Jude 1:1-7
From: Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ, and a brother of James.
To: Christians everywhere----beloved of God and chosen by him. May you be given more and more of God's kindness, peace, and love.
Dearly loved friends, I had been planning to write you some thoughts about the salvation God has given us, but now I find I must write of something else instead, urging you to stoutly defend the truth which God gave, once for all, to his people to keep without change throughout the years. I say this because some godless teachers have wormed their way in among you, saying that after we become Christians we can do just as we without fear of God's punishment. The fate of such people was written long ago, for they have turned against our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
My answer to them is: Remember this fact--which you know already--that the Lord saved a whole nation of people out of the land of Egypt, and then killed every one of them who did not trust and obey him. And I remind you of those angels who were once pure and holy, but turned to a life of sin. Now God has them chained up in prison of darkness, waiting for the judgment day. And don' forget the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, all full of lust of every kind including lust of men for other men. Those cities were destroyed by fire and continue to be a warning to us that there is a hell in which sinners are punished.
Reflection:
Our scripture today says it all. It is a constant reminder of what can happen when the Lord takes his hand off of you, when you disobey him and his laws, when you listen to false prophets. The bible tells us to beware of those who come to you like a sheep but inside are raging wolves. Not everyone that speaks about life as a Christian are people of God. So beware. If you build a personal relationship with God you will be able to recognize these wolves for yourself. Lamentations 5:19 says, "O Lord, forever you remain the same! Your throne continues from generation to generation." This is said also in today's scripture. Jude is (in verse 3) urging us to "defend the truth which God gave, Once and for all, to his people to keep without change throughout the years. Isn't that just like God to be the same throughout the years. In Luke 1:50 we see that "His Mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all that fear him." God does not change but we do. We forget all that he has done for us, we forget about the sacrifice he gave us. We are living in trying times. Some say we are living in Sodom and Gomorrah. But there is one thing that we will never forget and that is that we can always come back to God. We may stray, we may even sin but we can come back in line with Jesus if we repent and ask for forgiveness.
The times we are living in right now are seen in Revelations. There is nothing greater right now then having a right relationship with God. Remember that if you do not get right with God, you will as our text says be chained in a prison of darkness waiting for the judgment day. If you get right with God, repent, let him into your heart you will be free to the light of eternal life. Call upon him today for forgiveness, defend him and remember that in Christ Jesus there is power and Salvation is his name.
Be Blessed and Encouraged
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