Jude: by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit

Jude 1-25

Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, To those who have been called, who are loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.

Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.  And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

Yet these people slander whatever they do not understand, and the very things they do understand by instinct—as irrational animals do—will destroy them.

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

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

Though he had wanted to write 'about the salvation we share', Jude writes, instead, urging the Christians to hold fast to the truth. For 'certain men' have infiltrated the group and are now creating division by their false teaching. These men are so arrogant as to deny Christ. And Christian freedom has been turned into license.

Jude reminds his readers of examples from Jewish history and tradition: those who fall away or give themselves up to pride or lust will suffer God's judgment.

These men reject authority. But they are marked out for destruction - as Sodom and Gomorrah were for their sexual immorality and perversion: as Cain was for murdering the brother whose life showed up his own; as Balaam was for betraying his position as a prophet, and as Korah was for his rebellion against God-given authority. The examples are carefully chosen. These are the very things of which these teachers are guilty.

Jude's intention is to stiffen resistance to such a teacher. The Christians are not defenseless, but they must make full use of their defenses. They must build on 'the faith' - that definitive body o truth they have been taught. They must pray and use the power of the Holy Spirit. They must live in the light of Christ's coming again There is no need to be afraid or despair, for God is indeed able to keep them from falling.

Why?

A wonderful reminder to every Christian, there are many sinners around us even in the church. Keep our faith in Christ and know the truth to defend the false teaching.

沒有雨的雲，只有外表。沒有果子的樹：將要死亡。海裏的狂妄： 虛有其表。流星：稍縱即逝。共同特點都是假的。

猶大引用偽經，當時大家都知道的事，就是偽經都指出未來有審判，可見此事為真，只想到自己的需要，只有外表，雖然信主已久。

一、在神的證話語中好好扎根。在聖靈中禱告，求神幫助我們更新生命、仰望神的憐憫。不是只讀經，讓知識變成生命、力量。

二、我們無時無刻都需要神的憐憫！去幫助那快要跌倒或是已經跌倒的人，1)心裏存疑的人2)在火當中的人

三、存懼怕的心憐憫他們，有可能我們去幫忙的時候也有可能被沾染、影響。

這個祝福中是有保證的。

How?

Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire. God is love to everyone!