His Word Today

^3 “Beloved, 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. ⁴ For 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 only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” (Jude 3–4 (ESV)

Today’s text contain the thematic verses of Jude’s epistle to the church. Jude initially wanted to write about our common salvation by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone. In other words, the Gospel. At the center, or crux, of the Gospel is the Cross.

“ For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18 (ESV)

2 “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. ² For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:1–2 (ESV)

Why the cross? The Apostle Paul summarized the Gospel, and the central focus of the cross, in his Epistle to the Romans.

²¹ But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— ²² the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. ²⁶ It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:21–26 (ESV)

However, Jude saw the need to encourage true believers in Christ to earnestly contend for the essential doctrine of salvation. It was not just important to know the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but also to intensely struggle to guard and maintain its true message.

The true message of the Gospel concerns the virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary atonement and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. While all of these truths are essential, they are meaningless without the centrality of the cross. In other words, Jude sought to maintain the cross, symbolizing the substitutionary atonement by Christ, as the crux of the Gospel.

On this Good Friday, I share an article by Dr. James Montgomery Boice. He served as the pastor of the Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Boice also served as Chairman of the International Council on Biblical Inerrancy for over ten years and was a founding member of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. He entitled his article The Centrality of the Cross. It is taken from his book Foundations of the Christian Faith.

If the death of Christ on the cross is the true meaning of the Incarnation, then there is no gospel without the cross. Christmas by itself is no gospel. The life of Christ is no gospel. Even the resurrection, important as it is in the total scheme of things, is no gospel by itself. For the good news is not just that God became man, nor that God has spoken to reveal a proper way of life for us, or even that death, the great enemy, is conquered.

Rather, the good news is that sin has been dealt with (of which the resurrection is a proof); that Jesus has suffered its penalty for us as our representative, so that we might never have to suffer it; and that therefore all who believe in him can look forward to heaven.

Emulation of Christ’s life and teaching is possible only to those who enter into a new relationship with God through faith in Jesus as their substitute. The resurrection is not merely a victory over death (though it is that) but a proof that the atonement was a satisfactory atonement in the sight of the Father (Rom 4:25); and that death, the result of sin, is abolished on that basis.

 Any gospel that talks merely of the Christ-event, meaning the Incarnation without the atonement, is a false gospel. Any gospel that talks about the love of God without pointing out that his love led him to pay the ultimate price for sin in the person of his Son on the cross is a false gospel. The only true gospel is of the ‘one mediator’ (1 Tim. 2:5-6), who gave himself for us.

Finally, just as there can be no gospel without the atonement as the reason for the Incarnation, so also there can be no Christian life without it. Without the atonement, the Incarnation theme easily becomes a kind of deification of the human and leads to arrogance and self-advancement. With the atonement the true message of the life of Christ, and therefore also of the life of the Christian man or woman, is humility and self-sacrifice for the obvious needs of others.

The Christian life is not indifference to those who are hungry or sick or suffering from some other lack. It is not contentment with our own abundance, neither the abundance of middle class living with home and cars and clothes and vacations, nor the abundance of education or even the spiritual abundance of good churches, Bibles, Bible teaching or Christian friends and acquaintances.

Rather, it is the awareness that others lack these things and that we must therefore sacrifice many of our own interests in order to identify with them and thus bring them increasingly into the abundance we enjoy… We will live for Christ fully only when we are willing to be impoverished, if necessary, in order that others might be helped.

For the believer in Christ, Good Friday is an opportunity to remember the substitutionary atonement Jesus Christ alone provided and to rejoice in the salvation from the penalty, power, and eventual presence of sin. For the unbeliever, it is another opportunity to reflect upon the substitutionary atonement Jesus Christ alone provided, to repent of sin and to receive Him as Savior and Lord (John 1:12-13).

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed Good Friday in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁷ “But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” (Jude 17–18 (ESV)

In Jude 8-16, the writer spent considerable time and length to describe the character and behavior of apostates. Beginning in vs. 17, Jude returned his attention to the believers to whom he was writing. He reminded them how the apostles warned the church of impending apostates and apostasy.

The Apostles Peter and John also contributed to the discussion regarding the reality of apostates within the church. They both reminded believers in Christ the enemy was not just outside in the fallen culture, but also within the believing community.

