Jude

Jude’s epistle predates the epistles of John both morally and chronologically. In John’s epistle the antichrists had gone out from among the Christians; in this epistle men have “crept in unawares” (Jude 44For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. (Jude 4)). Jude’s language is similar to that of Peter (2 Peter 2), though, whereas Peter emphasizes sin—“having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin” (2 Peter 2:1414Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: (2 Peter 2:14)), Jude’s subject is apostasy, the giving up of the faith.
Jude warns against those that rejected the truth for the sake of temporal gain, meanwhile exhorting the saints to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 33Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. (Jude 3)). Apostasy was not a phase in the church’s history, but would continue until the coming of the Lord with His saints, as Enoch prophesied —“Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him” (Jude 14, 1514And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 15To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. (Jude 14‑15)).
Outline
The book begins with the believer’s security in Jesus Christ and ends with praise to a Saviour God who alone is able to keep us from falling. In-between we have three examples from the Old Testament of apostasy (Jude 5-75I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. 6And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. 7Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. (Jude 5‑7)), three more that illustrate the progression of evil in Christendom (Jude 1111Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. (Jude 11)), and four examples from nature, each of which ends in judgment (Jude 12-1312These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; 13Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. (Jude 12‑13)).
Because of their unbelief, many in Israel failed to reach the promised land. Angels, who in pride departed from their original state, are kept in eternal chains awaiting judgment. The immorality of Sodom and Gomorrah resulted in the eternal fire of judgment. In like manner, these apostates “defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities” (Jude 88Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. (Jude 8)).
An apostate is twice dead: first, by nature, and second, in his rejection of the grace of God (Jude 1212These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; (Jude 12)). The navigator, both ancient and modern, has found his way by the fixed and enduring placement of the stars. A planet provides no such anchor and resides in gloomy darkness (Jude 1313Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. (Jude 13)).
The believer is exhorted in four things: building, praying, keeping, and looking. “Ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 20-2120But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (Jude 20‑21)).
We are to have compassion on those that have been caught up in the influence of others, though the garment spotted by the flesh is to be hated (Jude 2323And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. (Jude 23)). For the saint of God, Jude with confidence offers this doxology, “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen” (Jude 24-2524Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. (Jude 24‑25)).