surely made the men of Sodom aware that Lot’s visitors were not regular men. But, disturbingly, this display of God’s power did not dissuade them; as the persisted throughout the night—in their actual physical (and spiritual) blindness—trying to find the door to Lot’s house, so that they could break in and fulfill their heinous plan.

Even though stricken with blindness, the men of Sodom remained entangled in and driven by their disgusting passions. They were completely given over to the lust of their flesh.

proprietorship
The fact of owning or the legal right to own something

However, beyond the nauseating perversity of the men of Sodom, is the complete irrationality, even ridiculousness, of their behavior. Firstly, the men of Sodom could have fulfilled their evil passions among themselves, there was no functional need to go after “strange” men. Secondly, being struck with blindness should have caused them to rethink the wisdom of their actions: if the “strange” men had the power to strike them all blind, surely they might be able to do something even worse.

Jude, in this example, highlights both the depth of their depravity and the absurdity of their behavior. The men of Sodom had ceased thinking and were totally given over to their flesh. They had elevated the urge of the flesh over the surge of facts before them. They had dismissed the rightful ownership that God, as the Creator, had over their entire being. They had disregarded their obligation to serve God with their bodies.

“Know ye that the LORD He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.” ~ Psalms 100:3

“For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.” ~ Romans 14:7-8

“What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” ~ 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Application. False teachers and/or false doctrines often lead to sexual immorality of some sort. One reason for this is that many false teachers/doctrines promote appetites as “natural” and “God-given”. Thus, they teach that the curbing/limiting/controlling of appetites is “unnatural” and “ungodly”.

“But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of [the false prophet] Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel… to commit fornication.” ~ Revelation 2:14

“Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication…” ~ Revelation 2:20

To make this drivel palatable, it is necessary that false teachers/doctrines first de-emphasize both the knowledge and the authority of the Scripture. It is easy to prey on Believers who do not know God’s Word.

In our present context, congregations are currently very vulnerable because there is generally a tremendous deficiency in the knowledge of God’s Word (The Bible). Indeed, young Christians are especially vulnerable because they typically know even less Scripture than the rest of their congregations. Therefore, they are often the first victims on which false teachers feast.

Believers with little knowledge of Scripture have no anchor to keep them steady, safely moored, when the winds of false doctrine blow.

“Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land… My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: ” ~ Hosea 4:1, 6a

“Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge… ” ~ Isaiah 5:13a

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17

To overcome the lust of the flesh and the false teachers/doctrines that promote it, we must know God’s Word. And, rather than give in to our appetites, we must subdue them so that they are under God’s control and fed in ways prescribed by Scripture.

Our appetite for sex is given to us to be used in marriage as an expression of love, and with consideration for our spouses.

Our appetite for food is given to us to gain sustenance to strengthen us physically to do God’s work. Over-eating often disables us from being able to do God’s work; especially when we get older and our bodies begin suffering the consequences of our excesses. There are pastors (and laity) that had to retire early because of ill-health directly resulting from obesity/gluttony. God still had a purpose for them, but they were unavailable as a consequence of their flesh.

Our appetite for rest is provided to enable us to physically perform God’s work. And, just like over-eating, slothfulness has deleterious consequences on our health, which over time make us less available to do God’s work.

By God’s grace, and through the knowledge of His Word, we must never allow our appetites to enslave us. We must never become so subjugated to our appetites that we seek to feed them at all costs.

“I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.” ~ Romans 6:19

Lust of the Eyes or Lust of the Flesh?

It is useful, at this point, to highlight the distinction between the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes. The lust of the eyes has to do with human perception. It involves processing information and making value judgments. The error therein lies in two implicit assumptions:

That the information gathered is complete and accurately represents the truth;
That we can correctly process the information gathered to determine the truth.

Both assumptions are fundamentally incorrect since we cannot always gather and/or correctly process all the information due to our innate geographic, temporal, intellectual and spiritual limitations. Paul, for example, tells us that Believers are in a spiritual battle with rebellious angels in high places (Ephesians 6:10-20). We have no innate means by which to access this spiritual world and the only weapons we have are provided by God: Faith and The Word.

Conversely, the lust of the flesh has to do with bodily appetites. It involves feeding bodily impulses without Godly limitation. In its most fundamental forms, the lust of the flesh manifests itself in unabated appetites for sex, food and/or rest, which result in the corresponding sins of sexual immorality, gluttony, and/or laziness (slothfulness). The lust of the flesh does not inherently require/involve thoughtful reflection (i.e., the processing of information). Hence, for example, people will knowingly eat themselves into sickness. Similarly, the men of Sodom were undeterred by blindness in their dogged search for sexual thrills.

Nevertheless, despite their differences, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, and the lust of the eyes, often work together to lead us into sin. For example, in Genesis 3:6, Eve was attracted to the fruit by all three.

“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.” ~ Genesis 3:6

Another example is substance abuse, which starts out as a lust of the eyes, the body has no need for drugs, so drug users begin by making a judgment on its value. After they start using the drug, however, most become chemically dependent on it and it becomes a lust of the flesh, which is usually very difficult to overcome, even when they no longer regard it as valuable/beneficial.

Finding False Teachers | Fingering False Doctrine

Our text closes (v.8) with a summary of the work of false teachers, who are referred to as “filthy dreamers”. False teachers “defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities” (Jude 1:8). In other words, false teachers promote carnality, reject God’s authority and denounce men/women of God.

“Dignity” generally refers to someone to whom glory/honor has been imparted because he/she belongs to God and is empowered by God

The presence of false teachers/teaching in a congregation of Believers can be determined by carefully observing the lifestyle/conduct and values of the members.