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. ³ And in their greed, they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.” (2 Peter 2:1–3 (ESV)

“This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, ² that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, ³ knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.” (2 Peter 3:1–3 (ESV)

 ¹⁸ “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore, we know that it is the last hour. ¹⁹ They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. ²⁰ But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. ²¹ I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. ²² Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. ²³ No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also.“ (1 John 2:18–23 (ESV)

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. ² By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. ⁴ Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. ⁵ They are from the world; therefore, they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. ⁶ We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” ((1 John 4:1–6 (ESV)

“The early chapters of the book of Acts chronicle the transforming days of the dawning of the church, the morning of the church when the Son of righteousness lit up its sky. The church was filled with truth, filled with faith, filled with love, filled with generosity, filled with passion for the lost, filled with hope. And all of that was influenced by the teaching and the preaching and the writing of the apostles of Jesus Christ and those associated with them,” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

“But even in the purity of those infant days when the passion was high and the truth prevailed and people were exhilarated in their new-found life, even in those early days, the apostles were given by the Holy Spirit the privilege of looking into the future; and the not-too-distant future at that. And in looking into the future, the Holy Spirit allowed them to see something frightening, something terrifying, something mystifying, something frankly unbelievable. And what did the Holy Spirit show them, and what did they prophesy? That Jesus would return? Yes. That the world would one day be destroyed? Yes. That the universe would melt in basically an atomic holocaust? Yes. That sinners would finally be judged? Yes. They looked into the future and were given the privilege to see that.”

“But in addition to all of that, there was one rather unthinkable, unimaginable, bizarre, and strange reality that the apostles predicted, and that was that the church would defect from the truth, that it would become perverted in its understanding of Scripture, that it would abandon the gospel and abandon Christ – not all the church, but some – and it would affect whole congregations in the euphoria of those powerful days: days of miracles, days of proclaiming the gospel fearlessly and being persecuted for it, days of martyrdom, days of evangelism, days of turning the world upside-down, days of living in the glow and the glory of transformed lives, days of worship, days of prayer. It must have seemed absolutely bizarre that there was coming a time when people who proclaimed Christ would defect. But it was true,” concludes Dr. MacArthur.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁷ “But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” (Jude 17–18 (ESV)

“The slow drift away from the faith once delivered to the saints happens largely because the people of God are too often unprepared to confront the false teachers who come into their midst. In today’s passage, Jude reminds us that the rise of false teaching in the church was predicted by the apostles (vv. 17–19),” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“We should not be surprised when falsehood finds its way into our midst, nor should we be dismayed, for God is never caught off guard when teachers pervert His grace. However, because we have been warned by Jude, we have no excuse for being taken by false teaching. Since we know it is coming, we must be prepared to stand firm against falsehood so our churches may not succumb to error.”

Paul’s warnings and instructions to Timothy, who was pastoring the church in Ephesus, apply. He counseled his young protégé in both of his letters.

³ “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, ⁴ nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. ⁵ The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶ Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, ⁷ desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.” (1 Timothy 1:3–7 (ESV)

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, ² through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, ³ who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. ⁴ For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵ for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Timothy 4:1–5 (ESV)

^3 “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, ⁴ he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.” (1 Timothy 6:3–5 (ESV)

¹⁵ “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. ¹⁶ But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. ¹⁹ But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” (2 Timothy 2:15–19 (ESV)

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ² For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. ⁶ For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, ⁷ always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. ⁹ But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.” (2 Timothy 3:1–9 (ESV)

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. ³ For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴ and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” (2 Timothy 4:1–4 (ESV)

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁷ “But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” (Jude 17–18 (ESV)

“The slow drift away from the faith once delivered to the saints happens largely because the people of God are too often unprepared to confront the false teachers who come into their midst. In today’s passage, Jude reminds us that the rise of false teaching in the church was predicted by the apostles (vv. 17–19),” explains Dr. R. c. Sproul.

“We should not be surprised when falsehood finds its way into our midst, nor should we be dismayed, for God is never caught off guard when teachers pervert His grace. However, because we have been warned by Jude, we have no excuse for being taken by false teaching. Since we know it is coming, we must be prepared to stand firm against falsehood so our churches may not succumb to error.”

