Keep Yourselves In God's Love As You Wait For The Mercy Of Our Lord Jesus Christ To Bring You To Eternal Life
Don't Be Sucked In By The Scoffers & Grumblers
JUDE 1:16-23
“These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
”Jude 1:16-23 NKJV
https://bible.com/bible/114/jud.1.16-23.NKJ
Jude 1:16-23 instructs believers to stand firm against false teachers by remembering apostolic warnings, strengthening their own faith through prayer, and showing mercy to those influenced by error. Jude identifies mockers by their selfish, divisive behavior and urges Christians to maintain their love for God while actively rescuing those caught in deception.
In today’s world there are many grumblers and complainers within and outside of the church.
They walk according to their own lust-many choosing how they want to serve and twist God’s word to justify themselves. The truth is, they are not serving God, but rather themselves and the spiritual sources within them.
Often driven by pride and jealousy, they become rebellious and place themselves above all, refusing to accept and submit to God’s Word, they bring division into the church.
Other apostles also warned about false teachers. See ACTS 20:29; 1 TIMOTHY 4:1-2; 2 TIMOTHY 3:1-5; 2 PETER 2:1-3; 2 JOHN 7.
These individuals are described as "grumblers," "faultfinders," and people who follow their own selfish desires. They use flattering, arrogant speech for personal gain, cause divisions, and are guided by natural instincts rather than the Holy Spirit (v16;18-19).
Jude urges believers to remember that apostles predicted "scoffers" would appear in the "last times"—a period covering the time between Christ's ascension and his return (v17-18).
John also warns his readers to stay close to God and His people, being careful not to listen to false teachers who would try to pull them away from God (JOHN 15:9-10).
Jesus is the ultimate teacher and is the only truth to be fully trusted. It is through relationship with Him that you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit who will help and lead you in all truth (JOHN 14:15:18; JOHN 16:13).
Jude gives us good instruction, telling us to ground yourself in the "most holy faith", the gospel.
Pray under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Stay secure in God’s love.
Wait patiently, looking forward to the mercy and eternal life brought by Jesus Christ (v20-21).
We Christians are told to handle compromised individuals differently:
Show compassion and mercy to those whose faith is wavering.
“Snatch from the fire" (rescue) those deeply affected by false teaching.
Show mercy with caution, hating the sin (the "garment stained by flesh") while trying to help the sinner (v22-23).
Today, the evidence that we are living in the last days have never been greater, and their are many false teachers trying to deceive from platforms such as YouTube operating for the devil (MATHEW 7:15); they influence many believers with false teachings and religious nonsense.
Bound by the devil, whose purpose is to steal, and to kill, and to destroy (JOHN 10:10); they deceive and drag believers away from God, and they are good at it.
Therefore it is very important that we test and approve everything that we hear by regular study of God’s Word by the leading of the Holy Spirit to keep ourselves safe in God's love.
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.“
I John 4:1-3 NKJV
John is telling us to test the spirits, the source of the prophecy or teachings.
Only that which is sourced from the Spirit of God can be trusted as true.
There are some good preachers on social platforms that do bring good teaching and encouragement, but these platforms are also a pit of deception, with many false teachers that influence and drag many down into darkness.
We believers are all called to share the Good News-to lead people to Jesus, to give them the opportunity to submit to Christ and be spared from God's coming judgment.
We can do this through compassion and kindness. We are to witness to them with truth, love, and kindness-loving the sinner with great caution, yet hating the sins that contaminated their lives.
Unbelievers, no matter how successful they seem by worldly standards, are lost and are in need of salvation.
We can not take witnessing lightly, we believers are all called and obligated to share the Good News to all with ears to listen. But whilst finding common ground with those whom we witness, we must be careful not to fall into the quicksand of compromise.
When reaching out to others, we must be sure that our footing is safe and secure; being careful not to become so much like non-believers that no one can tell who you are or what you believe.
We believers are supposed to Influence them for Christ through love and truth, rather than allowing them to influence or contaminate our minds and drag us back into sin.
Therefore, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures.”
James 1:16-18 NKJV
All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.
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God bless you all.