Are members of a congregation preoccupied with their flesh? After meetings/services, do members take the time to fellowship, to encourage each other to discuss God’s Word? Or is everyone usually hurrying off to get to restaurants or to attend to other appetites?

In the decisions of members of a congregation, who has the authority? Do people refer to their opinions, or the opinions of others, as the deciding factor? Or do the members refer to Scripture? Is it “This is what I think…” or is it “This is what The Bible says…”? How can we claim that God has authority in our lives is we don’t know what He says (His Word) and/or we don’t do what He says?

Who are the leaders of the congregation? Are the godliest men in the highest positions of leadership? Or are the leaders ones with no more knowledge and/or application of Scripture than the rest of the congregation? Are the leaders living exemplary lives or is their conduct questionable?? What value does the congregation place on the godly (those who know God through His Word, and practice God’s Word in their daily lives)? Does the congregation promote the godly or ignore (or even denounce) them?

False teachers/doctrine can be identified. The only remaining question is whether or not we care to identify them and contend for the faith. It is easier to go along with the status quo than to challenge it. And standing up for truth requires that we ourselves know the truth.

However, to fail to contend for the faith is to be derelict in our service to Christ. Christ calls us and has gifted each Believer (Ephesians 4) in order to edify (to build up, to strengthen) the church. Therefore, to the extent that we fail to do so, is to the extent that we have abandoned our calling.

Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh | Dedication, Worship, and Service

Published by reflectionsintheword

“…and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down, and worshipped Him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.” ~ Matthew 2:9b-11

The example set by the wise men who brought gifts to Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12) has made the giving of gifts an integral part of celebrating Christmas: Jesus’ birth. However, the gifts we give each other, today, bear very little spiritual resemblance to those originally bestowed by the wise men.

The gifts of wise men focused on Jesus and His purpose for mankind. However, the gifts we give at Christmas seldom have the same motivation. Let us, then, examine the significance of each gift given by the wise men and apply it to our lives and our own gift-giving.

GOLD: Give Holy Dedication (Your Best)

In constructing both the tabernacle and, later, the temple, gold was reserved to represent God. Everything outside the “Holy Place” was made of some other material. Every instrument of worship inside the Holy place, where God’s presence dwelt, was made of or overlaid with gold. There were the golden lamp/menorah; the golden altar, the golden table of showbread, and the gold-covered ark of the covenant, which contained manna in a gold bowl and had golden cherubim on its lid (e.g., Exodus 25:16-19; 37:1-29; 40:4-6, 25-27; 1 Kings 7:47-50; 1 Chronicles 28:14-16; 2 Chronicles 4:18-22; Hebrews 9:1-5).

Gold was reserved for God because it is the noblest of metals: Gold does not tarnish and it does not readily alloy with most other metals. Of all metals, gold best represents God’s holiness.

Also, in ancient times, gold was the most precious/expensive of all metals because of its rarity, its beauty, and its nobility.

Therefore, in giving Jesus Christ the gift of gold, the wise men acknowledged Jesus’ divinity AND gave Him the best they had to offer.

By application, we are similarly expected to give to Christ our gold. We are expected to serve and honor Him with the best we have to offer. Christ is to be given the best part of our days. We are to serve Him when our muscles are strongest and our minds are sharpest. When we reserve time to commune with Him, that time must be unalloyed: not mixed in with distractions and obligations.

When we examine our lives, is our best being spent on ourselves, or on Christ?

It is amazing that we spend so much of our mental capacity memorizing and analyzing sports/entertainment data/trivia, political diatribe, and similarly pointless miscellanea. Yet, we spend so little of our mental capacity on memorizing/analyzing God’s Word (under the guidance of The Holy Spirit). Likewise, we spend much effort getting our bodies in shape, which is good. But we spend so little effort getting our spirits in shape, which is much, much better (1 Timothy 4:8).

Jesus so seldom receives our best.

“Take ye from among you an offering unto the Lord: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the Lord; gold, and silver, and brass…
…And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the Lord’s offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the Lord.” ~ Exodus 35:5, 21-22

Only gold was used to represent God in the Holy place. Only our best will be used to represent Christ to the world around us. Christ is so poorly represented by the church in modern society because Believers have not offered their best to Him: we have not given our gold to Him.

Therefore, the world does not see Christ Jesus as king; the world does not see Him as holy; the world does not see Him as divine. And so the world does not celebrate Him.

FRANKINCENSE: Give Holy Worship

Under the Mosaic Law, frankincense had a special role in the worship of God. Specifically, frankincense was ONLY used for worship offerings. Frankincense was explicitly forbidden from being used in any sin offering (Leviticus 5:5-13).

Animals were typically presented as sin offerings, to be burnt on the brazen altar. The smell of burning meat is quite unpleasant and was useful in reminding the people of how offensive sin was to God.

Worship offerings, however, always included frankincense (Exodus 30:34-38; Leviticus 2:1-2, 14-17; 6:14-16). Frankincense made whatever was being burnt smell good. Hence, it signified how pleasant the worship of sin-cleansed men was to God. Indeed, it was so special to God that there was a special concoction of frankincense, with other spices, that was reserved for Him alone (Exodus 30:34-38).

And the Lord said unto Moses, “Take unto thee sweet spices… with pure frankincense… And thou shalt make it a perfume… pure and holy… and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation, where I will meet with thee: it shall be unto you most holy.
And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the Lord.
Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.” ~ Exodus 30:34-38

Therefore, in giving Jesus Christ the gift of frankincense, the wise men acknowledged, that Jesus alone was worthy of worship AND that He was to be worshiped ONLY by those who were sin-cleansed.

After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; And cried with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.”

