1. Greetings to the Called
An Introduction to the Letter of Jude
Jude 1-2
October 26, 2014

2. The Book of Jude One chapter, 25 verses Purpose
Original intent: Our common salvation
To denounce false teachers
To encourage believers
To exhort to perseverance
Theme: Contend for the faith by defending the truth
Original Audience: Unknown
What unifies the book: Tone

3. The Author Jude – Half brother of Jesus
Jude will address doctrinal and moral apostasy
2 Peter 2:1- But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
2 Peter 3:3 - 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.
Jude is the only NT book devoted exclusively to confronting “apostasy”.
Apostasy - Defection from biblical truth.

4. The Greeting
Jude Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
Servant/slave/bond-servant
A person bound in servitude to another human being as an instrument of labor; one who has lost his liberty and has no rights. The person who calls himself a slave of Christ acknowledges that the Savior has power over him. (Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary)
Psalm 29:2 – “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.”
We glorify and magnify what we subject ourselves to.

5. Three Descriptions of True Believers
Called – Not a general invitation to salvation, but to God’s irresistible, elective call to salvation.
Rom. 1:7 - To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:
1 Cor. 1:23, 24 - but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
1 Thess. 5:24 - He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it(bring it to pass – NASB.)
2 Thess. 2:13,14 - But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

6. Beloved To experience God’s blessing or favor Unconditional, unending
Sanctified or set apart
Ongoing
Intimate relationship
Empowering relationship

7. Beloved In God the Father
The plan, the means and the fulfillment
God is Creator, Sustainer, and Savior
v. 25 – to the only God, our Savior
1 Tim. 2:3,4 - God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Titus 1:3 - …at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;
Titus 3:4,5 - But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us,

8. Kept Mercy, Peace and love God initiates and completes our salvation
2 Timothy 4:18 - And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. NKJV
John 10: I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.“
Hebrews 7: Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. NASU
What God initiates, he will complete.
Mercy, Peace and love
“Where law and works prevail, there is failure and death. Where grace prevails, there is mercy, peace and love in abundance.”

9. Why Jude, why now?
“In a day of doctrinal tolerance for all views and behaviors, Christians today might well wonder how strongly they should oppose people who espouse error. The Epistle of Jude shows when and how to respond to false teachers in the church.” Philip Ryken
“This little letter is a strong challenge to its readers to oppose resolutely all teachings and habits of life that profess to be Christian but deny the essence of the faith. This letter speaks to the modern world as to every previous age. In our century it is the fashion to be tolerant of anything that calls itself Christian…Jude reminds us that there are limits.” DA Carson, Douglas Moo, Leon Morris, An Introduction to the New Testament.