Beware of Apostasy

Transcript

GR 801
11/06/1988
Beware of Apostasy
Jude 1,2
Gil Rugh

I want to look into the Book of Jude with you this morning. I've mentioned our next major book study is going to be the Book of Romans, but we're not going to start the Book of Romans until after the holidays. And so we're going to look at the Book of Jude, a little book that we have studied on other occasion. And a very significant little book. Uh. My attention was drawn back to it again as the result of some of the discussions I had in the seminar that I attended. And that with some of the reading that I've been doing, I've been reminded again of how serious the issue of apostasy is for the church today. And the Book of Jude is unique because its entire subject is apostasy. The entirety of this rather short letter is given over to a discussion of apostasy and apostates. And there is no more severe and stern denunciation of apostasy and apostates anywhere in Scripture than you have in the Book of Jude. And it comes as a strong warning to the church of Jesus Christ. Perhaps the greatest danger that the church faces is that of apostasy. Now we talk about apostasy and apostates, we are talking about those who profess to be part of the body of Christ, but in reality are not. And we'll see as we move through the Book of Jude that apostates are those destined to eternity in hell. So we're not talking about confused believers. We're not talking about believers with whom we have some doctrinal disagreements. But we are talking about those who are not truly the children of God but have infiltrated among believers, have become part of the professing church of Jesus Christ and by their presence are corrupting the church. The issue of apostasy for the people of God has always been a serious issue. It has always been a major threat to the people of God, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. And perhaps the greatest danger from apostasy is that we as believers do not take it seriously enough. That's true to those that Jude writes, that was true all the way back into the Old Testament.

There is something of a reluctance on the part of believers to come face to face with apostasy and deal with it head on. But if it's not dealt with very firmly, if we're not very careful in the issues that we face, we will find ourselves overwhelmed by the apostasy.

Let's look at some references that'll lead us up to Jude. Beginning in the Book of Jeremiah. The Book of Jeremiah in the Old Testament and much of Jeremiah's prophecy is concerned with the subject of apostasy and the departure of the people of God from a loyalty and commitment to the Word of God. Jeremiah chapter 23. And there are many sections of Jeremiah that we could take, but we'll just take this one chapter as an example. Jeremiah 23 begins, Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of My pasture, declares the Lord. Stinging indictment that those who were to be the spiritual leaders of the people of God had themselves turned away from the Lord. And as a result, the flock of God was being destroyed and scattered.

Verse 13 of Jeremiah 23. Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive things they prophesied by Baal and led My people astray. Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible things the committing of adultery and walking in falsehood; and they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one has turned back from his wickedness. All of them have become to Me like Sodom, and her inhabitants like Gomorrah. Now this is a serious matter. God says, as I look at My people and their spiritual condition today, I don't see any difference between them and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Now Sodom and Gomorrah is proverbial for the ugliness and repulsiveness of sin so great that God literally rained down fire upon those cities and destroyed them. Now He looks at the people who are to be characterized by holiness, by a separateness from sin, if you will, and He says, I see Sodom and Gomorrah all over again in My own people.

Verse 16. Thus says the Lord of hosts, do not listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you. They are leading you into futility; they speak a vision of their own imagination, not from the mouth of the Lord. They keep saying to those who despise Me, the Lord has said, you will have peace, and as for everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart, they say, calamity will not come upon you. Here you get an idea of what the general message of the apostates will be. It is a message of peace, a message of security. It is a message that people want to hear. There is no judgment coming. You will have peace. Everything is all right between God and you. And that's not the truth.

They don't deal with the issue of sin. They don't deal with the issue of personal guilt before God. They don't deal with the issue of the penalty of sin, the eternity of hell. I asked a man that I was concerned about, one of the pastors that I was with recently, uh, tell me about your beliefs.
And he shared, well I'm a liberal. Uh. Do you believe in personal sin and guilt before God? Do you believe in an eternal hell as well as an eternal heaven? Do you believe that salvation is by faith in Christ and His death and resurrection and that alone? Response was, well, I think I do, but I really preach a message of social justice. Very disturbing. But it's a message that people want to hear.

