About This Book
Jude urgently warns believers to contend for the faith against false teachers who pervert grace into licentiousness, facing certain judgment like historical examples of divine punishment. Jude, servant of Jesus Christ and James's brother, writes to those called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ, multiplying mercy, peace, and love. Though intending to write about common salvation, necessity compels addressing infiltrating ungodly people who pervert grace into sensuality and deny Jesus Christ as Master and Lord. Jude reminds readers that the Lord, after saving people from Egypt, subsequently destroyed unbelievers.
Angels who didn't keep their position but abandoned proper dwelling are kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until great day judgment. Likewise Sodom and Gomorrah, indulging in sexual immorality and unnatural desire, serve as examples by undergoing eternal fire punishment. Yet these dreamers defile flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme glorious ones. Even Michael the archangel, disputing with the devil about Moses's body, didn't pronounce blasphemous judgment but said, "The Lord rebuke you." These people blaspheme what they don't understand and are destroyed by what they know instinctively like irrational animals.
Woe to them—they walked Cain's way, abandoned themselves to Balaam's error for pay, and perished in Korah's rebellion. They're hidden reefs at love feasts, shamelessly feeding themselves, waterless clouds swept along by winds, fruitless autumn trees twice dead and uprooted, wild sea waves casting up shame foam, wandering stars for whom gloomy darkness is eternally reserved. Enoch prophesied the Lord comes with holy myriads executing judgment on all, convicting the ungodly of godless deeds and harsh words spoken against Him. These are grumblers, malcontents, following sinful desires, loud-mouthed boasters showing favoritism for advantage.
Beloved, remember apostolic predictions that scoffers would come following ungodly passions—worldly people causing divisions, devoid of the Spirit. Believers should build themselves up in holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keeping themselves in God's love.