Jude

The Book of Jude is the final of the "General Epistles" and the second-to-last book in the New Testament.

It was written by Jude (Judas), the brother of James and the half-brother of Jesus Christ.

Jude’s original intent was to write a joyful letter about salvation, but he was forced to write an urgent warning because of the dangerous presence of false teachers who had infiltrated the church and were twisting the grace of God into a license for immoral behavior.

The central theme is the necessity of contending earnestly for the faith that was delivered once and for all to the saints.

I. The Urgent Call to Contend (Verses 1–4)

Jude immediately addresses the crisis that forced him to change the nature of his letter.

• The Unwanted Subject: Jude states his original plan was to write about “our common salvation,” but the crisis demanded he write instead to urge the readers to “contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 3) To "contend earnestly" means to fight vigorously for the truth of the Gospel.

• The Mark of the Apostate: These dangerous individuals are described as ungodly persons who have “crept in unnoticed” and “pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Jude 4) They promoted lawlessness while claiming Christian freedom.

II. Examples of Judgment and Condemnation of Apostates (Verses 5–16)

To prove that God will surely judge these apostates, Jude provides three examples of historical judgment and then draws a sharp portrait of the false teachers themselves.

• Past Judgments: Jude reminds the readers that God previously judged:

  1. Israel in the Wilderness: Unbelievers were destroyed even after being saved from Egypt.

  2. Fallen Angels: Angels who abandoned their proper domain are kept in eternal chains.

  3. Sodom and Gomorrah: They were consumed by eternal fire for their immorality.

• The Portrait of Evil: The false teachers are described in vivid, negative terms: they defile the flesh, reject authority, are arrogant, and follow the way of Cain (murderous envy), the error of Balaam (greed), and the rebellion of Korah (rejecting God’s appointed leadership). They are like “waterless clouds” and “wandering stars”—promising much but delivering nothing.

III. The Command to Build Up and Preserve (Verses 17–23)

Jude shifts from warning to instruction, telling the faithful how they must conduct themselves in the midst of this spiritual crisis.

• Building Up the Faith: The church must defend the faith by personally pursuing spiritual maturity. They are commanded to “build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.” (Jude 20) This is the active way to resist the influence of the apostates.

• Maintain the Foundation: Believers must remain in Christ's love by “keeping yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.” (Jude 21) The foundation of their faith must be preserved.

• Discernment and Mercy: Jude instructs them to show mercy to those who waver in their faith, seeking to rescue them. However, they must be highly discerning with others, saving them “by snatching them out of the fire,” hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

IV. The Doxology of Preservation (Verses 24–25)

The letter concludes with one of the most magnificent statements of praise and assurance in all of Scripture.

• God’s Power to Keep: Jude ends with a confident affirmation that their ultimate preservation rests not in their own strength, but in God's power:

“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, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 24–25)

Applying the Truth Today

Jude is the Church's timeless manual for spiritual vigilance. It assures us that our ultimate security rests in the almighty power of God to preserve us and present us faultless. It challenges us to take the spiritual threat of apostasy and immorality seriously. Our response must be a vigorous defense of the truth (contending for the faith) combined with active spiritual discipline: building ourselves up through Bible study, prayer in the Spirit, and keeping ourselves in the love of God.

Reflection Questions for Your Journey:

1. Contend for the Faith. What does it mean for you, personally, to “contend earnestly for the faith”? What specific, core truth of the Gospel are you called to defend in your environment?

2. Building Up. How are you currently “building yourself up in your most holy faith” (Jude 20)? What steps will you take this week to increase your prayer in the Spirit and reliance on the Word?

3. God’s Preservation. In what area of your life are you struggling to stand firm? How does the truth that God is “able to keep you from stumbling” (Jude 24) bring you confidence and peace?

Your Reading Guide

To grasp the central charge, read the urgent call to action in Jude 3–4. Next, read the command for spiritual discipline in Jude 20–21. Finally, be comforted and grounded by the magnificent closing doxology in Jude 24–25.