Battle instructions for faithful soldiers

17 But you, dear friends, remember what was predicted by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They told you, ‘In the end time there will be scoffers living according to their own ungodly desires.’ 19 These people create divisions and are worldly, not having the Spirit.

20 But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting expectantly for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. 22 Have mercy on those who waver; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; have mercy on others but with fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

Jude 17-23

Move to DEFCON 1

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.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

DEFCON stands for defence readiness condition. It is an alert state used by the United States Armed Forces. DEFCON prescribes five graduated levels of readiness for the U.S. military. It increases in severity from DEFCON 5 (least severe) to DEFCON 1 (most severe). The highest level, DEFCON 1, signals nuclear warfare. During the Yom Kippur War and the September 11 attacks the U.S. military moved to DEFCON 3. During the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Persian Gulf War they moved to DEFCON 2.

Central Baptist Church, We need to move to DEFCON 1.

We’re under immanent attack. The key to verses 17-19 is the command to Remember. Remember the predictions.

Jesus had said, many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders. See, I have told you beforehand (Mt 24:11, 24, 25). Paul had said, 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, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths (2 Ti 4:3-4). John had said, many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 Jn 4:1). Peter had said, scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires (2 Pe 3:3). Jude is now saying, they’re here. False teachers are in our midst. The battle for the local church has begun.

Three things about these false teachers:

1. They run after ungodly passions (18b). They present as angels of light, but they children of their father the Devil. And as such, they love their sin more than Jesus.
2. They cause divisions (19a). Stirring up splits and schisms within local churches.
3. They are devoid of the Spirit (19b). They are worldly rather than spiritual. Carnal rather than Christlike.

False teachers infiltrate churches. These wicked charlatans infiltrate churches like ours. They have before, they will again. Don’t get caught off-guard. Stand guard. Don’t fall asleep on duty. Remain alert. Don’t let your guard down. Contend for the faith.

Central Baptist Church, we’re to move to DEFCON 1.

Get combat-ready

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

Around the world nations train up special forces. The United Kingdom has the SAS. The United States, Navy SEALs, Delta Force and the Green Berets. Russia, Alpha Group. South Africa, the Recces. Each team is elite, is specially selected and is highly trained and specialised.

Central Baptist Church, We need to take spiritual combat training and readiness seriously.

We’re at war. And soon we’ll face combat. We need to be ready. Be prepared. The key to verses 20-21 is the command Keep. Keep yourselves in the love of God. How can we do that? By building, praying and waiting:

1. Jude says you’re to build yourselves up in your most holy faith (20a). We’re to hear the Bible, read the Bible, study the Bible, memorise the Bible, and meditate on the Bible. If we’re to be combat-ready we’re to be Scripture saturated. Paul warned the Ephesian elders about false teachers. He commended them to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up (Ac 20:32). Scripture builds the saint up. To keep yourselves in the love of God is to train to wield the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ep 6:17).

2. Praying in the Holy Spirit (20b). This could be translated as praying by means of the Holy Spirit. Praying with the help of the Holy Spirit. Praying in the sphere of the Holy Spirit. Or praying in connection to the Holy Spirit. This isn’t about the particular words we say. This is about how we pray. We are to pray continually in Spirit. We are to pray depending on the Spirit. We are to pray filled with the Spirit. We are to pray controlled by the Spirit. To keep yourselves in the love of God is to pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication (Ep 6:18).

3. And we’re are to wait. Eschatology, the doctrine of future things, matters. We are to live with eternity in mind, anticipating our Lord’s return. Put out the welcome mat in your heart. Always be ready for Jesus’ return. Have the word “Maranatha, Amen! Come, Lord Jesus, Come!” always on your lips. To keep yourselves in the love of God is to wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.

Central Baptist Church, We need to take spiritual combat training and readiness seriously.

Take prisoners captive

22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

My grandfather fought in World War 2. My great grandfather in World War 1. He was a non-commissioned officer. My father has his medals and memorabilia in a box. I read his officers handbook some years ago. There was a chapter on how to treat deserters. Shoot them. Quickly. And publicly.

How are we to treat Christian deserters? Christian drifters? Christian doubters? How are you to engage with your family? Your friends? Your spouse? Your child? Your parent who is struggling with their faith? Well, you’re not to shoot them . Central Baptist Church, we are to be a salvation army. We are to take prisoners captive.

1. The key to verse 22 is the command have mercy. Have mercy on doubters. We’re a merciful army. Remember Jude’s prayer at the beginning of the letter (2)? May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. And what are we waiting for (21)? The mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. Our spiritual lives are mercy from beginning to end. We who’ve received mercy are to exercise mercy.

Believers doubt. Zechariah doubted he would have a son (Lk 1:11-17). Thomas doubted Jesus rose from the dead (Jn 20:25-28). John the Baptist doubted Jesus was the One (Mt 11:3). Believers doubt. And when they do, we who are spiritually stronger are to act with mercy towards them.

