"to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.” 16 These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; [q]they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage."
I have to take these verses a little backwards in order to deal with them.
Verse 16 hits home. This is exactly what my husband preached about last week. People in church, grumbling because they don't get their way, fighting over inconsequential things, demanding that church is ran their way, or no way.
I won't lie - his sermon BUGGED people. We've had a little backlash about it.
But it just brings home to me - Jude is CURRENT. As there were false teachers in Jude's day, in Enoch's day, there are false teachers now who say "church must be this way or it isn't church" who say "God meant it this way" when really that way only benefits them.
Those who find fault, those who mislead people to gain advantage, will be judge.
In Friday's post we read about Enoch, and read the beginning of his prophecy, that thousands upon thousands of the Lord's holy ones were coming. Today verse 15 tells us what they are coming to do.
They are coming to judge. To convict the ungodly of their sins.
Matthew Henry's commentary on Jude says this:
Notice how often the word "ungodly" is repeated. Many now do not at all refer to the terms godly, or ungodly, unless it be to mock at even the words; but it is not so in the language taught us by the Holy Ghost. Hard speeches of one another, especially if ill-grounded, will certainly come into account at the day of judgment. These evil men and seducers are angry at every thing that happens, and never pleased with their own state and condition. Their will and their fancy, are their only rule and law. Those who please their sinful appetites, are most prone to yield to ungovernable passions. The men of God, from the beginning of the world, have declared the doom denounced on them. Such let us avoid. We are to follow men only as they follow Christ.
Notice how often the word "ungodly" is repeated. Many now do not at all refer to the terms godly, or ungodly, unless it be to mock at even the words; but it is not so in the language taught us by the Holy Ghost. Hard speeches of one another, especially if ill-grounded, will certainly come into account at the day of judgment. These evil men and seducers are angry at every thing that happens, and never pleased with their own state and condition. Their will and their fancy, are their only rule and law. Those who please their sinful appetites, are most prone to yield to ungovernable passions. The men of God, from the beginning of the world, have declared the doom denounced on them. Such let us avoid. We are to follow men only as they follow Christ.
How true is it that we cower at calling a sin a sin, and yet we do. Because when you do, people get angry, like that got angry at my husband for preaching a convicting sermon about holier-than-thou, do-it-my-way attitudes.
But Jesus is coming. And we will all be judged. I repeat again Matthew Henry's words "We are to follow men only as they follow Christ."
But Jesus is coming. And we will all be judged. I repeat again Matthew Henry's words "We are to follow men only as they follow Christ."
1 comment:
"We are to follow men only as they follow Christ."
So true. And we can only know if they are following Christ, if we know the Word. So crucial!
Jesus is coming indeed. The first time He came, it was to save. The second time, it will be to judge. We cannot afford to forget that.
Post a Comment