"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:"

            The writer identifies himself as Jude, the servant of the Jesus Christ and the brother of James. The New Testament mentions four men by the name Judas. In Acts 9:11 Ananias is told to go to Judas' home and seek to Saul of Tarsus. Another Judas is mentioned in Acts 15:22 who bore the surname "Barsabas" but nothing beyond this statement is know of him.

            There were two Apostles named Judas, Judas Iscariot (Matt. 26:14-16) and another Judas who was know as Lebbeus and Thaddeus. (Matt. 10:3). Luke 6:16 and Acts 1:13 identifies this Apostle as "Judas the brother of James" and it was he would wrote this small Epistle.

            Some have questioned who was the James that was Judas' brother. There are several James's mentioned in the New Testament. One was the Apostle John's brother and there was the son of Alphaeus. (Luke 6:14-15) Jude in identifying himself as the "brother of James" stated his relationship with his well known brother James who was the half brother of the Lord Jesus. Judas was a very common name and in noting himself as the brother James the Lord's half brother, those who read the Epistle would know who he was and accept his letter.

            Like Jesus's half brother James in his Epistle, Jude does not state his relationship to the Lord. Both half brothers rather humbly simply state they are the "servants" of the Jesus Christ. The word both brothers use is "doulos" meaning a slave. It refers to either an involuntary or one who was voluntary bond slave having sold himself into slavery or servitude to a master. Clearly in this case they sold themselves into the Lord's service voluntarily when they believed and received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

            Jude states that he is addressing the letter to those who are "sanctified by God the Father." The word sanctify means to make holy or to purify being set apart for God's use and special service. Many things in the Bible were said to be sanctified. The Sabbath Day was sanctified by God, meaning set apart for special service (Gen. 2:3). The Tabernacle and its furniture was set apart as the place of God's presence and for worship (Exod. 29:43, Lev. 8:10). Jesus was sanctified by the Father (John 10:36); food is sanctified when offered in prayer (1 Tim. 4:5). The believer is instructed to sanctify God in his heart (1 Pet. 3:15). Sanctification does not mean to purify or to make sinless, but to set apart something for God and for His service.

            In relation to the Christian, sanctification refers to being set apart unto God from sin. There are three distinctly different aspects of this sanctification which refer to time. The believers has past, present, and future sanctification. Every Christian can say, "I have been sanctified; I am being sanctified; I will yet be sanctified."

PAST SANCTIFICATION means the believer is already positionally set apart in Christ (Acts. 20:32; 1 Cor. 1:2; 1:30; 6:9-11; Heb. 10:10,14). At the new birth, every believer is eternally sanctified in Christ, is brought from the power of the devil into the family of God (John 1:14; Gal. 4:4-6), from the devil's kingdom into Christ's kingdom (Col. 1:12,13); from the old creation into the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). This sanctification is an eternal reality, and is based on a new spiritual position the Christian has in Jesus Christ. The Corinthian believers were far from sinless, yet they were called saints and were said to have been sanctified (1 Cor. 1:2,30). In this sense, the Christian can say, "I AM sanctified in Christ."
PRESENT SANCTIFICATION is the process by which the Holy Spirit gradually changes the believer's life to give victory over sin. This is practical sanctification. This is Christian growth, putting away sin and putting on godliness (Rom. 6:19,22; 1 Thess. 4:3,4; 1 Pet. 1:14-16). This present process of sanctification never ends in this life (1 John. 1:8-10). The Christian must resist sin until he is taken from this world at death or at the return of Christ. In this sense, the Christian can say, "I AM BEING sanctified by God's power."
FUTURE SANCTIFICATION is the perfection the believer will enjoy at the resurrection (1 Thess. 5:23). At Christ's coming, every believer will receive a new body that will have no sin. The Christian will no longer have to resist sin within or to grow toward perfection. His sanctification will be complete. He will be wholly and forever set apart to God from sin. In this sense, the Christian WILL BE sanctified at Christ's return.¹

            Jude states that believers are also "preserved" in Jesus Christ. The word used is "tereo" which is an interesting word. It denotes a continuing (aorist) action of watching and guarding and keeping one's eye something. Vines says, "The aorist tense regards the continuous "preservation" of the believer as a single, complete act, without reference to the time occupied in its accomplishment." ¹

             This stresses the absolute security of the believer in Jesus Christ. We are assured by the Lord that we are forever His and have received eternal life. Twenty six times in the New Testament God states the believer has eternal life. An additional ten times this word is translated "everlasting life" stating the believer is assured of an unending salvation. The word is aionios and means something that perpetual or without end.

