Jude

i must confess, these past weeks i havent really been indulging in His Word as much as i did earlier this summer, and i really need to get back into this practice to help develop and build my faith. Tonight, i've decided to tackle the book of Jude.

Lately, i havent really had the motivation to fight against temptation, and after being assigned with these bigger roles in the church, i've kinda put my other issues aside, not to forget and give up, but to have other things that i can take care of first. But flipping through my bible (since i never know how to start reading), i passed Jude (the one page) and saw these two titles; The Sin and Doom of Godless Men, & A Call to Persevere. I thought to myself, maybe if i scare myself i'll get motivated to stay away from "the punishment of eternal fire" (v. 7). Here it is below:

Judgment on False Teachers

³Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. ⁴For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

The title has been changed here to "Judgement on False Teachers", so by that i believe that they're talking about false prophets, about people who will try to deceive us and draw us away from our relationship with God. Sometimes, i feel like with sins we as people commit, we can fall under this category too. Yes, i know when we read the bolded, we're thinking "this isnt me, this cant be who i am, i'll never be this person". But the truth is, we just might be.

As a Christ follower, we are here to set an example for others and reflection the life of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus. If we dont follow his word, and im not saying we have to be perfect, but people see it, and it'll affect them and it can easily draw others away from Christ, may they already know him or not. I've heard many people say "im a said Christian", like what is that supposed to be. Lukewarm Christians arent Christians. To follow Christ is a commitment, and if you break it, whats the point of the committing and the relationship?

⁵Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. ⁶And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgement of the great day—⁷just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

THIS is scary. a punishment of eternal fire. I read through this passage twice and on the second i realized i was reading it wrong, i was reading "life" instead of "fire". It really makes a difference. This clearly is in reference to hell, where it is said that there's a lake of fire (rev 20:14) you get thrown into. We may not realize it now, but when we die, we go into eternity. Whether if its eternal happiness or eternal torment, its up to you. The choice is yours. In Heaven, there is no sin, no suffering, no torture, no tears, no sadness. In Hell, there is no God, there is just constant torture, and we must realize, there is no end to it. it is ETERNAL. and there's no getting out.

⁸Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. ⁹But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you." ¹⁰ But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. ¹¹Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. ¹²These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; ¹³ wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

¹⁴It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, ¹⁵ to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him." ¹⁶These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters,showing favoritism to gain advantage.

A Call to Persevere

¹⁷But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁸They said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions." ¹⁹It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. ²⁰But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. ²²And have mercy on those who doubt; ²³save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

It will be hard to fight against temptation, the false prophets and teachers, but we have to push through it no matter what. Use the Word, Use Others and brothers and sisters in Christ to build each other up. Forgive, and love others. Make it count. Do all this for the the glory of God.

Doxology

²⁴ Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, ²⁵to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

verse of the day: Colossians 3:23

^23(A) Whatever you do, work heartily,^(B) as for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴knowing that from the Lord^(C) you will receive the inheritance as your reward.^(D) You are serving the Lord Christ.