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, “What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?”
And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, “These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
“Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them.” ~ Revelation 7:9-10 & 13-15

By application, Believers, those who have accepted Christ Jesus for salvation, are to worship Jesus and Him alone. The gift of frankincense challenges us first to be saved: to be made righteous by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. And, having had our sins washed away, to then worship Him in the beauty of Holiness (Psalm 96:8-9).

There is no way to truly celebrate Christ’s birth without requiring salvation and holiness from the celebrants. To attempt to celebrate Christ without salvation AND holiness is to defame His name; it is nothing less than detestable to God.

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place?
He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” ~ Psalm 24:3-5

“The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.” ~ Proverbs 15:8

Moreover, to the extent that we get lost in celebrating our selves and/or our loved ones more than we celebrate Christ, is to the extent that our worship of God is not exclusive and, therefore, unholy: not really worship at all. If Christ is who we worship in Christmas, then Christ must be central to our focus, even to the exclusion of everything else.

The wise men brought their gifts for Christ, to honor Him and Him alone. Our gifts, even the ones we give to each other, must do the same.

MYRRH: Give Holy Service

Many assume that myrrh was symbolic of Jesus’ eventual death as the sacrificial offering to redeem us from the penalty of sin. That interpretation may be appropriate. However, there is more.

In the system of worship described in the Mosaic Law, which Jesus came to fulfill (Matthew 5:17), myrrh had a very specific role. It was the crucial ingredient in a concoction used exclusively to anoint the tabernacle furniture and the priests (Exodus 30:22-33)—i.e., those who ministered to God and the instruments of their ministry.

Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, “Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh… and of sweet cinnamon… And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment…
And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith… And thou shalt sanctify them, that they may be most holy: whatsoever touches them shall be holy.
And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that they may minister unto me in the priest’s office…
This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations… Whosoever compounds any like it, or whosoever puts any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.” ~ Exodus 30:22-33

Elsewhere in Scripture, we see myrrh was employed to prepare Esther to become the wife of king Ahasuerus (Esther 2:12). And it was a principal spice used in the love relationship between the bride and bridegroom in the Song of Solomon (Song of Solomon 1:13, 3:6, 4:6, 4:14, 5:1, 5:5, 5:13).

Accordingly, Scripture identifies Believers as the royal priesthood of God (1 Peter 2:9-10) and (as the church) the bride of Christ (Matthew 9:14-15, Ephesians 5:25-27).

Therefore, in giving Jesus Christ the gift of myrrh, the wise men acknowledged, the entrance of the Kingdom of God, which Christ Jesus would introduce; with Believers as priests ministering to Him: doing His will. The gift of myrrh, also, acknowledges the birth of the church and her calling as the bride of Christ: the bride whom He would cleanse by the washing of water by the Word (Ephesians 5:25-27).

By application, the gift of myrrh is to remind Believers that we are consecrated to serve Christ: we are His. Therefore, we must live holy lives as His priests: confronting the world with the problem of man’s sinful state and pointing them to the One who can save them from sin: the ONLY worthy sacrifice: the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

As we celebrate Christmas, our celebrations must also herald our calling. Christmas cannot be celebrated without acknowledging our calling to share the news of salvation, which was the very purpose of Jesus’ birth (He was born to die for our sins), with all those around us. If we don’t share Christ in Christmas, for what reason do we celebrate His birth? If we celebrate His birth at all, then we MUST tell others why He was born: we must tell others why His birth is worth celebrating.

CLOSING THOUGHTS

The narrative in Revelation 18:10-19 describes the reaction of the merchants to the fall of Babylon. In Scripture, Babylon represents the unsaved world, especially, its value system and its money-making marketplace. In the passage, an awesome statement is made about the merchants’/marketplace’s activity and the reasons for their sorrow, as shown in the following excerpt:

“…And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over [fallen Babylon]; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold… and ointments [myrrh] , and frankincense… and souls of men.
The merchants of these things, which were made rich by [fallen Babylon], shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing…” ~ Revelation 18:11-15

We may choose to invest our gold, frankincense and myrrh in the marketplace (the world’s tabernacle), rather than in Christ (the tabernacle of God). However, beware, along with our goods, our talents, and our minds, the marketplace will also take our souls: anything and everything to make a profit.

If your soul hasn’t been invested with Jesus, then it is “up for grabs”, available to whoever would have it, saleable to whoever desires to control it.

The Conquerors

Published by reflectionsintheword

Jesus and Alexander died at thirty-three.
One lived and died for self; one died for you and me;
The Greek died on a throne; the Jew died on a cross;
One’s life a triumph seemed; the other but a loss.
One led vast armies forth; the other walked alone.
One shed a whole world’s blood; the other gave His own.
One won the world in life and lost it all in death;
The other lost His life to win the whole world’s faith.

Jesus and Alexander died at thirty-three.
One died in Babylon, and one on Calvary.
One gained all for himself; and one Himself He gave,
One conquered every throne; the other every grave.
The one made himself God, the God made Himself less,
The one lived but to blast, the other but to bless.
When died the Greek, forever fell his throne of swords;
But Jesus died to live forever Lord of lords.