Jude commented that the apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ spoke of the arrival of scoffers who would follow their own ungodly passions. Scoffers (ἐμπαῖκται; empaiktai) are mockers and those who make fun of something or someone. In the context of today’s text, these scoffers mock the Lord God by following (πορευόμενοι; poreumenoi) or behaving according to their ungodly passions (ἀσεβειῶν ἐπιθυμίας; asebeion epithymias). This refers to apostates’ godless and evil desires.  

Paul’s warnings and instructions to Timothy, who was pastoring the church in Ephesus, apply. He counseled his young protégé in both of his letters.

³ “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, ⁴ nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. ⁵ The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶ Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, ⁷ desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.” (1 Timothy 1:3–7 (ESV)

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, ² through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, ³ who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. ⁴ For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵ for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Timothy 4:1–5 (ESV)

^3 “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, ⁴ he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, ⁵ and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.” (1 Timothy 6:3–5 (ESV)

¹⁵ “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. ¹⁶ But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, ¹⁷ and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. ¹⁹ But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” (2 Timothy 2:15–19 (ESV)

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. ² For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, ⁴ treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. ⁶ For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, ⁷ always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. ⁹ But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.” (2 Timothy 3:1–9 (ESV)

“I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. ³ For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, ⁴ and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” (2 Timothy 4:1–4 (ESV)

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁷ “But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” (Jude 17–18 (ESV)

The rise of apostasy within the first century church was not unexpected. In other words, it did not take the Lord by surprise, or His apostles. Jude wanted his audience to not be alarmed that something strange was happening to them. Believers in Christ were to be prepared for it and to oppose it.

“A famous preacher once said he would be surprised if his church was still teaching orthodox Christianity fifty years after his death,” states Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“Now, his point was not that his preaching guaranteed his congregation’s continuing in the faith; rather, he was reminding his audience that history bears abundant witness about people straying from the truth of God to unsound, man-pleasing, doctrine and worship. How many denominations today preach against the biblical standards upon which their churches were established?”

Lord Jesus Christ warned His disciples of future apostates in the Olivet Discourse.

³ As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” ⁴ And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. ⁵ For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. ⁶ And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. ⁹ “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. ¹⁰ And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. ¹¹ And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. “(Matthew 24:3–11 (ESV)

The Apostle Paul also warned the church of apostates. To begin with, there is Luke’s record of Paul’s charge to the Ephesian Church Elders.

¹⁷ Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him. ¹⁸ And when they came to him, he said to them: “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia, ¹⁹ serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews; ²⁰ how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house, ²¹ testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. ²² And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there, ²³ except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me. ²⁴ But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. ²⁵ And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again. ²⁶ Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, ²⁷ for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. ²⁸ Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. ²⁹ I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; ³⁰ and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. ³¹ Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. (Acts 20:17–31 (ESV)

There is also Paul’s caution to the Corinthian Church.

¹² And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. ¹³ For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. ¹⁵ So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” (2 Corinthians 11:12–15 (ESV)

Paul echoed similar words to the Colossians.

⁸ “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8 (ESV)

¹⁶ “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. ¹⁷ These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. ¹⁸ Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,” (Colossians 2:16–18 (ESV)

Paul also warned the Thessalonians about those who would come to them with flattering speech.

“For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. ² But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. ³ For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, ⁴ but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. ⁵ For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. ⁶ Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 2:1–6 (ESV)

“In our day, those who teach heresy often plead with evangelicals to remain in liberal churches so the church may put on a unified front. But those who remain committed to God’s Word are never the cause of separation; rather, those who deny Scripture create the divisions, for many church splits would not have happened if all teachers remained committed to apostolic doctrine. Do what you can to encourage fidelity to the Bible in your denomination,” concludes Dr. Sproul.

Soli deo Gloria!

²³ Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” (Colossians 3:23 (ESV)

Continuing our study in Paul’s Epistle to the Colossians, a new paragraph begins in Colossians 3:18-4:1. The truth of what believers “are” in Christ is to be balanced by how believers are to live for Christ. The practical truth of Jesus Christ as the only and all-sufficient Savior, and as sole source of the believers’ life, is now applied to specific groups and situations. What people groups does the Apostle Paul, and the Holy Spirit, have in mind?

