Godly Wisdom for a Healthy Christian

The participles building, praying, and waiting have an imperatival force because they are linked to the main command. First, Jude admonishes his readers to “build yourselves up in your most holy faith.” The faith “that was delivered to the saints once for all” (v. 3) has become their faith, and it alone is the foundation on which to build. Ephesians 2:20 affirms that our foundation is “the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the cornerstone.” Christ and his gospel, found in the Scriptures, is our foundation. God and his Word are the sure rock on which we stand. From here we grow and mature as the Word permeates our minds and fills our hearts. As we learn the Bible and understand its truth, we are strengthened, we grow, we mature, we are built up. Without the Scriptures there is no growth. Without the Word there is no maturity. Without the gospel nothing of eternal good will last. Like the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the food we eat, it is vital that we daily ingest and digest God’s Word and its truth.

“Praying in the Holy Spirit” is the second plank of our spiritual strategy for spiritual health. This is not speaking of “praying in tongues.” A good connection is found in Ephesians 6:18, where the apostle Paul says, “Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request.” Praying in the Spirit means we will pray for God’s will to be done, not our will. This practice will keep us close to God, and it will keep us in the sphere and presence of his love. Jude contrasts false teachers who do not have the Spirit with those who can pray in the Spirit. Because we are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19-20), the presence of God resides and lives in us, guiding us, convicting us, even praying for us (Rom 8:26).

Building up is our edification. Praying in the Spirit is our communion. Looking for the Savior, which comes next, is our anticipation.

“Waiting” has the idea of watching—looking expectantly and with certainty. As Christians we do not have to wonder if Jesus is coming again; we know he is coming again. As 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says, “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God.” Titus 2:13 calls this “the blessed hope.” Jude says it is a coming of mercy unto eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. vv. 14,17). The mercy Jude prayed in verse 2 would be multiplied at that time will be realized as the eastern sky is split wide open and the King of glory comes in; the Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle (Ps 24:7-8).

The Christian’s heart and eyes are fixed heavenward, looking for a rider on a white horse whose name is Faithful and True, whose eyes are like a fiery flame, and on his head are many crowns. We are looking for one whose robe is dipped in blood, and on his thigh he has a name written: King of kings and Lord of lords (cf. Rev 19:11-16). Until then we will grow in his Word, pray by his Spirit, and watch for his coming.

JUDE 22-23

According to the North American Mission Board, 95 percent of Southern Baptists—my own people—never verbally share the gospel with a lost person. Never! They never tell someone how to be saved. They never share the gospel even once in their lifetime. In 1950 the ratio of members to baptisms was 19 to 1; in 2004 it was 42 to 1 (“ACP Analyst,” 44). George Barna has said American Christians have “commitment issues.” He sees us “lowering the bar on Church commitment” and the emergence of a “soft Christianity.” He writes,

Americans are willing to expend some energy in religious activities such as attending church and reading the Bible, and they are willing to throw some money in the offering basket. Because of such activities, they convince themselves that they are people of genuine faith. But when it comes time to truly establishing their priorities and making a tangible commitment to knowing and loving God, and to allowing Him to change their character and lifestyle, most people stop short. We want to be “spiritual” and we want to have God’s favor, but we’re not sure we want Him taking control of our lives and messing with the image and outcomes we’ve worked so hard to produce. (Barna, “Americans Have Commitment Issues”)

Did you notice no mention of soul winning, sharing the gospel, or doing the work of an evangelist? In light of such an analysis, we would do well to remind ourselves that the Son of Man came on a rescue mission for lost, dying, wandering souls, to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). If we do not care if people are saved, we might also well consider whether we are saved.

A love for Christ will compel us to have a love for the lost—those who come in all kinds of national, ethnic, racial, and social groups. Jude notes in particular three classes of people we must seek to rescue and the strategy by which we carry out our mission.

Verses 22-23 are a land mine of textual issues. The basic meaning is clear, but the details are a challenge. Both the ESV and CSB see three groups in view (whereas some translations identify two), and they also capture best, in my judgment, the sense of the author’s meaning.

Jude calls us to have mercy (NKJV, “compassion”) on those who doubt. Those who have mercy multiplied in Christ (v. 2) and receive that mercy in its fullness at his coming (v. 21) are to extend that same mercy to those who doubt, waver, or struggle with the truth of the gospel and Holy Scripture because of the influence of false teaching. Such persons should not be rejected or ignored, ridiculed or harassed. With compassion and conviction, kindness and firmness, mercy and concern, we encourage them in the truth, patiently pointing them to Jesus and his all-sufficiency.

A second group faces an even more serious and precarious situation, so close are they to the fires of hell and eternal condemnation. Jude quickly interjects, “Save others by snatching them from the fire.” Sounding the alarm, Jude calls for quick and decisive action. It is almost too late; they are almost too far gone. However, there is still time to rescue them, but we must act now. There is urgency in Jude’s voice. There is a heightened concern in his heart. I suspect there is a tear in his eye.

Hell is not a popular subject. People don’t want to talk or even think about it. Many, even in the church, act as if it is not real. They think if we ignore it, it will just go away. We, however, must never forget as long as we live: given enough time, every person will one day believe in hell. Sometimes confrontational evangelism is necessary. Sometimes it is our only hope!

This third group is in the most desperate condition of all. Having bought into the lies of false teaching, their lives are now corrupted as well. Both in how they think and how they live, they are corrupt, defiled, and depraved. They are a danger to themselves, but they are also a danger to others. Jude, therefore, sounds a wise word of warning: “Have mercy on others but with fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” The word picture is vivid and striking. Sin has stained and contaminated these persons. Love them, show mercy, but don’t get too close, for even their clothes can defile you if you are not careful. They are carriers of a spiritual disease; sin has broken out all over them. We may still be able to reach them and rescue them, but we cannot get too close, nor can we become like them.

It is a lie of Satan that says we have to live like the lost to reach the lost—I have to drink like them, curse like them, party like them, be like them. The opposite was true in my own life. My friends opened up to my witness when Jesus changed me at the age of nineteen. They saw the difference Jesus made in my life, and then and only then were they willing to let me tell them about the Christ who changed me and could change them. A number of areas in my life came to a screeching halt, never to appear again. This did not terminate our friendship. It did cause them to wonder, What happened to him? In mercy and love, maintaining a distance of wisdom, I told them about my Jesus.

So we deal with some gently, with some quickly, and with some carefully. But, dear brothers and sisters, we must deal with all we can in one way or another before it is too late.

William Booth was the founder of the Salvation Army. Booth is often credited with saying,

If I had my way, I would not send my workers to four years of college. If I had my way, I would not put them through three years of seminary. If I had my way, I would put all of my workers in hell for five minutes! That would be the best theological training they would ever receive. (Source unknown)

Lost people matter to God; lost people must matter to us. Healthy Christians remember the words of our Lord, and they remain in his love. And they rescue the perishing and care for the dying. They understand life is short, time is limited, and heaven and hell are real.