Jesus and Alexander died at thirty-three.
The Greek made all men slaves; the Jew made all men free.
One built a throne on blood; the other built on love.
The one was born of earth; the other from above.
One won all this earth, to lose all earth and heaven.
The other gave up all, that all to Him be given.
The Greek forever died; the Jew forever lives.
He loses all who gets, and wins all things who gives.

by Charles Ross Weede

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” ~ Zechariah 9:9

“That crowd that followed Him, that said, ‘Hosanna,’ they never thought of Him as the Son of God, the Saviour of the world. But that same crowd that said, ‘Hosanna,’ one day, said ‘Crucify Him’ the next day.” ~Bishop Rule

A Royal Air Force search and rescue Sea King helicopter comes to the aid of the French Fishing vessel Alf (LS683637) during a storm in the Irish Sea. The helicopter crew rushed to the aid of an injured fisherman trapped by bad weather on the Irish Sea. The Royal Navy Hydrographic survey vessel HMS Echo was carrying out maritime security operations when she received a request for assistance from Milford Haven Coastguard. The coastguard had already scrambled both an RAF search and rescue helicopter and an RNLI lifeboat to rescue the fisherman, but weather conditions were deteriorating fast. The 5 metre high swell meant it was not possible to lower a winchman safely onto the French vessels deck and assist the fisherman who was showing signs of hypothermia. Once Echo was called in, the 3,500 tonne ship attempted to provide some shelter for the RNLI lifeboat to get alongside the French fishing vessel, Alf, but once again the weather prevented a rescue. This left them with no choice but to escort the fishing vessel closer inland before the helicopter was able to winch the injured fisherman to safety.

Six Principles of Salvation

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“No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” ~ John 6:44

Our text is a magnificent verse of scripture. Jesus spoke these words in response to some of His followers who doubted Him (John 6:37-40) after He had revealed that He was the Messiah, The Sent One from Heaven (John 6:41-42). In His answer, Jesus defines six (6) key principles of the Gospel message:

Man’s Dilemma
- Man’s Incapacity
- Man’s Depravity
- God’s Sovereignty
God’s Love
God’s Grace and Mercy
Salvation in Jesus
Urgency of Decision
Salvation Culmination

1. Man’s Dilemma: “No man can come”

Jesus succinctly describes man’s problem as: “No man can come”. Our inborn tendency to sin, to rebel against God, means that we have no natural inclination to seek Him out. We have no inherent desire to reach out for Him. Our natural inclination is to seek our own way instead.

“There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” ~ Romans 3:11

“I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.” ~ Psalm 69:2

Rather than moving toward God, we move away from Him. Rather than serving Him, we determine to serve ourselves.

“No man can come”, because no man has an unprompted, self-originating, desire to seek God out.

Man has a second problem: God is holy. Our sinful state disqualifies us from entering into God’s presence. God cannot tolerate man’s sin. Unless our sin is removed, we cannot, safely, enter into God’s presence (Isaiah 6:1-7, Zechariah 3:1-5).

“No man can come”, because no man is sinless, no man is holy.

Man has a third problem: God is sovereign. Man cannot come to God, man cannot “show up on God’s doorstep”, uninvited. We see practical examples of this in Scripture:

Like the rest of his subjects, Queen Esther knew that she was forbidden to approach (her husband) King Ahasuerus uninvited; if she did, she could lose her life (Esther 4:10-17).
God invited Moses to come up to meet with Him on Mt. Sinai, but warned that if anyone else even touched the mountain they would be executed (Exodus 19:10-25).

“No man can come”, because no man has the authority to approach The Holy and Sovereign God.

2. God’s Love: “except”

“He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.” ~ Psalm 18:16

Man had no means to come to God, no means to reconcile with God, no means to escape God’s judgment. Therefore, God’s love had to make “a way out of no way”. God’s love is expressed in the simple word “except”. The exception God made for mankind was established BECAUSE of His love for us:

“For God so LOVED the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” ~ John 3:16

Except for God’s love, man has no hope.

3. God’s Grace and Mercy: “the Father which hath sent me draw[s] him”

The penalty for our sin is eternal torment. However, God has chosen to show us mercy. Rather than give us the punishment we deserve, God offers us forgiveness and reconciliation.

“Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.” ~ Psalm 69:1

However, since we are unable to come to God, God draws us, God invites us: This is God’s grace. To overcome our incapacity, our depravity and our impotence, God must use His infinite capacity, His singular purity and His almighty power to draw us to Himself.

“The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” ~ Jeremiah 31:3

4. Salvation in Jesus: “to me [Jesus]”

Note here that the Father is drawing men to Jesus. The reconciliation between God and man must come through Jesus. There is no other way:

“Jesus saith… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” ~ John 14:6

In John 1:1-3 we learn that Jesus is The Word. Specifically, Jesus is how God expresses Himself. God expresses Himself to the universe in Jesus.

When God expressed His creativity (“And God said…”), Jesus created the universe (John 1:1-3).

When God expressed His love for man, Jesus took on the form of a man, and was crucified for the sins of man (Philippians 2:5-11).

And when God is ready to judge the world and satan and his hosts, Jesus will lead an righteous army to exact vengeance, Revelation 19:11-21.

Hence, there is no way into God’s presence, there is no way into a right relationship with God, except through The Expression of God’s love: Jesus.

5. Urgency of Decision: “the Father… draw[s]”

Since it is God, The Almighty, that draws us, it makes sense that we answer His call: that we respond positively to His pull on our hearts.

When a parent calls a child, the child that honors his/her parent answers the parent’s call and goes to his/her parent. Similarly, when a king/leader summons a citizen, it is expected that the citizen answers that call.

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” ~Proverbs 28:13

Sadly, is far too easy for us to forget/ignore God’s sovereignty. If for no other reason, we should respond positively to God, because He is our creator and Lord of the universe.

Accordingly, there is a related reason we must respond to God’s gentle pull: God will not draw us forever. God is merciful and patient, longsuffering; but He will not call us forever.

“And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh…” ~ Genesis 6:3a

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened… Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts…” ~ Romans 1:21, 24a

If we refuse to come to God, then God will stop drawing us to Himself. He will let us go our own way, which is the way to perdition.