To begin with, Paul addressed wives and husbands (Col. 3:18-19). He then wrote of parents and their children (Col. 3:20-22). Thirdly, Paul considered the Christian responsibility of work (Col. 3:23-4:1).

“A dream does not become a reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.” – Colin Powell.

“I know the price of success: dedication, hard work and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.” — Frank Lloyd Wright

“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is hard work.” — Stephen King

“Luck is a dividend of sweat. The more you sweat, the luckier you get.” — Ray Kroc

“Things do not happen. Things are made to happen.” — John F. Kennedy

I have worked since I was sixteen. My first job was at Burger King sweeping the parking lot each Saturday and Sunday. I then graduated to working in the burger room making French Fries. I worked my way up to an assistance manager trainee.

From there it was working at grocery stores, department stores, unloading trucks, teaching at a Christian high school, serving at local churches in a variety of roles and responsibilities until I became a lead pastor for twenty-one years. I presently serve as a professor at a Christian liberal arts college and theological seminary in Indiana.

Regardless where I worked, and with whom, and no matter what the job entailed, the principle of working in a godly manner remains in the forefront of all I do. I do not want to sound noble, but being a man of faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ necessitates my work ethic reflect my obedience to my Savior and Lord. My obedience must in harmony with what God’s Word says, what it means, and how it may be applied in my life.

Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” Whatever you do (ποιῆτε; poiete) is a present, active, plural subjunctive verb. It refers to what individuals’ presently, actively, collectively and hopefully seek to manufacture, produce and/or create. Whatever it is we do, wherever it is we do what we do, believers in Christ are to work heartily.

To work (ἐργάζεσθε; ergazesthe) is a present, middle, imperative, plural verb. It means to accomplish a task or to labor at a trade. God commands believers in Christ to work presently, personally, and obediently. To do so heartily (ψυχῆς; psyches) means to work with one’s entire soul: intellect, emotions and will.

For the Christian, there is no room for laziness; especially when working and receiving a wage for one’s work. How may the believer in Christ keep a proper and biblical perspective concerning work? By always keeping in mind our work is done for the Lord and not for men. Ultimately, we work for Him in whatever we do. All labor can, and should, bring God glory, honor and praise. Consider the following thoughts by Professor Alex Chediak.

“You know, Alex, other than a source of income, what I do for my work is pretty meaningless.” That’s what a successful Christian businessman told me in my mid-twenties. A humble man, his point was that work often seemed like a necessary evil.

It’s admirable that my older friend did not find his identity in his work—a temptation we do well to avoid. Only Christ can give us the significance that many seek from their work. But is this how we should think of our jobs, as meaningless? Or might the Scriptures give us a richer, more optimistic view of the activities whereby we spend half of our waking lives? What does it mean to work as a Christian?

Work as Worship

We often hear people contrast Christian work with secular work. Full-time ministry is a unique and important calling, one worthy of double honor (Heb. 13:7; 1 Tim. 5:17). But for the Christian, all of life is to be lived coram Deo, before the face of God. Therefore, any activity that serves the good of others and is offered to God in faith-rooted obedience is Christian work.

Romans 12:1 directs us to offer ourselves to God “as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” This is not a one-time act, but a continual offering. Our entire lives are to be dedicated to the One who lived and died so that “those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Cor. 5:15). We do so not to earn God’s favor, but because we have already received and experienced it.

Everything we do matters because our every action, sentiment, and motivation are to be part of the spiritual worship to which we are called. In the workplace, we’re to create or distribute goods and services as if offered to the Master Himself. We’re to work heartily as unto the Lord, and not man (Col. 3:23). We aim for excellence in our work to please God, not for earthly reward.

Work as Neighborly Love

Martin Luther was fond of saying, “God does not need our good works, but our neighbor does.” Our jobs provide tangible ways by which we can love our neighbors. Too often, we use the phrase “good work” in reference only to the pay. There’s nothing wrong with fair compensation—financial independence and contentment are encouraged in Scripture (1 Thess. 4:11–12; 1 Tim. 5:8; Heb. 13:5)—but neither money nor status should primarily animate us. What should? Love for God and neighbor.

In our work, we should seek to be useful: to improve lives, promote order, and relieve suffering. This is part of a larger principle: Christianity is good for society. It makes us better husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, citizens, and employees. Christianity makes us useful to Christians and non-Christians alike. Not all good work pays well. Not all good work lends itself to frequent praise. But all good work is useful.