Now we start out here at the fringes where we as staunch evangelicals draw the line clearly. But we have to be careful, because what happens is, there is a blending in of the message of the apostates. And even though out here on the fringes it seems relatively clear to us, elements and aspects of their message begin to bleed in closer and closer to the heart of evangelical believers. For example, out on the fringe we would hear them preaching the message of peace, the message of no coming judgment, for God is a God of love. He would never sentence anyone to hell. If we are doing our best, if we are helping the poor, if we are investing ourselves in our society and on and on. We'd say I can see that. But you know what happens as we get closer in, even we as evangelicals are affected by the message of the apostates. For example, we say we believe in sin, we believe in hell, but we really don't want to hear that message anymore. I don't want to be beat down with messages about sin. I don't want to go away from church depressed because I heard all about hell. I come to be lifted up. I come to be encouraged. And what we have done is allowed the corruption of the message of the apostates to begin to bleed into our own thinking. We don't come right out and say I don't want to hear what God has to say. What we are saying is, I want to hear the same kind of message that the apostates preach, only dress it up so that it is more evangelicalized, if you will. And we are more infected and affected by the message of the apostates than we like to admit.

Let's go over to the New Testament. Matthew chapter 7. Perhaps the most disturbing thing in the conference that I attended was a man that would be every bit in his training and, I believe in his thinking, basically, as evangelical as I am. Trained in one of the leading evangelical seminaries.
Perhaps the leading evangelical seminary of our day. And as I talked with him, he talked with me, to me about the change that he has made in his ministry. A man about four years younger than I am, a church about the size of our congregation here. He says, I've made a change in my preaching. I've gone from 45 minutes to 30 minutes. Right away, that makes him suspect, doesn't it? He says his goal was 25 minutes. He says, I've moved away from any emphasis on content in my preaching. Now there are lots of stories, lots of illustrations. I'm there to motivate people. I despaired when I talked to him. That was the most discouraging thing in the whole time there. That someone from what I would consider the very heart of evangelicalism is telling me I've changed, I've moved away from any emphasis on content in my preaching. Shorten it up, brighten it up, lots of stories, lots of illustrations. Again, the message from the fringe, from the apostates whom we like to think we are distinct from has begun to infiltrate us in our thinking and the way we approach our Christianity. The result is a progressive weakening of the believer and a weakening of the church.

Jesus addresses the issue of apostates in Matthew chapter 7. And verse 15. After talking about the wide gate and the narrow gate and the exhortation to enter the narrow gate because the wide gate leads to destruction and it is a popular gate and a popular way. But the way to eternal life is narrow, the path is narrow, and there are only a few on the right road. Beware, verse 15, of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing. You note again, we're talking about false prophets. We're talking about apostates. They are pretending to be one thing, and they are in reality something else. They are wolves in sheep's clothing. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, the rotten tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, a rotten tree cannot produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down, thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day. Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? Then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.

You think of the awfulness of what Christ has described here? People who believe in their heart that they are on their way to eternity with God are going to have the terrible shock of a sentence for eternity in hell. People who believe that they're going to heaven in reality are going to hell. Not everybody who says to Me, Lord, Lord will arrive in the kingdom. Only those who do the will of My Father. Those whose lives have been transformed. Calls not only for searching of ourselves, but a careful scrutiny of others as well. By their fruits you shall know them.
Acts chapter 20. Acts chapter 20. Verse 29. Verse 28. The exhortation to the Elders. Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. To shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. So you see the danger? They're going to come in among you and not spare the flock. From among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore, be on the alert. Warning about the danger of apostasy. The threat that will come from within to the church of Jesus Christ.

Over to First Timothy chapter 4. Verse 1. But the Spirit explicitly says that in latter times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons. Now again, we're reminded here that the doctrines of demons, the teaching of demons, is going to be so effective and so persuasive that some will be lured away. Some of those, perhaps, who have been considering and contemplating Christianity. Some who will have come so close but will turn away and turn back.