Each man has but a window of opportunity to heed God’s call. And when that window closes, there is no longer a way in. When God stops drawing us to Jesus, we have no way of “drawing” ourselves to Him. Only the souls on the “ark of salvation” will be spared God’s wrath.

“…behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” ~ 2 Corinthians 6:2b

6. Salvation Culmination: “I will raise him up at the last day.”

“For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

The world is moving inexorably to the final day of God’s judgment. A penalty must be paid for sin. Those who have rejected Jesus’ offer of salvation will have to pay the penalty for sin themselves. Stained with sin, they will be cast out of God’s presence.

However, those who have accepted Jesus offer of salvation will be “raised up”, taken out of the masses bowed before God’s throne. Jesus raises up those who are marked by His blood, those who belong to Him and He presents them holy and approved before God the Father.

Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” ~ Matthew 25:34

The Hath and the Hath Nots

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And the disciples came, and said unto him, “Why speakest thou unto them in parables?”
He answered and said unto them, “Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” ~ Matthew 13:10-13

After Jesus told the crowds that followed him the parable of the sower, His disciples asked Him why He spoke to the people in parables (as seen above in our text, Matthew 13:10-13). Jesus answered them, saying that (1) His disciples had been afforded special insight that wasn’t bestowed on everyone and (2) those that “have (hath)” would gain more, but those that didn’t have (hath not) would be left without a trace. At first glance, Jesus’ answer can appear somewhat troubling: it seems completely unfair.

Why would only some get a blessing, why not everybody?

AND

Why did those that have, get more and those that didn’t have be left with nothing?

Perhaps the key to unraveling this conundrum is to first discover what is this thing that some have, but others don’t have.

For the answer, Matthew 25:14-30 (the Parable of the Talents) provides us with a useful starting point. In particular, let’s examine vv. 25-30

“And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
His lord answered and said unto him, ‘Thou wicked and slothful servant… Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’” ~ Matthew 25: 25, 26a, 28-30

The basic difference between the one that hid the talent and the other servants (who used their talents to gain more) was their ATTITUDE toward their master. And that distinction is so important that it was the deciding factor between salvation and damnation (v. 30). The master had placed each one of them in charge of some of his money, albeit of varying amounts. But, it was their attitude, their disposition, towards their master that determined how they used the money they were allotted.

The servant that refused to try to increase his master’s wealth had be given the least money and, therefore, he had the least risk. With the least to lose, he was best poised to invest the talent. But his bad attitude toward his master blinded him: he could not see/perceive his advantage. Likewise, a bad attitude toward God, prevents us from seeing His grace and mercy.

The servant that hid the talent/money saw his master as unjust (v. 25), he therefore had no faith in his master’s goodness. From his viewpoint, the talent/money his master invested in him was a liability, a burden.

To better understand why attitude is so important, let’s examine Romans 1:18-21:

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” ~ Romans 1:18-21

Everyone receives a “natural”/innate revelation of God (v. 19-20). But some (v. 21) reject/hide/deny that revelation. And those who do so, lose the (“natural”/innate) revelation they had in the first place. They veer off the strait of salvation into the darkness of damnation (their foolish heart was darkened).

However, those who respond correctly to the (“natural”/innate) revelation of God by seeking a greater (i.e., ordained, Biblical) revelation; they gain salvation. The ones who respond correctly do so because they have the right attitude to God: they want to serve Him, they want to please their master.

The servants knew who their master was; they knew his character. The real problem for the servant that hid the talent was that he did not want to work for his master. Our problem with God, is not that God is unknowable, unfair, mysterious, etc. Rather, our problem with God is that serving Him takes us away from our own agenda. If God is my master, then I can’t be my master. If I can’t be my master, if I can’t get my way, then I would rather not do anything. And certainly, I don’t want to do anything to expand His kingdom: to confirm His power over me.

That brings us back to Matthew 13:12.

The people who followed Jesus were mixed in their intentions. Some were seeking God and some were not, e.g., most of the Pharisees had already rejected God. Some had the right attitude, while some wanted to be their own god.

The truth of Jesus’ teaching was meant for and ONLY accessible to those who were seeking God, those who had/hath the right attitude: those who “hath” the desire to serve their Master.

Conversely, the ones who rejected God, the ones that “hath not” the right attitude, were unable to understand Jesus’s teaching. Their minds were darkened (Romans 1:21).

To those who sought God, He gave them understanding (vs. 11). And, as their faith grew, they had even more faith. As they understood Jesus’ Word, they could understand even more. As the served God, their service grew.

For those who had no faith in God, those who were unwilling to serve Him, they lost everything, “their foolish hearts were darkened” and they lost their way.

Grappling with Grace

Published by reflectionsintheword

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are 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 1:3-4

As we discussed earlier, the premise of the Epistle of Jude has already been outlined in the salutation (Jude 1:1-2), where holiness is established as the ongoing work of God in the life of a Believer (i.e., one who has been saved, one who is “born again” John 3:1-21, esp. vv. 3-7).

Now, as the body of Jude’s Epistle begins, in vv. 3-4, Jude explains the reason for the emphasis on holiness (set apart for the service of God). Specifically, Jude is concerned that false teachers have infiltrated the church and are leading Believers into sin in two distinct but closely related ways outlined in v. 4:

“turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness”
“denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

To understand Jude’s distress, it is helpful to first explore the significance of grace and its role in the life of a Believer.

1. GLORIOUS GRACE

1.1 GROUNDS for GRACE

In the early church, grace was a wholly-new, groundbreaking concept. Every other religion had rules/laws that had to be observed for one to be considered a faithful follower (e.g., Judaism had the Mosaic Law). Christianity is different. Christianity says, man cannot be saved by faithfully observing a moral code.