            The book of Jude was written in the period of 70-80 A.D. near the end of the First Century. At lest three decades had passed since the Lord Jesus returned to heaven. It has been said that the Book of Acts described the beginning of the institution of the local church and Jude deals with the ending or the end of the Church Age. The whole of the book deals with apostasy and a turning away from the faith. Thus the subject of the Book of Jude is extremely serious and must be carefully studied.

            In Luke 18:1-8, the Lord Jesus told a parable of a woman who persistently appealed to the ruling judge to avenge her of an adversary. This unjust judge being wearied by the widow's pleading, finally agreed to avenge her. Jesus then said "And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:7-8 ). This refers to the state of truth at the end of the coming seven year Tribulation which ends with the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Although innumerable people will be saved during these seven years, most will be martyred by the forces of the Antichrists and the False prophet. Jesus' reference though is the fact that only a remnant of true believers will remain alive at His Second Coming. There will be great religion on earth, lead by the False prophet, but because of the growing apostasy religion will be devoid of truth.

            Paul warned Timothy that there was coming a time when people would not abide sound doctrine. Paul said in 2 Timothy 4:1-5 "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." Thus Paul speaks of the trend towards apostasy which means that once sound churches will turn from God's turn unto false doctrine. This apostasy will be marked by people who turn from the true worship of God to a worship of carnality. In other words these church change from preaching God's word and edifying the Body of Christ to one of satisfying the "lust of the flesh." These churches and people, "heap" meaning to magnify, to themselves smooth (itching ears) talking false teachers compromise and then abandon God's word to please the people. Without question we in 2005 are seeing the results of the trend that began many years ago. The Charismatic/Pentecostal movements have rejected sound doctrine and have changed the worship of Almighty God into a show where people coming in to services that are akin to ungodly rock music concerts.

            Mainline Protestant denominations who in the past held some semblance of truth have totally abandoned God word and teach the heresy of a works plus grace salvation. Many of these denominations are ordaining women preachers in clear violation of God's word. Even worse they are meeting in order to vote on whether they will allow homosexuals and lesbians to officiate as pastors and their priests. With growing furor this trend has already destroyed many churches and without question in a short time will render these group devoid of any biblical truth.

            Jude lastly states that believers are "called." The word Jude uses is kletos and refers to one who is invited or summoned. 1 Corinthians 1:9 says "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." Jesus in Revelation 3:20 states that He stands knocking at our hearts door seeking to save us from our sins. Revelation 3:20 "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Luke 19:10 states, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." Thus God has called all men to come and receive the salvation through Jesus Christ the Lord. The calling is the preaching of the Gospel, the Good news that Jesus the Christ has come and He suffered and died for our sins and was resurrected on the third day, victorious over sin and death. Thus because of His atoning work, a man by simple faith in Jesus Christ can be forgiven of their sins and received eternal life.

"Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied."

            The believer receives salvation by the mercy of God. This is the result of God's love for us as His creation. There is no more profound truth in God's word than the fact of the love God has extended to man. Yet, all men to do not reap the benefit of His love because they separate themselves from God. He offers totally forgiveness of sins and eternal life, but He does not force it upon us. Many a child has broken the hearts of their parents by rejecting their love and rebelling against them. This is the same thing that most men do. God offers His love freely and generously, however few accept His love and the resulting benefits His love brings.

            God's love is limited by His the fact He is also just in all things. The sin debt man owes the Lord Jesus Christ has paid. However, the payment can only be applied to those who will accept it. If a person rejects God, he rejects the only mean there is to pay for his sins. God's only requirement for a man is to believe Him when He says He is our Savior and that He suffered and died for our sins and that He arose from the dead and defeated both sin and death for us.

            Jude in his salutation extends his well wishes for those who would read his epistle by first wishing for them that they have experienced the wonderful mercy of God. Mercy is only needed by those that are guilty and have experienced sin. The word "mercy" addresses need for relief from the misery that sins causes. All sin has a destructive effect in our lives and Jude is wishing that believers would experience God's comfort from sin. This would naturally apply to the believer, but it would also apply to those around us. Other men's sins effect us also. Sin makes a victim of the one committing the sin and also those to whom come in contact with the sinner.

            Jude continues by stating his desire that their peace and love be multiplied. The peace of God is available to the one who believes and puts their trust in Jesus Christ. (See John 14:27) Romans 5:1-2 states this truth, "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." That peace is something that the unsaved man cannot understand.