Second Timothy. Paul repeats the warning. chapter 3. First five verses describe the difficulty of the last days. And then you'll note verse 5s Holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power. Again the danger. These men have a form of godliness. I was watching a couple of television ministries in the last week and sat there and thought of this verse. Having a form of godliness, but they've denied its power. Avoid such men as these.

That's the exhortation to us as believers. To not be part of it in any way. Because of the danger that it exposes us to. We're not as strong as we think we are. So avoid such men as these.
Chapter 4 of Second Timothy. Verse 3. The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; they will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths. Serious issue. Timothy, stay true to the Word. There's coming a time when people won't want to hear the Word of God. They want to have their ears tickled. I was in uh a discussion at the conference I was at, over dinner, about this very issue. The discussion revolved around people and ministering to people and the adjustments taking place in ministry and particularly in our preaching. I was very disturbed and I asked the men at the table with me the question, when have we crossed the line to become like those who were described in Second Timothy, where they want to have their ears tickled and we try to become the preachers and teachers that will please the people. Again, we're simply talking about degrees. I would not sacrifice the truth of the Word of God, but now in the way that I present the Word of God, in the portions of the Scripture that I use, I begin to adjust my preaching in light of what I think you will want to hear. In light of what will make me more popular. And we're simply talking about a degree of difference, but not a basic difference, between the apostate out here who preaches only what the people want to hear, and the person who prides himself on being an evangelical Christian but is trying to change the message to make it more pleasing to the people.

We need to be very, very careful. We live in a day where the Word of God is not popular. We live in a day, I believe, in the United States, where Christianity is on the decline, where the impact of Christianity is on the decline. And we live in a day where Bible teaching and Bible doctrine is not the first love, even of the people of God.

I listened to a message. I won't mention the man's name, because you would all know him. And he was emphasizing to men in media ministries, speaking to evangelicals, that you have to build your ministry around people. Your ministry has to be the people. Everything has to be the people. And when he got all said and done, you know the question that came to my mind? Have we moved from a Christ-centered theology to a man-centered theology? We're to build our ministries and our lives around our Savior. Around our God. He is the foundation. He is the focal point. He is everything. But you know, that's not the popular message today. And so I really fear that the apostasy that is so clearly evident to us has begun to bleed into our churches. And we have bought into it in ways that will result in the disintegration and the destruction of the church of Jesus Christ. That doesn't mean the church won't go on, but it will go on like most of our mainline denominational churches have gone on, empty, having a form of godliness, but denying its power. That doesn't mean that people won't come and meet in this building and go through all the routines, but the power will be gone if the Word of God and the person of Christ is not at center. And that should be a concern to me as a preacher of the Word; that should be a concern to you as a believer in the Word. I find myself having to ask myself the questions Gil, are you being affected by the thinking of the day in your preaching of the Word of God? You have to ask yourself the same question.

That brings us to the Book of Jude. We're going to talk about apostasy. Going to say some terrible things about apostasy and apostates. But Jude opens up in a very warm and positive ways. You're going to talk about apostasy, but the first two verses are about the security of the believer, because I want it clearly understood as Jude did that as terrible as apostasy is, as threatening as apostasy is, believers in Jesus Christ are eternally secure in their relationship with Him. And that's what the first two verses drive home. There is great danger from apostasy, but we as true believers in Jesus Christ are secure in our relationship in Christ. So I need not fear for myself and my destiny, but I will be called to warfare in the context of apostates.

Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and a brother of James, to those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christs may mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you. As is common in New Testament letters, the writer and the recipients are addressed at the beginning of the letter. So Jude identifies himself as the writer and he also identifies those that he is writing to. When he identifies those that he is writing to, he'll draw in the issue of their personal relationship to Christ.

Jude. There are at least five men in the New Testament known by the name of Jude. We won't work through each of those. That could be a good study for your own personal study sometime. I believe the man talked about here is Jude the half-brother of Christ, the brother of James, the James who was the head of the church conference in Acts chapter 15. This is the identification most commonly accepted.