Work as Calling

Recognizing God’s hand in calling us to specific lines of work for the good of others can produce a greater sense of joy and significance, regardless of the particulars. Is your boss ungrateful? Your coworkers difficult? Your customers hard to please? So be it. Your work is a calling from God. If faithfulness is our goal, and the praise of God our aim, it makes it easier to put up with frustrations. Jesus is our example, who when reviled, kept “entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).

For the Christian, all of life is to be lived coram Deo, before the face of God. Therefore, any activity that serves the good of others and is offered to God in faith-rooted obedience is Christian work.

Thankfully, in many ways, we have liberty to pursue work for which we’re best suited. To the extent practical, we should seek work that maximizes our gifting, temperament, talents, and preferences. That way our work will be less drudgery and more of, as Dorothy Sayers put it, the thing in which we “find spiritual, mental and bodily satisfaction,” and “the medium in which we offer ourselves to God.”

If you’re in the job market, trust God’s providence as you develop the skill set and resume to land your desired role. Seeing our work as a calling reminds us to be faithful in our current state, knowing that, at least for now, God has appointed us to it.

Work as Pre-Evangelism

Through the good works our employment makes possible, we adorn the gospel of God’s grace (Titus 2:9–10). That is, we make it more attractive to others. The workplace allows us to rub shoulders with non-Christians we wouldn’t otherwise know. Kindness toward our coworkers creates opportunities to speak of Christ’s work both on the cross and in our lives. As doors open, we should engage others, speaking the truth in love, and asking God to grant them repentance.

Christ envisioned this, teaching us to let our light shine before others, so that they may see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16).

Work as a Means of Sanctification

Finally, to the extent that our work involves hardship—and in a fallen world, it surely will—our work is a means of sanctification. Mindful of this, we can count it all joy when we meet trials of various kinds, knowing that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness (James 1:2–3). Thank God that He who began this good work will be faithful to complete it (Phil. 1:6).

Dear Christian, what you do in the workplace is not meaningless. It is an important part of God’s call on your life, an arena in which to offer spiritual worship, contribute to the common good, and love your neighbor through good deeds.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord. Have a good work week ahead.

Soli deo Gloria!

“These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.” (Jude 16 (ESV)

Jude has spent a considerable amount of time, and so have we, to understand the character and behavior of apostates. In today’s text. Jude focused his attention on the prideful speech of false teachers. It’s not so much what apostates do that Jude has in mind, but rather what they are, which is displayed by what they do. Apostates are grumblers, malcontents, and loud-mouth boasters.

Grumblers (γογγυσταί; gongystai) and malcontents (μεμψίμοιροι; mempsimoiroi) are complainers. They constantly find fault with other people, and especially other believers in Christ. These individuals complain about other’s faults, but see no flaws in themselves.

I remember an individual who once belonged to the church where I serve as an elder. She left the church and began attending another. Since then, she has left the second church and now attends a different one. In each case, she found something, or someone, to complain about, which prompted her to leave to find an alternative congregation. I wonder how long it will be before she leaves her current church for still another. It is a sad situation, but all too true for many who display the character and behavior of apostates.

Apostates travel to other churches because they are presently, personally and collectively following (πορευόμενοι; poreuomenoi) their own lusts and desires (ἐπιθυμίας; epithymias). The move from one place, or church, to another. They never remain in one location for long.

False teachers are also loud-mouthed boasters (ὑπέρογκα; hyperonka). They are individuals who are bombastic, pompous, haughty and boastful. They are braggards. They are puffed up and swollen with a personal sense of their own importance (2 Peter 2:18).

“Ancient moralists repeatedly condemned flattery and advocated forthright speech; politicians commonly used flattery to win people over with speeches, and flattery was a necessity for subordinates of many emperors to survive. Jude had already addressed both their lusts (vv. 6–8b) and arrogant speech (vv. 8c–10),” explains commentator Craig Keener.

Apostates are individuals “showing favoritism to gain advantage.” The phrase “showing favoritism” is not only a noun (πρόσωπα; prosopa), but Jude also used the verb form (θαυμάζοντες; thaumazontes). Apostates are flatterers who flatter to gain an advantage (ὠφελείας; opheleias), benefit or profit.

