Hey Jude (2nd in a series)

(my notes, from Dr Chris Craig at FBC Ruston)

SPOTTING JUNK
Jude 3-7

3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to CONTEND FOR THE FAITH that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. 4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about[b] long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.
5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord[c] at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. 7 In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

* "...contend for the faith ..." agonize, struggle, strive for the faith

I. Problems in the Body of Christ Come in Several Forms .. v. 4, 'godless men crept in...' ... So how do we spot the junk?

1. DOCTRINE
Beliefs ultimately determine behavior
Theological hiccups grow into big problems; we have to be doctrinally sound

2. ATTITUDE
We all have equal access to God, not just a certain few
"knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.." 1 Cor 8:1

3. TONGUE -- gossip. Hearing gossip is seeing junk

4. BEHAVIOR -- we can't change grace into a license for immorality (v 4)

II: God Takes This Seriously, So We Should TOO v 5-7

* PAUL'S WARNING ... 1 Cor 10: 6-10 ... "6Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play." 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10nor grumble, as some of them did and(K) were destroyed by the Destroyer.


* Rev 12:9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.


* Luke 10:18 - He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

Stand up and contend for truth, for Christ, for all people, for the church

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