Matthew chapter 13. Matthew 13 and verse 55. Speaking of Christ. Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And the word Jude is the same as Judas. And carried over in the Book of Jude as Jude rather than Judas, because of the terrible stigma that becomes attached to that name Judas because the, it was the name of the betrayer of Christ who obviously is a different person. Uh. But Jude and Judas are the same name. So the Book of Jude could have been called the Book of Judas. But it was not because of uh the betrayer Judas. There we're told that one of the brothers, really the half-brother of Christ, was the man Jude. And that seems to be the one in view here. The Roman Catholic Church says that the word brother there should be cousins because they want to preserve the perpetual virginity of Mary, but uh the word there, literally, is from the same womb. That's what the word brother means. Uh. Comes from the same word meaning same womb. And uh seems that they are the half-brother. Jude does not identify himself, back in the Book of Jude, as the brother or half-brother of Christ, but as the brother of James and the servant of Christ. Now the brother of James? The James we just read in Matthew chapter 13 verse 55, the James in Acts 15. Uh. But he is a bond-servant of Jesus. His relationship to Christ, the physical relationship was not what was central or crucial.

In fact, we know that during the earthly ministry of Christ His brothers did not believe in Him. It was after His resurrection that they became believers. Jude sees him now self now as a servant, as a slave of Jesus Christ.

And let me read you from a Greek dictionary, a brief excerpt on the word dulas, which is the word translated bond servant here. For Judaism in the time of Jesus as for the Greek world, the slave was on a lower level of humanity. By law the slave was classed with .immobile goods, had no rights at law, could not own property. Even his family did not belong to him. It was the property of his master. Uh. Treatment of slaves correspond in this estimation. Since a slave was a chattel, his master could do to him as he desired, there was none to hinder him. In the Rabbis, therefore, the word slave constitutes one of the worst insults one man could hurl at another. It was not for nothing that a man might be excommunicated for calling his neighbor a slave.
Yet James here wears it as a badge of honor. He is one who belongs to Christ. As such, he has no rights of his own.

He has no possessions of his own. This concept that is stressed in the introduction to this letter is one I fear that we have lost sight of in our day, that I don't belong to myself; I belong to another. So my rights are not an issue here. I'm a slave. Nobody worries about a slave's rights.
He has no rights. His rights belong to his master.

This may seem a little severe, but look over in First Corinthians chapter 6.Verse 19. Here in the context of immorality. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you? Whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? That's the point. This is not my body; it's God's body. For you have been bought, with a price; therefore, glorify God in your body. He purchased me; I'm His slave; now it's His body. It must be used for His glory, for His purposes. As soon as I start thinking about my rights, my needs, my desires, I've lost sight of the fact, I'm a servant; I'm a slave. I've been bought with a price. Nothing is my own anymore, not even this body. And if this body doesn't even belong to me, certainly no possessions belong to me. They are all His. And I'd best be careful what I do with this life, what I do with this body, that it honors Him. What we're talking about here is avoiding sin. Doing what is right and proper. This verse, incidentally, is often used to get you on a diet, to tell you not to overeat, to tell you not to smoke, and I'm not saying you should overeat, I'm not saying you should smoke, but I would say this verse isn't directly related to that. Because you have to compare it to what Math, Christ said in Matthew, it's not what goes in the mouth that defiles the man; it's what comes out of the heart. And I was reading an article this week. That's why it's on my mind. Of a man who was trying to get you to buy into his diet program and he was using this pro, this verse. And this verse has nothing to do with whether you're 50 pounds overweight or 50 pounds underweight. I'm not saying you shouldn't take care of your body; I'm just saying this verse isn't directed to that. Because what you put into your mouth doesn't defile your body. Now if gluttony comes out of your heart, that's defiling. And that becomes the kind of issue he's talking about.
The point we want to make is, our bodies don't belong to us.