            Paul said in Philippians 4:6-7 "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." God gives the Christian a new nature which can experience this unexplainable peace that comes with salvation. The child of God knows that whatever his circumstance his will always be in God's family, brought and paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ. He has the assurance that God will keep him and see him safely to heaven.(See 2 Tim. 1:12, 1 Peter 1:3-4) This is especially meaningful because we know that we are all sinners and prone to fail. Yet, we have God sure promise never to forsake us. (See Heb. 13:5)

            Though we have the peace of God in our hearts it does not mean that we automatically experience the comfort that peace brings. Paul explains this in Romans 8:6 "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." There is not peace for the person who is carnally minded whether they are a Christian or not. In Galatians 5:22 the Lord says that one of the fruits of the Spirit is peace and verse 25 states if a believer is in fact saved and living in the Spirit, we ought also to walk in the Spirit. Clearly, a believer can live apart of the Lord and that is why Ephesians 5:18 says, "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit." Therefore the word of God reveals that every child of God has the ability to fully experience God's peace in their lives. His is also true that sin will cause us to lose our peace. By receiving the mercy of God we can be cleansed of our sinning and know God's perfect peace. (See 1 John 1:9) Peace then is multiplied when one who knows the Lord lives their lives obediently and purely for the Lord Jesus Christ.

            Love too is multiplied by the same process. Loving others is not automatic but is based on a person's conscious commitment to desire and work for the welfare of others. Ephesians 5:2 presents this encouraging us to ". . . walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour." Both peace and love come from the quality of one's walk in Christ. Both grow in the fertile soil of a contrite heart which directs the believer in obedience and commitment to God.

            No one can serve God apart from serving others. The one who has experienced God's love and is grateful for it, will then past the love they received on to others. Biblical love, (Agape love) is the sincere desire for the well being of others that is placed into action.

"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."

            No pastor or teacher likes to dwell on the negative, but rather prefers to exhort or uplifting his hears. It is much more cheerful to talk about the positive things in God's word, and a positive message is more likely to please the audience. But in reality the Bible has more negative things to say than positive. Jesus spoke more about hell than He did about heaven. The largest percentage of His teaching was in warning against sin and disobedience to God. When Jesus began His ministry of teaching and performing miracles great numbers of people followed Him. His theme was of the coming kingdom God had promised the Jews. It along with His feeding the people was well received. However, when He began to rebuke the Jewish leaders and people of their sin and hypocrisy they began to leave Him in mass. The religious leaders even began to plot to kill Him. His message, like ours should be today, was one of hope, salvation and also warning them about the people of consequences of sin.

            Jude states his heart's desire was to write on the subject of their common salvation in Jesus Christ. However, because many were turning away from the faith there was a great need to bring to their remembrance the growing apostasy and challenge them to earnestly contend for the faith.

            He begins by addressing them as "beloved." The term refers to people loved by God and also by the writer. It is a term of special endearment used of people one is close too and has a special relationship. The word carries the meaning of someone deeply caring for another person. Using the title authenticates the importance of what the writer is about to say in the letter. The word says, "Following is a message that comes from the heart, shows my concern for you and is one of great importance."

            He reminds them of the need to "contend for the faith once delivered unto the saint." It is a sad fact that as time progresses professing Christians and churches abandon their heritage and the truth they once held. They buy into the idea that, the things which were done in the past is of little or no value today. Truth and doctrine become "old fashion" and modern self proclaimed intellectuals belittle their biblical heritage with their new ideas they claim are better. They promote the idea that everything in the past is outdated and has been made ineffective by time. For example, the hymns of the faith, based on the word of God that, nourished and uplifted the saints of God for decades is now boring. So these new "leaders" lead their congregation to sing catchy entertaining two or three line choruses that do not present Scripture, but are rather only little religious clichés. In most cases the first thing to go is spiritual discernment which is followed by a decline in the church's music and is accompanied by weak water down preaching. Thus the pulpit becomes a stage for the preacher to entertain his audience and by this time God has long ago left the congregation. God will not be a party to apostasy and a watering down of His word.

            Barnes makes an excellent statement concerning the men who come into churches and lead them astray. "The apostle (Jude) now gives a reason for thus defending the truth, to wit, that there were artful and wicked men who had crept into the church, pretending to be religious teachers, but whose doctrines tended to sap the very foundations of truth." ¹ The fact these false teachers were able to creep into a church shows the shepherd of the church and/or the people had let their guard down. They clearly were complacent and content watchmen sleep on the job.

            The word "ordained" means it was "fore written." The Lord Jesus warns us of these "wolves in sheep's clothing:

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them"(Matthew 7:15-20).

            Paul also warned of this coming turning from the faith:

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils" (1 Timothy 4:1 ).

            Churches are rarely destroyed from outside. It is the Devil's cunning trick to send in a uncalled man who is poorly trained and equipped for the ministry. The "hirelings" having no call of God rather aspire to the ministry as a profession. They are smooth talkers and trained often well versed in modern psychology. There message is weak and watery and contains no meat. In order to hold the crowd they turn to music and emotion.