Firstly, a suitable moral code by which to serve God, must come from God Himself. Therefore, all man-made moral codes are disqualified. Secondly, when God provided His moral code (the Mosaic Law) man was unable to observe it faithfully (Romans 3:20, 28; Galatians 2:16, 3:11, Hebrews 7:9). And thirdly, man cannot of himself attain righteousness sufficient to appease God, even if he could follow God’s moral code faithfully (Isaiah 64:6).

Consequently, man can only be saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9) through faith. Specifically, grace means that (when one professes faith in Jesus Christ for salvation) God places His own righteousness on helpless man to save man from God’s impending judgment of man’s sin. Grace, then, enables man to achieve what he could not attain by himself. Thereby, grace supersedes ALL moral codes as the way to obtain salvation (or sanctification).

1.2 GUIDED by GRACE

Now that we have established a working definition of grace, let us explore its impact on the life of a Believer.

The removal of the Law as the way to salvation creates a challenge for Believers, which can be expressed in the form of a question:

“What is required of me if there are no laws to follow?”

This issue was addressed very soon after the fall of man. Adam and Eve were not given any rules to follow after they were expelled from the Garden of Eden, and mankind quickly sank into a sinful state (Genesis 3-6).

One man, however, got it right: Enoch. Enoch walked with God. Without a moral code (i.e., without The Law), Enoch found the key to righteousness: Enoch had a relationship with God (Genesis 5:24). And that, indeed, is what God has always desired (Micah 6:6-8).

Moral codes do not place man’s focus on God, they oblige men to focus on their sins (Romans 3:20, 5:13, 7:5-9). Grace liberates us from a focus on our sins and prompts us to focus on God: to develop a relationship with God in the absence of laws, as Enoch did.

This new emphasis on relationship over rules is illustrated in the passages below:

“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.” ~ 1 Corinthians 10:23-24

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

…Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? …What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? ” ~ 1 Corinthians 6:9-12, 15a, 19

The key point in both passages is “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient”. The Christian navigates life by expedience, not by law. What is expedient for a Believer is whatever the will of God in the circumstance is. A Believer must be guided by a desire to glorify God and to edify his brother.

It is important to note, however, that the verses also make it clear that some things are never expedient, e.g., thievery, adultery, drunkenness, homosexuality, extortion.

How can a Believer distinguish between those things that are expedient and those that are not? The answer lies in studying Scripture (2 Timothy 2:15, 3:16-17) under the tutelage of The Holy Spirit (John 14:26).

Scripture summarizes the points made in this section as follows,

“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

…for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now [that you are saved by grace through faith] yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.” ~ Romans 6:11-15, 19b

2. GARBLED GRACE

Thus far we have established a working definition for grace (God enabling man to live in righteousness) and we have examined the impact of grace in the life of a Believer (Believers live by their relationship with God, not by the law; Believers seek to Glorify God and edify their brethren). However, the transition from law to grace is a stumbling block for many and thus provides an opportunity for false teachers. This is the issue that concerns Jude.

Those who stumble on the foundation of grace, do so in one of two ways. Firstly, some revert to the imagined comforts of legalism: they re-create/re-introduce laws to govern themselves and others. This problem was dealt with extensively in the Epistle to the Galatians, which revealed that even the apostle, Peter, stumbled in this area (Galatians 2:11-21).

Jude, however, is concerned with the other way in which people stumble when dealing with grace, namely, “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness”; and its consequence, “denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ”. Having examined some of the key aspects of grace in the life of a Believer, we can now explore the implications of Jude’s warnings.

2.1 GUTTED GRACE

It is tempting to interpret the replacement of the Law with grace as occasion for a “free-for all”. In other words, some wrongly interpret grace to mean they can do whatever they want to do: they focus solely on “All things are lawful unto me…” and ignore “…but all things are not expedient”. Accordingly, since “all things are lawful” they assume that it is acceptable to indulge in their lusts/passions without restraint. Moreover, they teach others to do likewise (2 Timothy 3, 2 Peter 2).

This had devastating effects on early church, as many were led back into the bondage of iniquity from which salvation had freed them in the first place. It made the conduct of Christians indistinguishable from the society around them. And totally distorted the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Jude therefore, implored Believers to contend, to fight, for the truth of the Gospel message. Otherwise, churches would fail, as they collapsed under the weight of their own immorality. The well-being of the newly emergent church was at stake.

Today, we face a similar challenge. False teachers in the modern church are generally not as blatant as in Jude’s time. However, they are more cunning and, potentially, even more destructive.

One way that the modern form of this teaching takes shape is in the removal/absence of church discipline. Congregations are taught to tolerate serious and often repeated transgressions by both their leaders and fellow congregants/members. The lie taught is that discipline is not necessary since we are “under grace”.

As a result, many church members and church leaders live worldly lives everywhere except, supposedly, for a few hours in church each week, where forgiveness is claimed under grace and discipline is (wrongly) withheld because of grace. And, because of this duplicity/hypocrisy, the Gospel appears ineffectual, ephemeral and impotent.

Grace is not a loophole for immorality: Grace is given to lift us out of immorality, not to enable it. God is gracious and gives grace to His children; but God is also holy will judge unrighteousness.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” ~ Galatians 6:7-8

To wed grace to immorality is to rob grace of its power to uplift and transform us.

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” ~ Romans 5:1-3

God gives us grace to stand in righteousness, not to wallow in immorality.

Rather than turn a “blind eye”, churches must discipline both their leaders and their congregants when they are living openly in sin. And this discipline includes removal from offices held in the church and even removal from fellowship (1 Corinthians 5) until it is clear that the sin is put away (2 Corinthians 2:4-11).