What does mercy look like? We pray for doubters (Ja 5:16). We pray with doubters. We send a WhatsApp voice note prayer to doubters. We share a Psalm with doubters. We send a sermon to doubters. We meet with doubters. We have a coffee with doubters. We journey with doubters. We disciple doubters. We care for doubters. We bear doubters burdens (Ga 6:2). We be patient with doubters (Ep 4:2). We speak the truth in love to doubters (Ep 4:15, 25). We are kind and compassionate to doubters (Ep 4:32) We teach doubters (Co 3:16). We comfort doubters (1 Th 4:18). We encourage doubters (1 Th 5:11). We exhort doubters (He 3:13). We have mercy on doubters.

2. But what about those who have come to an end of their doubting? What about those who are drifting? How do you contend well for the faith with them? Judas says we do not contend with them. We contend for them. The key to verse 23a is the command to save them. This is a present tense command. It is to be our habitual practice. A Gospel lifestyle. We are to do everything we can to see souls saved. Heaven or hell hangs in the balance. At this moment men are being singed by the fires of hell. If they are not saved the eternal inferno will engulf them. They are in mortal danger. They will suffer eternal damnation.

In September 1985 there was a pool party at the New Orleans municipal pool. It celebrated the first summer without a drowning at the pool. 200 people gathered, including 100 certified lifeguards. When the party broke up the fully dressed body of Jerome Moody was discovered, drowned in the deep end. Drowned surrounded by lifeguards at a lifeguard party. That’s my fear for you. Your duty is to save the lives of people within your sphere of influence. But instead of responding to their desperate need, you’re enjoying life’s party. And the guy drowning in the pool isn’t a stranger he is your family or friend. Your spouse. Your child. Your parent. Your friend. Think of their desperate need. Their hopeless separation from God. Do not give up on them! They could still be snatched from the fire.

Pray ardently for them. Speak earnestly to them. Urgently warn them. Lovingly encourage them. Carefully exhort them. Point them to the saviour who is mighty to save while there is still time. The Lord does not wish that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (2 Pe 3:9). And so we must be eager to see souls saved. We must have a passion for winning souls. We are to evangelize. We are to witness. We are to communicate the message of salvation to a world that is dying.

3. But what about those that aren’t just doubting? What about those who aren’t just drifting? What about those that have deserted? How should we respond to them? Are we to shoot deserters on the spot? The key to verse 23b is have mercy. Again, this is an imperative. A command. Again, this is something you must do. have mercy. This is surprising. Maybe you thought deserters were beyond redemption? Yet the text tells us that we are to contend for the faith by showing mercy, even to deserters. We want to see defiled men saved. And so, despite their rejection of the truth, we show them mercy. How can we have mercy towards deserters? Carefully. This group comes with a warning label. We are to proceed with fear. Not a scared fear. A careful fear.

Healthcare professionals caring for Ebola patients wear personal protective equipment. Single-use impermeable gowns. Double nitrile gloves. Masks, face shields, surgical hoods. Impermeable boot coverings. A careful fear. Because you want to treat the patient but nobody wants to catch ebola.

Central Baptist Church, we are to be a salvation army. We are to take prisoners captive.

The Gospel

There’s plenty of application here for believers. But what about you? You the doubter? You the drifter? You the defiled? Good news! By implication, God’s mercy and His salvation is on offer to you this morning.

Do you doubt? Are you struggling with your faith? Or struggling for faith? There is hope in this text for you this morning.

Have you drifted? Have you been looking for meaning in places other than God’s Word? Cultural beliefs and practices? The world and all it has to offer? The spiritualism of this age? A religion contrary to the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. Are you dabbling in danger? Are you positioned too near the fire? There is hope in this text for you this morning.

Are you defiled? Have you left the faith? Do you think you’re beyond Christ’s reach? That your sin and rebellion stack up so high against you that salvation has surely passed you by? Like Paul who rebelled against God and described himself as the chief of sinners are you a great sinner? Good. It’s time. There is hope in this text for you this morning.

Hear from God’s Word to you this morning: mercy and salvation is proclaimed towards doubters, drifters, and the defiled. You are not beyond the reach of God – who is mighty to save. There was mercy enough for Thomas. There was mercy enough for John the Baptist. There was mercy enough for Paul. There is mercy enough for you in the cross of Christ.

To start with, the Gospel message isn’t aimed at good people. Because they don’t exist. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Ro 3:23). While you may feel more wretched than the guy next to you, you’re not. Not before God. Because God is holy you’re as unable to save yourself as anyone else. As desperate. As needy. The wages of sin is death (Ro 6:23). You deserve eternal separation from the love of God. And this is dreadful news.

But God, being rich in mercy (Ep 2:4) has made a way where there was no way. “His mercy. Stronger than darkness, and new every morn. Our sins they are many, His mercy is more.” He has sent His son to die in your place and bear His wrath that salvation might be offered to you this morning. Jesus Christ is the exclusive way to the Father. No one comes to the Father except through [him] (Jn 14:6). On the cross as Jesus died He died as the perfect spotless Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world (Jn 1:29). Jesus appeased the wrath of God against sin and sinners just you. Mercy has made a way where there was no way.

Repent from your wandering and come to the fold of God, Jesus will rescue you from danger. Jesus Christ is such great saviour for such a great sinner as yourself. Call on Him this morning and you will be saved.