We're gonna start in the book
of Jude this morning, and I guess the title of this would be the
introduction and some comments on the book of Jude as we start in this book. Jude is the brother of James
and one of the apostles of our Lord. In Acts chapter one, it
lists the apostles, and he is indeed one of those. There's
11 listed there because one of them was a devil, as it says,
Judas himself. And it's speculated, it's speculation
why, but that he specified himself as the brother of James to make
sure that people understood it wasn't that other one. And I
don't think there would be a mistake made like that. But, and he apparently
lived longer than James. in time than the other apostles
except for John. And I don't know how some of
these things come to, and it's thought that this book might
have been written as late as 8044, and not any sooner than
that, they think. I don't know the sources of some
of these comments about the book. I'm sure more learned than I
am as far as the historical aspects. It was given to Jude of the Spirit,
this letter to believers in Christ. And before we read any of this,
we're gonna look at a couple of thoughts about it. Not a particular
person, it's a general epistle, it says, and most of the Bible
copies you have, it'll say general epistle of Jude there. It wasn't
given to a particular person or a church per se. But as all
of Scripture is given to all of God's people. All of the Scripture
that we have was given for that purpose. It was given to those
of God's, not just to the world in general. It's a general call
there, but it was It's given for the church and to the church,
as all of scripture's done that we have. They were given to all
God's people for this benefit. In 2 Timothy, turn to 2 Timothy,
in a very common and well-known passage
here in 2 Timothy chapter three, starting with verse 14, it says,
but continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast
been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. and that
from a child that has known the holy scriptures which are able
to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ
Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration
of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect
thoroughly furnished unto all good works. And it says all scripture
that we have that is given by inspiration of God. And it's
not of any private thoughts or interpretation, but as on our
bulletin, it says that the most trustworthy source and witness
of God's word is God's word. And that God has given it not,
men's interpretation or thoughts on it. Only as he sheds that
light on the word does it do those things for God's people.
That letter from Jude, or through Jude, as well as Peter and others,
God gave us to deals with our standing and position in Christ.
That's one of the things that this book deals with. That's
what scripture deals with. Heresies that come up in the
church, he deals with that in some length, and we'll look at
that as time goes by. Assurance of God keeping his
own is in this book of Jude, and praise to our God and Savior.
These themes, of course, are the themes we see throughout
the Bible, whether Old Testament or New Testament. God has not
changed. The nature of man has not changed,
and the salvation of his people has not changed, and God has
not changed. And we could say that several
times, that God has not changed. There's no variableness, as it
says, or shadow of turning with him. And it's wholly addressed to
the beloved brethren, the church of God. and those things did
not change. And so the things we'll deal
with, with the standing of God's people, what they are made of,
who saves them and how they're saved, those things are dealt
with and those things never change. How the saints were saved of
old time, and there's a passage that says,
and so shall all of God's people be saved. The same manner, not
all of national Israel saved, it's not saying that, but all
of God's people, all of the church are saved in a like manner, the
same manner that Abel was saved in, by God's spirit revealing
to him that sacrifice that was needed for his standing before
God. And those things do not change. and have not changed. A good deal of this letter concerns
heresy in the church and the terrible condition of the unbeliever.
And more than, these are addressed for instruction for the believers
and we'll see that as time goes by, but the heresy in the church
and the terrible condition of the unbeliever, that's the natural
course of things. That's not, we see that in the
book of Numbers. We see that in various places
of the script, all the scripture, that's the condition that man
is in. In a religion, it's gonna be heresy if it's not God's,
by his spirit, revealing those things to us. It's gonna be heresy
and as we stated before, the natural or the nature of man's
not changed. The only way that any of that
changes is by God's power, by God's miracle and working in
his people. Jude points out the sure and
safe place we have in Christ as the blessed ones. That's part
of what we're gonna look at in the book of Jude. It's a very
comforting book and I told Norm, this morning that I had a good
idea of where I was going to spend some time looking, and
I was waylaid by the book of Jude. And we'll see that together
as time goes by. This letter stands among all
of scripture as encouragement and assurance of God's care for
his own. That's one of the purposes, one
of the sure meanings and teachings that
comes out in the word is the encouragement and assurance of
God's care for his own, and his grace and mercy shown to them. We need to approach the study
of the book of Jude, and here I quote Brother Hawker, quote,
enter upon it with prayer that we may end it in praise. So that whenever we approach a passage
or a portion of scripture, look at that should be our thoughts
to that, that we enter it with prayer, that we be shown those
things and that we end it with the praise of our God. Okay, verse number one, the book
of Jude. It says, And I'm gonna read down from
verse three. It says, Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and the
brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father
and preserved in Jesus Christ and called. Mercy unto you and
peace and love be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence
to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for
me to write unto you and exhort you that you should earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Those three verses may take us a while to cover some of what's
there. In this first verse, the servant
of Jesus Christ and brother of James and to them that are sanctified
by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called. Today
we're gonna look at just one point of that partly at one point
of that, is them that are sanctified by God the Father. And the verse
starts a letter to those who are completely redeemed by God
the Father, as it says, them that are sanctified by God the