Over in chapter 10 of First Corinthians. Verse 31. What, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. That's the principle. It's not food or drink. It's the point that's been uh discussed uh beginning in chapter 8 and through chapter 10. It's not what you eat or don't eat that is defiling, particularly. It's doing it for the glory of God that is the issue. Some were caught up in should you eat this and not eat that? Paul said, that's not the issue. The issue is doing it for the glory of God. And Romans 14 elaborates on that. Some can eat and some can't. Certain foods. It's a matter of their relationship to God. And uh that carries over to my diet. If I am convinced it's wrong for me before God to weigh 20 pounds more, then it's wrong for me to weigh 20 pounds more. Whatever is not of faith is sin. If you're comfortable weighing 20 pounds more than I do, fine. I've been on a diet. That's why we're using that example. And I'm going to go off of it, so I want to get rid of any guilt I might feel, I guess.

Come back to the Book of Jude. Jude a bond-servant of Jesus Christ. Now I sometimes ask myself in these kind of passages, could I really write there: Gil, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ. It's true. But is it true in my thinking? Is it true in the way that I live? Does that control me every day? This is His body. This is His life. The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the power of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me. That is the controlling factor in my life and all that I do.

This Jude is writing to those who are the called. Beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ. The identity are the called ones and this is a synonym for believers. The called ones are those who have experienced the call of God in their life and have responded to that call by believing that Jesus Christ the Son of God died in their place on the cross and was raised from the dead three days later. Those are the called. They're the saints; they're the believers. Now in the gospels the word called is used broadly: many are called but few are chosen, Jesus said in
Matthew. But when you come to the Epistles, the word called centers in on those who have been specially chosen by God and have responded to that call by believing in Jesus Christ.
Romans chapter 8 is a good example of that. This would be another area that would be a good area for you to pursue in your own personal study. I went through and made a list of the references to being called in the New Testament, and it's not that long a list, so you get your concordance out, you can trace down the word called. See how it's used in the gospels and then as you come into the Epistles. In Romans chapter 8, verse 28s And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. So there you see, the called are those that God loves, that love God. They are those whom He foreknew in verse 29, whom He predestined, whom He called. You'll note in verses 29 and 30 the pattern there, whom He foreknew, whom He predestined, whom He, those whom He foreknew He predestined, in verse 29. Verse 30, those whom He predestined He called. Whom He called. He justified. So the call there is not a general call, but is a specific call that results in salvation. Because those that He called, He justified. And those that He justified, He glorified. In God's perspective, from God's perspective, it's already done, which ties to the security that James is going to talk about. There is no question that I am going to be glorified in God's presence.

Why? I've been justified by Him. I've been called by Him. I've been predestined by Him. I've been foreknown by Him. So the call fits into that pattern. So when Jam, Jude writes to those who are the called, those that God has supernaturally called and drawn to Himself, this is the biblical doctrine of election. That we find so difficult to grapple with, because it grates on our desire for individual, personal sovereignty. But the doctrine of election and the call of God is a testimony to God's mercy and grace. Because He calls those who have used their personal sovereignty to rebel against Him and to become guilty before Him. And yet in mercy out of this filthy group
He calls and draws some to salvation in Christ. It's to this group that Jude is writing. So it's to us as believers that He is addressing these issues of apostasy and apostates. So that we can recognize them. So that we can understand their character. So that we can recognize their destiny. So that we can know how to deal with them as servants of Jesus Christ.

Back to Jude 1. Writing to those who are the called. And there's no specific church in view here. It's all believers. And we all as believers have a responsibility in facing apostasy and dealing with apostates. It's not something we can pass off to someone else.

