Jude – Stand Firm In Your Faith

Have you ever planted a garden that bore no fruit for all your labor?

Jude, half-brother of Jesus, knew the frustration first-hand. Ever since his post-resurrection conversion, Jude had been planting churches as he taught the truth about Jesus’ deity. Yet despite his thorough preparation, several of the surrounding churches began to struggle under the influence of false teaching. Evil leaders crept into positions of authority, encouraging the members to live licentiously instead of for the Lord. Arrogant over their assumed superiority, they waxed eloquent about their supposed spiritual visions and flaunted disrespect toward spiritual beings.

Jude said they were like fruitless trees in late autumn. They looked large and full of promise with their charisma and leadership skills, but they failed to bear any fruit at all. They were, in reality, worthless wood primed for the fiery judgment that awaited them on Judgment Day.

In stark contrast, the real followers stood rooted in Jesus and ripe for eternal life with Him. They simply needed to stay in the truth and persevere in it despite the opposition they faced. Jude reminded them how the apostles had forewarned God’s people about the imposters who would come and try to wreck their faith by wrong teaching. Now that they realized the threat’s reality, they could resist Satan’s schemes.

Because the true church honors God, Satan hates it and hopes to destroy it any way he can. Deceptive philosophy still works in today’s world as one of Satan’s top weapons. But God, who is greater, offers believers an effective counter-strategy. Prayer, through the power of His Spirit, preserves His people, and keeps us “in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.”

What is the theme of Jude?

How to you honor the Lord?