            It behooves every church of God that loves the Lord and His word to be on guard.   Satan has such a man readily and available to move and take over every sound biblical church. These outward charismatic preachers change the grace of God into lasciviousness which means something indecent, wanton and without restraint. ¹

             Can anyone deny that we can see this every day on the show called "Christian TV Networks" on which the TV evangelists hawk their false health and wealth gospel. These evil men are well received by the public, which is attest to by the millions of dollars they receive. They have disgraced the word of God and the Lord's wonderful grace and turned it into a con to make riches for themselves. Many of these are women who blatantly take the position of a preacher of the gospel in defiance of God's stated word that He never calls a woman to be a preacher.

            The acts of leading God's people away from the truth means they deny the Lord and Jesus Christ. They clearly have no fear of God and trample on God's word as if it were dirt. Their hearts are seared as if with a hot iron to the acceptance of biblical truth. They use the Bible stealing from it familiar phrases and passages which they twist into tools to aid their deception. Most of the all the while speaking in glowing terms of how much the love the Lord.

            In Paul's instructions to Titus he admonished him to hold fast to God's truth. Titus 1:9-11 "Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake."

            The last phrase of the above verse gives the main motive these people in the name of God actually deny Him. They do so for the sake of "filthy lucre" or money. They have sold their souls to the Devil and they reward is filthy money.

"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."

            As Jesus warned in Matthew 7:15 there are men, who are false teachers and the actual enemies of God who will come into a congregation of God's people to destroy them by corrupting God's truth. Jesus said they are wolves who come in sheep's clothing to disguise their true identity and intent.

"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."

            "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" (Jude 5-7).

            God's past blessing does not assure that He will continue to bless when people follow false teachers and go into apostasy and reject God by their unbelief. At Kadeshbarnea, God's man, Moses, told them of God's plan and of His promise to give them the land. But the people listened to the nine faithless and unbelieving spies. Rather than believe God's word, delivered to them by Moses, who was without question God's prophet, they followed the ungodly spies who denied God.

             This is the warning of Jude. God's people must be discerning and believe God or suffer the consequences. With God's people it is not a matter of not knowing God's will and truth, because we have God's word which clearly instructs us. However, the problem is that faithless men ignore God's promises and allow themselves to be deceived. Today there are many faithful men in God's pulpits preaching God's truth and warning their congregations of sin and disobedience. Yet, often comes along a "nice" more impressive leader and with eloquent speech cunningly leads the people astray. The result will always be the same as it was with Israel. God destroyed not only the unrighteous spies, but all the unbelievers in Israel and this is a solemn warning that He will do so whenever people reject Him.

"Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves."

            A professor of mine told the account of a young woman who attended the same Christian college he did. She was the epitome of a Christian. She dressed right, talked right, lived right and was in the limelight as the perfect example of a born again young woman. Several years later it was learned after she left the school she was found on Bourbon Street in New Orleans working as a stripper. She is a perfect example of an apostate. She knew the truth and even lived for a time by God's principles, but she willingly turned her back on God and went the way of Satan.

"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. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen."

"Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core."

            Jude associates the sin of these false teachers using three Old Testament characters. Each one of these mentioned had a particular sin that marked their lives in opposing God and misleading God's people.

"These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever."

            The feast that Jude refers to where called "love feast" and are addressed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:20-22. The verse is saying these people, who were at their love feasts, were "spots" in their fellowship. A spot normally thought of a is something that has contaminated what otherwise would be pure. Here the word refers to a hidden rock or reef under the sea that could rip the bottom out of a ship. The false teacher is an ever present danger lurking just out of sight waiting to destroy the unwary ship.

"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage."

            It is interesting that Jude mentions that Enoch, who was the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied of the coming of these apostate teachers. Genesis 5:24 say of Enoch, "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." He was unique because he pleased God and the Lord took him to heaven directly and he did not see death.

"But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh."

            If the letter had stopped at verse 16 surely the believer would be left discouraged and frustrated at learning of the power of the apostates in working against truth and the gospel. It is always deserting to know that one's church can be so easily penetrated by those that follow Satan and who disrupt the work of God. On one wants to learn there may be traitors in their group.

"Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. (Jude 1:24-25)"

          "Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen" (Jude 24-25).

1. David W. Cloud, Way of Life Encyclopedia, CD version, 2000.

2. W.E. Vines, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Nashville:Thomas Nelson, 1985, p485.

3. Albert Barnes, Barnes', Barnes' Notes on the New Testaments, SwordSeacher 4.5 Bible software, Jude 4. 4. Vines, p353. December 2005

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