Clouds Without Rain
The book of Jude in the New Testament scripture is a short letter written by Jude, the brother of James, likely making him the half-brother of Jesus, although he refers to himself as "servant of Jesus." (vs. 1) The specific recipients of this letter are unclear. However, Jude's salutation indicates that the letter was written and its purpose rendered to "those who have been called." (vs. 1) With this backdrop, let's dive into what's in this short letter.
Jude begins by stating his initial intent to write about the salvation shared among believers. But it seems the author was "compelled" to change direction, and instead, he wrote to "urge" the reader to "contend for the faith." (vs. 3) We can presume that a letter about the believer's shared salvation would be much more uplifting than one written to urge people to fight for the faith. Nevertheless, Jude remained faithful to the Spirit that compelled his writing. Over the following few paragraphs, the Apostle excoriates "certain individuals" who "secretly slipped in" (vs.4) among the believers.
Jude describes church leaders who, seeking their own profit, were “shepherds who only feed themselves.” Believers it is time to contend for the faith.
These individuals Jude speaks of are some truly dastardly characters. First, Jude lets the reader know that the interlopers have been "designated" for condemnation "long ago." (vs. 4) They "pervert grace," making it a "license" to sin. Jude supports his stance on the designation of these bad actors with examples such as the judgment of the disbelieving Jews who were delivered out of Egypt. It took 40 years, but these faithless people did not see the promised land. Jude also offered up the "angels" who left "their proper dwelling" and, therefore, are "bound in everlasting chains" (vs. 5-6), kept for the judgment.
According to Jude's letter, these evil-doers were "polluting their own bodies," "rejecting authorities," and even speaking evil of "celestial bodies." (vs. 8) These ungodly persons "slander whatever they do not understand," and what they do understand "will destroy them." (vs. 10) The Spirit of God moved Jude to warn and instruct the believers to fight for the faith against such individuals. But why would believers need to "contend" with such people? Why not just throw them out of the church and not listen to them?
Here is where we get to the urgency of Jude's message. In verse 12 of his book, the Apostle calls these unscrupulous characters "shepherds who feed only themselves." Jude was not talking about congregants or church body members without leadership positions. The people who perverted the truth for their personal benefit were "shepherds" - leaders. They were leading congregations. They were listened to and followed by people within the church.
Jude admonished believers to fight for the faith and uphold the true gospel against those "clouds without rain" "twice dead" church leaders who lead people astray for their own profit. The Apostle finishes his letter with a call to persevere! "But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, 'In the last times, there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.' These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit." (vs. 17-19) Jude instructs the believers to build themselves up in the faith, pray in the Holy Spirit, and to "keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life." (vs 21)
Christian, the Apostle Jude's words are as pertinent today as they were 2000 years ago. We have clouds without rain and "wandering stars" leading churches today. Judgment is just as surely declared for them as for those in Jude's time. But we should still feel that same urgency to contend for God's true gospel. Like the believers of old, we must hold fast to God's love as we wait for our Lord Jesus to bring us into eternal life. Just as Jude was a trumpet in his days, let us be proclaimers of the truth, stalwart in the trustworthy One who saves. Let us, like Paul, be "unashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God to bring salvation to everyone who believes." (Romans 1:16)