For the church to be strong witness, salt and light in the broader community, the church must also be holy. When the holiness of the church is compromised, the effectiveness of the church is diminished.

More broadly, being under grace does not excuse our laziness for serving God. Being under grace does not excuse our love of money, or our gluttony, or our lack of generosity, or our pride, or our materialism, etc. Rather, Scripture instructs us:

“…not using your liberty [i.e., grace] for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.” ~ 1 Peter 2:16

Being under grace does not mean we can live as we please. It is the unsaved, the un-regenerated, the rebellious man that lives as he pleases; not the born-again, child of God.

We must contend for our faith, by fighting for holiness, standing against false teaching and demonstrating, by the lives we live, the truth of the Gospel: that it is possible for a man to live for God, it is possible to be holy.

2.2 GROTESQUE GRACE

Jude’s second concern was that false teachers were “denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” This problem is a natural consequence of “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness”. Since grace disqualifies the law, some argue, wrongly, that the lawmaker is likewise disqualified. The false teaching would then be “Since there are no rules, there is no Rule-Maker (i.e., God); so I will be the rule-maker (i.e., god)”. This was satan’s ploy from the beginning:

“For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods…” ~ Genesis 3:5

In arguing that grace meant they could make their own rules, false teachers in Jude’s day were effectively, making themselves equal to God. They were denying the unique authority of God as Creator and of Jesus Christ as Saviour. This is idolatry.

Sadly, just as in Jude’s time, it is common today for both church leaders and laity, to make up their own rules, independently of the teachings of the Bible, God’s Word. This denies the authority and thereby the deity of God and the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

For example, many churches are becoming increasingly accepting of practicing homosexuals as brothers/sisters in good-standing, even though Scripture explicitly declares it abominable to God (e.g., Romans 1:18-30). Similarly, many churches/church-leaders have accepted pre-marital sex as a norm, rather than rejecting it as sin. Again, many modern churches have long gone silent on biblical teaching about materialism; and the oppression of the poor by the wealthy. Thereby, the church tacitly denies God’s authority in these issues. This is idolatry.

The modern church rarely reminds Believers of our obligation to care for the widows and orphans: single-mothers and their fatherless children. Few churches talk about immodesty, gluttony or pride, effectively confirming them as acceptable norms for Believers. Scripture describes it this way:

“For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” ~ 2 Timothy 3:2-5

To turn ourselves into rule-makers, to deny/ignore the truths in God’s Word, is to deny the deity and authority and power of God the Father, and Jesus Christ the Son. This is idolatry.

We must contend for our faith, by fighting for holiness, standing against false teaching and demonstrating, by the obedient lives we live, the truth of the Gospel: that it is possible for a man to live for God, it is possible to be holy.

There is hope for holiness, fight for it.

Say Hello to Holiness

Published by reflectionsintheword

“Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.” ~ Jude 1:1-2

In the opening salutation (verses 1-2) of Jude, the target audience is clearly defined: those who are sanctified AND preserved AND called. In doing so, the salutation also reveals that there are three ways in which God works in the life of a Believer. And, thereby, it provides the basis for the remainder of the letter.

SANCTIFIED

Sanctification is the act of being made clean: being made holy. Man cannot make himself holy, only God the Father can do so. There is a role for us to keep ourselves pure (2 Timothy 2:21), but holiness is imparted by God.

“Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel. And [God the Father] answered and spoke unto those that stood before Him, saying, ‘Take away the filthy garments from [Joshua].’ And unto [Joshua] He said, ‘Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.’” ~ Zechariah 3:3-4

God the Father makes us holy.

PRESERVED

Preservation means keeping something from decay or deterioration. Jude reveals that preservation of Believers is the job of Jesus Christ. This is perhaps best demonstrated when Jesus washed His disciples feet (John 13:5-10). As Jesus told Simon Peter (verse 10), the washed (i.e., the saved) had no need to be washed (saved) again, except for their feet. The feet symbolizes the Believer’s interaction with the world: as believers go about their day, even as they serve God, we sin.

Imperfection, deviation from God’s perfect will, is as pervasive as dust. So Jesus washes our feet he preserves us from deterioration. Without washing, our feet would quickly become so filthy that it would be difficult to walk on them, and they would be natural harbors for bacteria, leading to disease and infection. Likewise, without Jesus washing sin from our lives, our interactions with the world around us, our witness, becomes filthy and impeded, diseased and infected.

“…Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” ~ Ephesians 5:25b-27

God the Father makes us holy, Jesus keeps us holy.

CALLED

In this context, “called” means appointed to serve (1 Corinthians 1:1-2). Holiness in the life of a Believer is not an end in itself. We are made holy to be used by God. Indeed, that was the problem of asceticism and certain forms of monasticism practiced by the early church and still in evidence today.

Far too often, Believers are lulled to sleep or driven to distraction by the notion of attaining and maintaining purity/holiness. As Jesus taught in Matthew 5:15, a hidden light is useless: the point of lighting a candle is to use it for light.

The point of making a vessel holy is to use it in the worship of God, for the glorification of God (Numbers 7:1-3, 2 Timothy 2:21). A calling—i.e., a ministry/service—is an integral part of holiness. Without a calling, without a ministry, holiness becomes pointless and impotent. Jesus put it this way:

“Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” ~ John 15:8

God the Father makes us holy (sanctification), Jesus keeps us holy (preservation), so that we can serve properly.

MERCY, PEACE and LOVE

Jude completes the doctrinal architecture by coupling sanctification, preservation and calling with their enablers/facilitators.

God’s mercy makes it possible for us to receive sanctification. We do not deserve and cannot earn or manufacture our own holiness. Therefore we can only obtain it through mercy.

“Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.” ~ Exodus 15:13

Being at peace with Jesus, being on His team, being His disciple, makes it possible for Him to preserve us, to keep us clean. Jesus only washed His disciples’ feet. (And Judas’ foot-wash never mattered, see John 13:10-11, since Judas had never gotten a “bath”: Judas was not saved. Therefore, he could neither be sanctified nor preserved; and was not one of the called).

“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” ~ 2 Peter 3:14

Love is the reason we are called and the reason we respond to God’s call. God wants to demonstrate His love to mankind, and He works through the lives of Believers to do it. We respond to God’s call because as children of God we also love our fellowmen.

“We love him, because he first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.” ~ 1 John 4:19-21

Mercy makes sanctification (holiness) possible, peace makes preservation possible, and love makes service/ministry (our calling) possible.

CLOSING REMARKS

The stage has now been set, the paradigm has now been constructed. For the rest of the epistle, Jude is going to talk about holiness. Especially, Jude will emphasize the importance of preserving/maintaining holiness so that the church can be an effective witness for Christ in an immoral society.

The Ten Commandments

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Will you Pass on the Faith Baton?

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“By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.” ~ Hebrews 11:20

Isaac’s special inheritance from his father, Abraham, was a “promissory note”: Abraham bequeathed to his son God’s promise that the land of Canaan would belong to his descendants some distant time in the future.

Isaac was then to stay in a land that was not yet his, living among people that hated him (Genesis 26:27).
(More on Isaac’s life can be found in Genesis 25-26)

POINTS to PONDER

The test of Isaac’s faith was whether he would pass on the “promissory note” to his children. We ONLY pass on the things we truly believe in.
Isaac spent his whole life among people that hated him, because they saw God’s blessing was upon him.
Much of Isaac’s life was predetermined for him, from his birth: Isaac was born as the son of God’s promise to Abraham: he had obligations and expectations to live up to.
Abraham was called to begin something new. Isaac was called to maintain what had already begun.

QUESTIONS to QUICKEN

► Believer’s have also “inherited” a “promissory note”: The Promise of Jesus’ return, The Promise of inheriting His Kingdom. Like Isaac, the test of our faith is whether or not we will pass on Jesus’ Promise. Have you passed on The Promise to your children? Have you passed on The Promise to anyone? Are you actively trying to pass on The Promise? Do you really believe in The Promise?

► Isaac’s neighbors knew who Isaac worshiped. Isaac’s neighbors could see in Isaac’s life, the evidence of Isaac’s faith. And they hated him for it. Jesus’ told his disciples that the world would hate them just as it hated Him. But they were to live in the world among “the haters” and be salt and light in their communities. Have your neighbors seen God at work in your life?? Can they see the difference in you? Are you willing to stand up for God in a sea of opposition? Are you willing to spend the rest of your life swimming against the tide?

► Whose path are you walking on? Are you seeking out the path God has laid out for you (Ephesians 2:10)? Or, are you making your own path? Are you setting your children on God’s path? Or, are you letting them “choose for themselves”? ONLY one path leads to true and lasting happiness: ONLY one path has God on it. God expects His children to walk on the path He set for them.

► Is your ministry one of creating or maintaining? God uses both pioneers and settlers, seed-planters and plant-waterers, in the work of His church. In the Bible, Paul was primarily a pioneer, an evangelist. But Timothy and Titus were given the tasks of being settlers, pastors. Paul planted the seeds, while Timothy and Titus watered and tended the plants that sprung up. God called Abraham to get the ball rolling and then God called Isaac to keep it going. What has God called you to do?

http://menonamission.org/

Obedience Fashions the Foundation for Fortitude

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“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Whosoever… heareth my sayings, and doeth them… is like a man which built a house, and dug deep, and laid the foundation on a rock…
But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth [sand]…” ~ Luke 6:46-49

POINTS to PONDER

Jesus is our Lord ONLY to the extent that we obey Him. The person whose will we obey is our “Lord”.
Obedience establishes a Believer: Obedience fashions the foundation for fortitude: a successful/victorious Christian life.
Obedience is the POINT of Bible-studies/devotions/sermons/music/etc.: We study the Bible (God’s Word) to obey it.
Without obedience, Bible-studies/devotions/sermons/music/etc. are useless.

Bible study (hearing God’s Word) is THE critical 1st step towards doing Gods will: fulfilling the purpose for which God made us. However, without the equally crucial 2nd step of obedience, Bible study, by itself, is impotent; making no lasting change in our lives.

QUESTIONS to QUICKEN

► Who is Lord of your life? Whose will do you obey? Do you do things as you see fit? Or, do you do what the Bible says is right? Who is Lord of your life?

► How much of what you have learned in church, Sunday school, personal devotions/Bible-study have you put into practice?

► Do you need more Bible-study or more obedience? What will have the greater impact in your life now, more Bible-study or more Bible-obedience?

CLOSING COMMENTS

The modern church is awash with Biblical teaching. Despite the presence of many false teachers, the Believer who is truly seeking God can find many helpful resources online, in books or on the radio. God has preserved the works of many good Bible teachers/expositors over the past 200+ years. And there are a good number of excellent teachers still around today.

The modern church does not suffer, primarily, from a lack of teaching: the modern church suffers from a lack of obedience. The failure of the church today is that Believers refuse to practice the teachings of Scripture: we make every excuse to do the opposite of what the Bible teaches. We will only be able to stand up to the fierce storms of life if we have a foundation built on obedience to God’s Word.

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholds himself, and goes his way, and straightway forgets what manner of man he was. But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” ~ James 1:22-25

http://menonamission.org/