Inductive Study: Jude 19

These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.

Jude 19

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You! Thank You for the many blessings this week. Please continue to encourage my daughter on her chosen path.  Please continue to live in my son and direct him on how to balance life-work-school-church balance.  Please calm our anxieties.  Help us to focus on you.  Please be with me on this study.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Jude takes another opportunity to describe these false teachers.  To bring deeper understanding to today's text, let's examine some key words and their companion or similar verses.

"Sensual" in the Greek is psuchikos which means animal, worldly minded, natural instincts, natural, sensuous, apart from God's in working of faith, behavior more of earth than of heaven, corrupt desires and affections, appetite for passions, carnal.  "These" refers to the mockers in the previous verse.  These people are the scoffers, false teachers, and deriders.  They speak, taunt, ridicule in a scornfully way.  They express contempt for God.  They tease or laugh in a contemptuous manner.  They feel that God is beneath consideration and is worthless.  These haughty people are also consumed with an appetite for animal, corrupt, and carnal passions.

"Cause divisions" in the Greek is apodiorizo which means make a distinction, invidious (likely to cause resentment or anger since unjust or unfair) distinctions, divide by limits, separate, disjoin, draw boundaries, making divisions or separations.  This is the only time that this word is used in the Bible.  These false teachers encourage resentment that causes feelings of unfairness or injustice which lead to congregations breaking up or splitting.

"Having" in the Greek is echo which means hold, possess, regard, consider, keep, comprise, involve.  "Not" in the Greek is me which means not, lest, negates the underlying idea, ruling out possibilities.  These people don't have something.   They are devoid of it. 

"Spirit" in the Greek is pneuma which means wind, breath, movement of air (gentle blast), breath of nostrils or mouth, Holy spirit, human soul that has left the body, the power by which a human feels-thinks-wills-decides (soul), divine nature of Christ, God's power and agency.  Romans 8:9 states "But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His."  Philippians 3:3 states "For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."  The false teachers are devoid of God. 

From this passage, I have to ask myself.  Am I driven and directed by my worldly minded passions?  What is my focus?  If I don't live my life and see the world through God's lenses, I can loose my way.  I can be captured by the world which is consumed with sensuous things.  Money and things never fulfill, but serving God does.

Do my actions and speech cause divisions in the Church?  When I speak of the Church, I'm not talking about a congregation of people but God's church.  For when you speak Truth, you will cause divisions.  God's Word is sharper than a two edged sword.  As part of His Church, the world will always be watching and hoping for a fall.  So, don't ever think that no one is watching or listening - they are - especially if you cut them off in traffic.  That bumper sticker was a good idea at the time.

Finally, no one said that life was going to be fair.  If it was, all of us would be condemned - that is the fair justice required for our sin.  Condemnation is the impartial and just treatment without favoritism or discrimination.  But thank God, that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."  Resist the resentment that the world pushes on you.  Focus on God's greatest gift, Christ.  Let the Holy Spirit direct and empower you for whatever task God has for you.

These are the ones who are [agitators] causing divisions—worldly-minded [secular, unspiritual, carnal, merely sensual—unsaved], devoid of the Spirit.

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Inductive Study: Jude 18

how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.

Jude 18

Dear Heavenly Father, please hear my prayer.  As our nation recovers from the hurricanes, help us to serve sacrificially, help us be uncomfortable.  Convict us to see the world through Your eyes.  Please be with my children as they progress to adulthood.  Help them to be focused on You and rely on You.  Direct them, show them Your will in their lives.  Help me to focus on Your Word and apply it it to my life.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Jude reminds us that we've been told about these false teacher before they ever appeared.  To bring deeper understanding to today's text, let's examine some key words and their companion or similar verses.

"Told" in the Greek is lego which means denoting speech in progress, mean, mention, tell, laying an argument to rest, moving it to conclusion, bringing to closure, narrate, describe.  "They" in this text are the apostles, God's delegates.  The apostles will close God's argument by reminding us that we've already been told about these false teachers.

"Mockers" in the Greek is empiaktes which means scoffer, a false teacher, derider.  Someone who "scoffs" speaks, taunts, ridicules in a scornfully way.  They express contempt for God.  They tease or laugh in a contemptuous manner.  They feel that God is beneath their consideration and is worthless.  This word only appears twice in the Bible, here in Jude and in 2 Peter.  2 Peter 3:3 states "knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts."

King Solomon describes scoffers in various ways in Proverbs.  Proverbs 21:24 states "A proud and haughty man— 'Scoffer' is his name; He acts with arrogant pride."  Proverbs 24:9 states "The devising of foolishness is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to men."  Proverbs 29:8 states "Scoffers set a city aflame, but wise men turn away wrath."  These false teachers are arrogant, haughty, proud, foolish, and cause disgust and hatred.

"Last" in the Greek is eschatos which means finally, to the end, at the last, final, extreme end, furthest, last day, nearest to the return of Christ and consummation of His divine kingdom.  "Time" in the Greek is chrono which means season, particular time, succession of moments.  "The last time" is a succession of moments that lead to the return of Jesus Christ and His eventual victory.

"Walk" in the Greek is poreuomai which means travel, journey, go, transport, moving something from one destination to another, reaching a destination that has personal meaning.  "Ungodly" in the Greek is asebeia which means impiety, irreverence, wickedness, lack of respect, refusing to give honor where it is due, deep desire to do ungodly deeds.  "Lusts" in the Greek is epithumia is made of two words:  Epi which means focus on and thymos which means a passionate desire.  Therefore, epithumia means eagerness for, excited desire, excessive lust, passion built on strong desires, impulses, coveting, focus on passionate desire.