“These godless men are showing partiality to gain profits for themselves. The Greek has the expression to admire faces; it is best translated as “flatter.” This expression is actually a Hebrew idiom translated into Greek; it conveys the meaning to show partiality for the sake of material benefits. But in the Old Testament God instructed the Israelites, “Do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly” (Lev. 19:15; also compare Deut. 16:19; James 2:1–9). The apostates speak arrogant words to God and flattering words to the rich. With their arrogance they flout God’s honor and with their flattery they deceive their fellow men,” states Dr. Simon J. Kistemaker.

“In today’s passage, Jude refers to some of the other doctrines practiced and preached by the false teachers, which doctrines we must still oppose today. We have already spoken of the “sinful desires” evident in the wanton immorality of these teachers. But Jude also speaks of these men as being “grumblers” and “malcontents,” referring not to their disparaging of church authority (though they did this) but to their antinomian denial of God’s law. The sin of loud-mouthed boasting is similar; these teachers spoke arrogantly about God, just as their lifestyles revealed their lack of true faith,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“Showing favoritism to gain advantage” is likely a reference to their greed. These teachers probably exploited the poor or favored the rich in order to gain influence. Such favoritism is blatantly anti-Christian (James 2:1–13), and thus Jude condemns it.”

Although you may not be an apostate, you might have some of the same character traits. Jude said they are murmurers and complainers (vs. 16). Complaining is easy to do; about other people and about God. What about following your desires and not discerning whether they are glorifying God or not? What about flattery? You may say things in order to get what you want. For example, you may pile on the charm when you want something from your parents, or your spouse, or your boss and once you get what you want, you once again become a grumbler.

This week, when you are faced with obstacles or the bad attitudes of those at work or at school, or at home, refuse to complain and murmur. Address the situation, and the person, and commit to not complain to someone else about the individual in question. How should believers in Christ speak?

²⁹ Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”  (Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)

¹⁴ Do all things without grumbling or disputing, ¹⁵ that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” (Philippians 2:14–15 (ESV)

Does this mean I cannot complain, grumble and murmur about the weather? Just asking. Have a blessed day in the Lord.  

Soli deo Gloria!

“These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.” (Jude 16 (ESV)

Jude has spent a considerable amount of time, and so have we, to understand the character and behavior of apostates. In today’s text. Jude focused his attention on the prideful speech of false teachers. It’s not so much what apostates do that Jude has in mind, but rather what they are, which is displayed by what they do. Apostates are grumblers, malcontents, and loud-mouth boasters.

Scripture has much to say about pride. Pride is self-exultation, arrogance, or self-promotion.

• Proverbs 16:18 (ESV) – “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
• Matthew 23:12 (ESV) – “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
• Romans 12:16 (ESV) –Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.” 

Foundational to all Jude wrote regarding the apostate is their attitude of pride. It fuels apostates in everything they do and speak. Pride is the reason the apostate rejects God, and has a life filled with rebellion and perversion.

Pride prevents the apostate from seeing life as it really is. Rather, prideful apostates see life as they want to see it and everything and everyone are expected to meet their needs and wants.

Recently, a city council approved to make their municipality a sanctuary for trans and “gender-diverse” people. Among those who spoke out in favor of the resolution was a pastor of a local progressive church. The cleric, identified as a disabled, cisgender lesbian, sported a clerical collar as she told council members that if Jesus were at the meeting, He would be “dressed in full drag.”

“The Jesus I know would be dressed in full drag and serving face, or handsome as a trans man, or wrapped in the garb of a non-binary person who knows one gender is way too small to capture their gloriousness,” The pastor claimed, “The Jesus I know would be at this mic with a trembling voice and a shaking body and tears that will not be held back crying, ‘make this city safe for my child.’”

Defectors from the true, biblical faith in Christ as Savior and Lord shroud their prideful language by invoking such phrases as, “The Jesus I know,” or “The God I worship.”  They invoke their own authority rather than the authority of Scripture.

