Rev. Andy Wright, pastor at St. John Lutheran Church in Keystone, IA, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Jude 1-16.
St. Jude, a servant of Jesus and brother of James, writes to Christians in Palestine in the mid to late 60s AD in order to strengthen them to contend for the Christian faith in the midst of false teachers. These false teachers have attempted to infiltrate the Church without notice, but the Lord does know them and will bring them to condemnation. St. Jude reminds his readers how the Lord brings judgment against such evil through the examples of the Egyptians, the rebellious angels, and Sodom and Gomorrah. Unlike the archangel Michael who acted according to the Word of God, the false teachers blaspheme at every chance they get. They have aligned themselves with the Old Testament evildoers of Cain, Balaam, and Korah. Drawing pictures from nature and Enoch, Jude leaves no doubt that these false teachers are only deceptive and destructive; Christians must avoid them and cling to the truth.
“The Imperishable Inheritance” is a mini-series on Sharper Iron that goes through the epistles of 1 and 2 Peter and Jude. The life of the Christian Church right now is life in exile. We endure attacks from various trials and from false teachers. Such suffering makes us long for the eternal home that will be ours at the resurrection of the dead. In Jesus, we have this promise of eternal life that can never be snatched away. These three epistles strengthen us to hold fast to Christ in the midst of suffering and to give witness to the hope that is ours in Him.
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