Father. Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
and the Holy Spirit, that all, the whole of God, the Trinity,
all parts of the Godhead have to do with our salvation, as
it's mentioned here. God, the great three in one,
is the only cause of our complete salvation. There's none other
action taken but by God. Note the only part we have in
our salvation is that Number one, we are sanctified by the
Father. Number two, we are preserved
in Jesus Christ. And three, we are called, and
we'll see, by the Holy Spirit. All three parts, and those are
all three that are taking action on and for us. None that, there's
no part four of what we now do to this. These are all actions
that are taken by God in and for his people. Only to the church and not to
the world in general do those men moved by the Holy Spirit
write and minister, as we said. And then I would like to look
at, turn to 1 Peter, turn to 1 Peter
for just a second. First Peter, first chapter. So in verse one, it says, Peter,
an apostle of Jesus Christ to the strangers scattered throughout
Pontius, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, Bithynia, elect according
to the foreknowledge of God the Father through sanctification
of the spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of
Jesus Christ. Grace unto you and peace be multiplied. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant mercy,
hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that
fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept
by the power of God through faith unto salvation, ready to be revealed
in the last time. And here speaking the same thoughts
brought out, though worded differently, that Jude mentions, the Father,
the Son, and the Holy Spirit accomplish our salvation, as
in Jude. It's worded differently, and
another commentary and comment by Brother Hawker, and also one
by Brother Mahan, and what he has to say is, It's a blessing
to see the Godhead referred to as doing those same things in
other verse and other passage that was mentioned in 1 Peter
as it was in Jude. And it describes two different
parts of the Godhead. the same things that were ascribed
to others over here. And it's not a contradiction,
but it shows that all three have to do with those things that
deal with salvation. And it's, as you said, it's worded
differently, but it's saying the same thing. These, the Godhead
has, is the sole responsibility for our salvation. And how we
are chosen in time past, how we are kept, and how we were
called in this by the Spirit. And those things do not change,
that God does those things. In Ephesians, one more spot just kind of along
the similar line here, in Galatians chapter one, in two spots particularly,
starting with verse three, Ephesians chapter one. To all the brethren,
it says, which are with me unto the churches of Galatia. Grace
be unto you and peace from God the Father and from our Lord
Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins that he might deliver
us from this present evil world according to the will of God
and our Father. to whom be glory forever and
ever. I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called
you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel, which is
not another, but there be some of you that, some that trouble
you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we are
an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than
that has been preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said
before, so say I again. Now, if any man preach any other
gospel unto you, then that ye have received, let him be accursed. And then down to verse 17, and
not to leave that out for, but verse 17. for this thought, verse
17. It says, neither went I up to
Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me, but I went
into Arabia and returned into Damascus. Then after three years,
I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter and abode with him 15 days.
But other the apostles, I saw none save James, the Lord's brother. Now the things which I write
unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. And as he said here,
if any other gospels preached, any other method, any other way
comes out, it's accursed. It's not true. Don't believe
it. If there's any other steps and those steps that are added
both then and now are that there's some portion that we can do or
must do to reach that expected end that God has for us and not
solely by God. And if that's the case, any of
that comes out, there's an error there that needs to be addressed.
And it cannot be so. It can't be so. It's all of God
or it is none of God. Seeing as we are by nature dead
in trespasses and sin, our salvation could only come about by 100%
God's doing. So being we are dead, not if
we are dead in trespasses and sin by nature, but being as we
are, it's like brother Lazarus. There was no hope that they had
for anything happening to him physically. And they told the
Lord that. And the Lord, well, he tarried
so that they were sure that he was dead before he called him
forth. And they were sure that he was
dead. When he came from the grave,
they understood. He wasn't just sleeping or just
not well. He was well and truly dead. And by nature, we are well and
truly dead. And if there's any other gospel
that comes other than that, there's a problem there because there
is no ability in man. There's no ability, and we know
that. And point number one here, that them that are sanctified
by God the Father, that's one of the definitions or one of
the points that Jude says about those that he's writing to. The church sanctified by God
the Father the church chosen in Christ before the foundation
of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before
him in love, Ephesians 1, verse 4 that we read. And then a couple
of other places. In 1 Peter again. 1 Peter. First Peter chapter two. Starting with, actually starting
above here a bit. Let's start the first verse of
that, of chapter two of first Peter. It says, wherefore laying
aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies,
and all evil speakings, as newborn babes desire the sincere milk
of the word that ye may grow thereby. If so be ye have tasted
that the Lord is gracious to whom coming as unto a living
stone disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God and precious,
ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house and
holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God
by Jesus Christ. Therefore also it is contained
in the scripture, behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone,
elect, precious, and he that believeth on him shall not be
confounded. Unto you therefore which believe
is precious, but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which
the builder disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them
which stumble at the word, being disobedient, whereunto they were
appointed. But ye are a chosen generation.