God's envoys concluded that there would be arrogant false teachers who ridicule and taunt God in ways that show their belief that God is worthless.  In the days before Christ's return, these mockers will live without respect for God and passionately following uncontrollable urges. 

In calling out the scoffers, Jude reminds us not to be haughty, full of ourselves, prideful.  We need to stay grounded in the Word and serving Christ.  Jude also reminds us to not act on urges pressed into us by the world.  We need to focus on Christ and obey the Holy Spirit and not the world. 

They used to say to you, “In the last days there will be scoffers, following after their own ungodly passions.”

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Inductive Study: Jude 17

But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 

Jude 17 

Dear Heavenly Father, please be with all the people impacted by Hurricane Irma.  Please take away all their cares, attitudes, and worries.  Please comfort, encourage, and meet their needs.  Help them to see and believe on You.  Protect all the first responders, linemen, police, firefighters, doctors and nurses as they are Your hands and feet in this recovery.  Please be with the volunteers – help them to shine Christ so many will believe and have hope.  I thank You for protecting my family, my work and my church during and after the storm.  Help me to concentrate on You during this study.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. 

Jude transitions from describing the fate of the false teachers to exhorting the believer.  To bring deeper understanding to today's text, let's examine some key words and their companion or similar verses. 

"But" in the Greek is de which means on the other hand, and, but, moreover, opposed to previous statement.  "You" represents the members of the church in Jerusalem. "Beloved" in the Greek is agapetos which means beloved by God and one another, personally experiencing God's agape love, divinely loved ones, esteemed, dear, favorite.  After describing the false teachers and their fate, Jude switches to the believers in Jerusalem.  The believers are the opposite of the false teachers.  They are esteemed and beloved by God. 

"Remember" in the Greek is mimnesko which means call to mind, recall, mention, remind oneself actively and purposely, mindful.   "Apostles" in the Greek is apostolos which means messenger, envoy, delegate, one commissioned by another to represent him in some way, especially one sent by Jesus to spread the Gospel, commission, send forth, one sent on a mission.  "Lord" in the Greek is kurios which means master, sir, person exercising absolute ownership.  2 Peter 3:2 states "that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior." Remember what the Apostles (ones chosen by God to instruct the believers) said, not these false teachers (who are not sent by God).  Actively and purposely remind yourself of the teachings of the people chosen to represent Jesus, our Lord who owns us. 

After studying this verse, I've asked myself several questions.  Do I feel God's unconditional love?  Do I represent Jesus well?  Does Jesus own my life?  I don't know if I'll ever have the answers.  The Christian life is a daily life.  Each day is taken separately and has it's own battles.  Sometimes, the battles are won and Christ is glorified and sometimes they aren't won.  I can only keep my eyes fixed on Jesus daily to help me grow in my belief and service.  I developed my personal Mission and Vision for my life to aid me with that focus.  To Be a Man of God.  To Lead Like Christ, To Walk with Christ, To Love my Wife and Children in a Way that They Understand. 

But as for you, beloved, remember the [prophetic] words spoken by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

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Inductive Study: Jude 16

These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.

Jude 16

Dear Heavenly Father, please hear my humble prayer.  Please be with the people who were in hurricane Harvey's path.  Comfort them, protect them, provide for them, be there for them.  Send people to minister to them and show the Holy Spirit.  Encourage them.  In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Jude continues to describe the attributes of these false teachers.  To bring deeper understanding to today's text, let's examine some key words and their companion or similar verses.

"Grumblers" in the Greek is goggustes which means murmurers, one who discontentedly complains (against God), generally of smoldering discontent.  This Greek word is only mentioned once in the Bible.  "Complainers" in the Greek is mempsimoiros which means discontented, finding fault, blaming one's lot or destiny, blame, complaint over an allotted portion, complaining about one's lot in life.    This Greek word is also only mentioned once in the Bible.  2 Peter 2:10 states "and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries."  These false teachers grumble and complain about their life blaming the result on God and others.  However, their life was a result of their choice to walk in the flesh.

"Walking" in the Greek is poreuomai which means travel, journey, die, moving something from one destination to another, emphasizing the personal meaning which is attached to reaching a particular destination.  "Lusts" in the Greek is epithumia which means desire, eagerness for, inordinate lust, passion built on strong feelings, craving, longing desire for what is forbidden.  These false teachers live their life according to their thirst for forbidden passions.

"Swelling" in the Greek is huperogkos which only occurs twice in the Bible, in Jude and 2 Peter. It means immoderate, boastful, pompous, excessive, beyond a swelling, bloated, oversized, braggart, spewing words out of an inflated ego.  2 Peter 2:18 states "For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error."  These false teachers spew empty excessive words out of their inflated, bloated ego.

"Flattering" in the Greek is thaumazo which means admire, marvel, wonder, awestruck, admire one's external appearance, to influence by partiality.  Leviticus 19:15 states "You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor."  Deuteronomy 10:17 states "For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe."  As Christians, we are instructed to treat all people equally regardless of their background or their status.  These false teachers hope to gain an advantage or benefit by showing partiality to a group or individual.

To summarize, Jude states that these false teachers:

• Smoldering, discontentedly complain about God
• Blame their situation on someone else
• Live their life according to their passion for what God forbids
• Construct their conversations out of their pompous, bloated, inflated ego
• Influence others by feigning interest and admiration in their target to get what they want

Remember, you are the only person to blame for the decisions in your  life, especially if you put yourself in that situation to begin with.

These people are [habitual] murmurers, griping and complaining, following after their own desires [controlled by passion]; they speak arrogantly, [pretending admiration and] flattering people to gain an advantage.

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