⁹”Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹ And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11 (ESV)

“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. ³ For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. ⁵ Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶ On account of these the wrath of God is coming. ⁷ In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. ⁸ But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.” (Colossians 3:1–8 (ESV)

“Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. ² For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. ³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; ⁴ that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, ⁵ not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; ⁶ that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. ⁷ For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. ⁸ Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” (1 Thessalonians 4:1–8 (ESV)

“In unflinching terms Jude clearly identified the apostates, while at the same time exposing their character in order to warn believers of their true nature and their final destiny. He was laying the groundwork to call his readers to action against these ungodly men and their practices,” comments Dr. Edward C. Pentecost.

Pray for those who are snared in the traps of apostasy. Remember, such were some of us. May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

¹⁴ It 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.” (Jude 14–15 (ESV)

What will the Lord Jesus Christ do when He comes again with ten thousand of His holy ones? What does this have to do with the present problem of apostates and the ancient prophecy of Enoch? Jude immediately provided the answer in vs. 15 of his epistle.

The Lord Jesus will execute judgment (ποιῆσαι κρίσιν; poiesai krisin). This means the Lord Christ will carry out, or accomplish, his verdict of condemnation upon all apostates and false teachers. Jesus came to save, and not judge, the lost at His first coming (John 3:17-21). Jesus will come to judge, and not save, the lost at His second coming (2 Peter 3:1-10; Rev. 19:1-2, 20-21; 20:1-15).

The Lord will also convict (ἐλέγξαι; elenxai) and actively expose and rebuke all the ungodly (ἀσεβεῖς; asebeis). The ungodly are the wicked who have no regard for the Lord God (Rom.1:18-32). Jude used the word ungodly three times: as an adjective, verb and noun. He did so for emphasis.

John Newton poetically described the Lord’s return, and the plight of the ungodly, in the following manner.

At His call the dead awaken,                                                                                  Rise to life from earth and sea;                                                                                       All the powers of nature, shaken                                                                                      By His looks, prepare to flee.                                                                                      Careless sinner,                                                                                                          What will then become of thee?

Jude states the Lord will judge the ungodly apostates because of their deeds and their words. Their wickedness is at the core of their being. Their behavior and words give evidence of who they truly are. In other words, apostates behave and speak the way they do because of who they are internally (Eph.2:1-3). They do not become false teachers because of their behavior and speech. Their behavior and speech display they are false teachers.  

“As Jude develops his letter, he explains his earlier comment about God’s condemnation of godless men (v. 4). Thus, he discloses that these men live immorally, spurn authority, and “slander celestial beings” (vv. 8, 10). He reveals that they find fault, boast, brag, and flatter (v. 16); they scoff at divine revelation and willfully “follow their own ungodly desires” (v. 18). Applying the prophecy of Enoch, Jude indicates that these men will be convicted because of the evil acts they have committed and the harsh words they have spoken against the Lord,” states Dr. Simon J. Kistemaker.

“All ungodly persons will be judged and all their ungodly deeds and all their hard words will be held as evidence against them in a court of law (see Mal. 3:13; Matt. 12:36). The writer’s emphasis on the terms all and ungodly is designed to call the attention of these godless men to the seriousness of their sin. They deliberately taunt God, dishonor him, and scorn his Word. In the Greek Jude placed the two words ungodly sinners last in the sentence for special emphasis. A literal translation of these words reveals the climax of the sentence: “sinners, godless persons.”

“Enoch’s prophecy pointed to the glorious return of Christ to the earth with thousands upon thousands of His angels (holy ones) (Matt. 24:30; 2 Thes. 1:10), when His purpose will be to judge everyone (2 Thes. 1:7–10) and to convict all the ungodly with unanswerable evidence that their actions, manners, and words have been ungodly (asebeis, “irreverent”; cf. Jude 4). Jude’s fourfold use of this word ungodly reinforces his description of their nature. Rather than being true spiritual leaders, they had spoken harsh words (cf. “speak abusively” in v. 10) against Jesus Christ whom they denied,” explains Dr. Edward C. Pentecost.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.

When darkness veils His lovely face
I’ll rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy day
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my hope and stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound
Oh, may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless to stand before the throne.

On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

“It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones,” (Jude 14 (ESV)

What do the Scriptures tell us about the Old Testament character known as Enoch? Who was this individual and why did Jude refer to him when writing about the danger of apostates and apostasy?