He describes these called with two participles. So writing to the called, and the called are the ones having been beloved in God the Father and having been kept for Jesus Christ. These two participles, uh perfect participles, perfect tense, that's something that happens in the past and continues in the present. So the beloved are those who have been loved by God in the past and continue to be the object of His love in the present. Those who have been kept by God in the past and continue to be kept by Him in the present. There is a duration emphasized in this. Beloved in God the Father. By virtue of our being in God the Father through faith in Jesus Christ, we are the special objects of His love. We are the special focal point of the love of God. That's security; to know that I am the object of God's love in a special and unique way. God did love the world, and He gave His Son for the world. But now as one whom He has called for Himself, He bestows upon me His love in a special way that gives me a security. Like our children do in our family. The environment in which our children are to grow and be nurtured and raised in an environment that they are loved by us. And that's the environment I'm growing in spiritually. I am the object of God's love. I have been in the past. I am in the present. He called me. He doesn't love me because of my loveliness. He loves me because of His sovereign call. And there is no other explanation for it than that. Beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ. That word kept means to watch, to stand guard over, attend with great care and diligence, to keep. So kept for Jesus Christ. Kept with great care and diligence. Watched over very carefully. Now God's talking about you as a believer, me as a believer. He has a special love for us and a special care for us. This is going to be important as we talk about apostates. To understand our position in Christ.

I am kept for Jesus Christ. This word to be kept is used five times in the Book of Jude. We'll see it as we move through the book. A stress here, we are in God's keeping power. Some He's keeping for judgment. Some He's keeping for His Son. Major difference between apostates, and believers. Major difference between the unredeemed and the redeemed. You could say in one sense, all are being kept by God, watched over by Him. But some are being watched over to preserve them for judgment, others are being watched over to preserve them for salvation in Christ. What a difference.

We are those kept for Christ. This is the security of the believer. A couple of passages. John 17. Again, this would be another area that would be a great area of study. One of the difficulties as we study the Scripture is what to sift out.

I mentioned I went through all the uses of the word called in the New Testament, but we can't do that together. Then I went back and went through the uses of the word kept and related ideas that spoke to our security. I tell you, it was a great encouragement to me personally. But we don't have time to do that together, but I'd encourage you in your own study.

John 17 and just jump down to uh well, look at verse 11. I am no more in the world and yet they themselves are in the world and I come to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name. Uh. There Christ prays for the believers, for the Father to keep them. It's His keeping power. Verse 12.
While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name, which You have given Me. I guarded them. Not one of them perished but the son of perdition, Judas, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. You see that? Why were those eleven preserved and come through all that they came through? They were cut from a different world than we were. No. It was the keeping power of Christ that kept them up to this point. Except for Judas. And it was in the plan of God that his sin carry him to destruction. Now Christ turns the keeping of these over to His Father that they might continually be guarded over, that they might be kept, that they might be preserved. Tremendous encouragement to us as believers to know that we are kept by His power.

Look over in First Thessalonians 5. First Thessalonians 5. Verse 23. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely. May your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete. That word preserved is the same word translated kept. Be kept. Preserved complete without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We're kept for Jesus Christ. Here we're preserved; we're kept for Jesus Christ. Faithful is He who calls you; He will bring it to pass. Why do I believe in the security of the believer? Because I believe in the faithfulness of God's people? Not on your life! Not a bit! None of us would make it. But I believe in the faithfulness of God. The One who called us is faithful. That's why every single person who comes to believe in Jesus Christ as his personal Savior is going to make it to glory. That's amazing! But it's not amazing. Because God supernaturally intervenes, and it's hand upon us that preserves us without blame. Until the coming Jesus Christ. Does that mean I'm going to live a perfect life?

No. But it means the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all iniquity. That Jesus Christ Himself in Hebrews 7:25 is in the presence of the Father Himself making intercession for us. So we are kept. You know that’s tremendous security in a world that's coming apart.

Tremendous security. My greatest burden for my children is their personal relationship with Christ, because I don't know where the next generation is going to be. What the world is going to be like for our children and our grandchildren if Christ doesn't come. But you know, that's not a worry for me, because the same God who kept those disciples, the same God who has kept me, will keep them as well. And I should worry? They should worry? God's keeping power won't be good enough if things get much worse? Faithful is He who calls you. He's the one who will bring it to pass.

The same idea in Philippians 1:6. He who has begun a good work in you will bring it to completion in the day of Jesus Christ. Isn't it amazing you look around and see this audience? And everyone here who is a believer in Jesus Christ is destined for glory in God's presence; there won't be any casualty. Now there may be some here who will say. Lord, Lord. He'll say I never knew you. That's a tragedy. But anyone who here is who is here and experienced a transformation of heart and life by faith in Jesus Christ will be glorified in His presence.