Following the genealogy of Gen. 5:1–14; 1 Chron. 1:1–3; Luke  3:37; Heb. 11:5, Enoch was the seventh in the line of Adam. Because Enoch “walked with God,” he was taken directly to heaven without dying (cf. Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5). The Bible mentions only one other individual who enjoyed such an intimate relationship with the LORD described as walking with God; Noah (Gen. 6:9). The Scriptures also mention only one other individual being taken to heaven alive like Enoch; Elijah (2 Kings 2:1-12). Enoch was the father of Methuselah and the great grandfather of Noah (Gen. 5:21-31). Jude wrote that Enoch prophesied the Lord Jesus would come with ten thousand of his holy ones.

“Enoch, before the flood, prophesied about Christ’s second coming in judgment (cf. 1 Thess. 3:13). “Holy ones” can refer to either angels or believers. Since both angels (Matt. 24:31; 25:31; Mark 8:38; 2 Thess. 1:7) and believers (Col. 3:4; 1 Thess. 3:13; Rev. 19:14) will accompany Christ, it may refer to both (cf. Zech. 14:5), but the focus on judgment in Jude 15 seems to favor angels, who are often seen in judgment action. While believers will have a role of judging during the Lord’s earthly kingdom (see note on 1 Cor. 6:2) and will return when Christ comes to judge (Rev. 19:14), angels are the executioners of God at the second coming of Christ (see Matt. 13:39–41, 49–50; 24:29–31; 25:31; 2 Thess. 1:7–10),” explains Dr. John MacArthur.

Jude’s reference to Enoch’s prophesy presents one of the interpretative challenges in properly understanding this epistle. It also resulted in Jude being one the New Testament books disputed for its inclusion into the biblical canon. The question centered upon authenticity.

The period of time between the Old and New Testaments, known as the 400 silent years, contained a great amount of international upheaval. The Judean Maccabean revolt (around 164 BC) concluded with the overthrow of Antiochus IV’s tyranny and defilement of the temple in Jerusalem. Israel subsequently enjoyed a century of independence from foreign rule. This continued until 63 BC when the Roman general Pompey made Israel a part of the Roman empire.

“Though prophets were silent during the intertestamental period, the Jews continued to produce many religious works. These works came to be known as the deuterocanonical books, and many of them, such as 1 and 2 Maccabees, are included in the canon of the Roman Catholic Church. However, many other works were produced at this time and were never recognized as inspired, even though they may have been used as devotional aids by some Jews,” explains Dr. R. C. Sproul.

“One of these is known as the Testament of Moses and is the likely source for Jude’s description of the fight over Moses’ body in verse 9 of his epistle. Jude’s reliance on an uninspired source immediately raises concerns for us. These concerns are only compounded by today’s passage. In verses 14–15, Jude quotes 1 Enoch, a pseudepigraphal (falsely attributed) work written between the third and first centuries BC. This book is based on the enigmatic “Enoch” of Genesis 5:18–24, and was a favorite of the Dead Sea sect.”

Did Jude consider the aforementioned works inspired? Many in the early church rejected Jude as canonical because of his use of these sources.

“The majority of those who questioned Jude did so on the basis of its reference to the Pseudepigraphal Book of Enoch (vv.14-15; cf. Enoch 1:9), and probably also to the Assumption of Moses (vs.9).” explains Dr. Norman Geisler.

“However, the explanation that has most commended it is that Jude’s citation of Enoch does not demand approval of the work as a whole, but extends only to those portions that he (Jude) utilizes for his purpose. This situation is not materially different from Paul’s references to pagan poets (Acts 17:28; I Cor. 15:33; Titus 1:12).”

“Because there are no doctrinal issues discussed, the challenges of this letter have to do with interpretation in the normal process of discerning the meaning of the text. Jude does quote from non-canonical, pseudepigraphal (i.e., the actual author was not the one named in its title) sources such as 1 Enoch (v. 14) and the Assumption of Moses (v. 9) to support his points. Was this acceptable? Since Jude was writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:20–21) and included material that was accurate and true in its affirmations, he did no differently than Paul (cf. Acts 17:28; 1 Cor. 15:33; Titus 1:12),” states Dr. MacArthur.  

All truth is God’s truth. Believers in Christ can be certain the Holy Spirit inspired Jude’s epistle (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21).

Soli deo Gloria!