Come back to Jude. We're kept for Jesus Christ. We don't have time to go into the eschatology of this. Our destiny is the coming of Christ. Jesus talked in John 14. I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to myself that where I am there you may be also. The chapter begins, in My Father's house are many mansions, many dwelling places. That's my destiny. I'm looking for the blessed hope, even the appearing of the glory of the great God who is our Savior

Jesus Christ in Titus chapter 2. That's the destiny that I have. I'm His servant. I've been called by Him. I'm being kept by Him as the special object of His love for that glorious day. Any wonder we talk about our citizenship not being here, in Philippians, that we're just strangers and pilgrims? Why do we get so caught up in this world? Why do we get so attached? We're moving through a world that lies in the power of the evil one. But, we are kept by the power of Almighty God.
Jude, verses 1 and 2, gives them a blessing: May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you. God's mercy, His compassion and pity, if you will, has nothing to do with something deserved, It's the compassion that is demonstrated by action, that's the mercy that God has. When He has mercy on someone, He demonstrates that mercy by what He does. It goes beyond a feeling. It's not just that God feels mercy, but He leaves us on our own. God's mercy always results in God acting for our good and our benefit. May mercy be multiplied to you. He's counting on these believers going through deep waters, trying times. And he wants God's mercy multiplied to them. God's peace, that's inner tranquility that comes into the life as the result of God's mercy. Peace with God, the peace of God. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and as a result the peace of God can reign in our life. May that be multiplied. We're going to talk about difficult times in the Book of Jude. Believers going through it with the peace of God multiplied in their life. We're talking about personal experience here. Because I have peace with God the moment I believe in Christ.

That can't be multiplied anymore; the enmity between God and I is gone. But the experience of His peace day by day, under pressure, through trial, that can be multiplied as I allow God to work in my life. And God's love be multiplied. We are the beloved. Now His love multiplied. His love. Him acting on our behalf for our good. Agape love, which is a love of action. God dealing with us according to His love. May these be multiplied. We have them in abundance. God acting for our good on our behalf. I should be threatened by apostasy and apostates? I should be threatened by a world that is disintegrating around me and sinks into the mire and muck of sin? When God's mercy and peace and love are multiplied to me? Important that we as believers don't have the stomach for the battle if we don't do it in God's strength. There is no hope for victory in the battle apart from God's strength. We face apostasy and apostates. Keep before ourselves: we are the recipients of God's mercy; we're the possessors of God's peace; we're the objects of God's love. What more could we want? You know, there are discouraging things about our day. I shared at the conference I was at, I think if I was 25 years younger, I'd learn a language like Spanish and move to a part of the world that is on the front edge of what God is doing today.

There's something about living on the tail end of God's work and you see the cutting edge someplace else. But you know, they are exciting days to be living. God raised up the prophets in the midst of disintegration and decay. He's given us as His people the opportunity in the closing days, it seems, to make known the greatness of His salvation by confronting men, women and young people with the message of salvation by faith in a Savior who loved them and died for them. I trust God will give us the steel in our hearts, the courage to stand true to the Word, to be faithful to Him as all around us there is apostasy and a turning away from the truth.
Let us pray together. Thank you. Father, for your faithfulness. Our being gathered here this morning again testifies to the greatness of our God, the greatness of your mercy. You've not dealt with us according to our sins.

Thank you for mercy and grace. God, we claim that mercy and grace again today. As we look about us and see a world in apostasy, in our own country, in our own city, a turning away. Lord, I pray that we might see the lost, the wretched and the sinful in light of Your mercy and grace. And be reminded that we were hopeless. We were without hope, yet Christ died for us. May these be days of opportunity for us as your servants. May we be willing servants, to count nothing as ours, not even our own lives, to be courageous and bold, to carry the message of a Savior, crucified and risen again, who is the hope of every man, woman and child who will believe in Him for forgiveness and eternal life. And we pray in His name. Amen.