a royal priesthood, and holy nation, a peculiar people, that
ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out
of darkness and into his marvelous light, which in time past were
not a people, but are now the people of God, which had not
obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." And here, chosen,
sanctified by God, set aside to his purpose, not just set
aside, but set aside to his purpose. And when it says here that we
are sanctified by God, set aside. Our Lord himself, was as here
in another passages, he himself was chosen and elect, the elect
one. And in him, we have that standing. We weren't just set aside and
for, we'll find out what happens later, but we were set aside
and sanctified in him. There in 1 Corinthians says,
he's made unto us sanctification. We're not sanctified of ourselves. We have been put in that position. However many God has set aside
and has sanctified, those are sanctified and set aside in Christ. And that's gonna go to another
part of this verse we'll see later at a different time, that
we are kept and preserved in Christ. not just by him doing
something, but in eternity past that we were set aside and sanctified
in him. In 1 Thessalonians, I'll turn
over to 1 Thessalonians again, and then we're gonna go to actually
to Jeremiah. But 1 Thessalonians chapter one, First Thessalonians chapter one,
starting with verse one. It says, Paul and Silvanus and
Timotheus unto the church of the Thessalonians, which is in
God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be unto you
and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. We
give thanks to God always for you, making mention of you in
our prayers, remembering that without ceasing your work of
faith and labor of love and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ,
in the sight of God and our Father. Knowing, brethren, beloved, your
election of God, For our gospel came not unto you in word only,
but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance,
as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sakes.
But here, knowing your election, beloved, your election of God,
and that is not, is not, That's as all of God everlasting, eternal. That was from before the foundation
of the world. This was not done in time. And
as some sects or cults or whatever you
want to call them, turn that about to be your chosen when
you decided that it was a good thing to do. And there's another
place and it says, while we were in our sin, Christ died for us. It wasn't us doing something
that triggered a movement by God, but we were as Lazarus. We were in that position and
long before we ever came about physically, We were chosen in
Christ, and that's the position we have. Our election of God
is not down the road somewhere. It was before all things. It was part of the eternal covenant. And as you'll notice here in
this first few verses of Thessalonians, he also attributes our salvation
to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. And
the complete Godhead, the three parts
and three persons of the Godhead, all had 100% to do with our salvation. And if any part of it's left
out or diminished or minimized, there's an issue there. We can't
comprehend or understand all these things and put all these
pieces together and say, yeah, we've got them all tied up in
a neat package, but they are so. And he causes his people
to believe and stand in that, that if they did not do the work,
then the work has not been done. And we have to stand in that
because we know that if the work was not done, and as when Jesus said, it is finished, It
was the physical sacrifice was finished and that completed everything
for our salvation. And it had to be done that way
or it wasn't done that way. Well, 2 Thessalonians, we're
right here, so turn just over a couple pages to the book of
2 Thessalonians chapter two and a couple of verses. Okay, verse 13 in 2 Thessalonians
2. It says, but we are bound to
give thanks always to God for you, brethren, beloved of the
Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation
through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth,
whereunto he called you by our gospel to the obtaining of the
glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. They're again speaking the same
that have from the beginning chosen you to salvation, not
beginning last week or beginning when the Lord came or beginning
when we started preaching the gospel, but the beginning is
referred to here. the absolute beginning, in eternity
past, however we want to phrase that to get that point across,
it was not done in time, it was done before, and all things that
have come down since then are working towards that. That's
what his purposes have been called according to his purposes. And
then in Jeremiah, turn to the book of Jeremiah. Okay. Let me get in the right spot here. Okay, Jeremiah chapter 31. much more before chapter 31 here
in the book of Jeremiah, but just to bring out a couple of
thoughts here along what we're saying. In Jeremiah 31, speaking to Israel, the end here,
the true Israel of God, This does not apply to a nation,
but to God's people, the church. And it says, the Lord hath appeared
of old unto me saying, yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting
love. Therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. And that is
true of the sheep, of the church. We know that that is not true
of the nation because we've been in the midst of, in Book of Numbers
and other places, as a picture of the church, Israel comes,
but not as the reality of the whole. And it goes on, it says,
save thy people, the remnant of Israel. And we know that there
was a remnant of Israel, and in Israel always was, and always
will be a remnant of that, but not all of that. And then down to verse, in verse 31, and following for just a little
bit, it says, behold, The days come, saith the Lord, that I
will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with
the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with
their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring
them out of the land of Egypt, which my covenant They break,
although I was in husband to them, saith the Lord. But this
shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel.
After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward
parts and write it in their hearts, and I will be their God and they
will be my people. And the everlasting covenant
is all that does this in his people. We know that this was
not This was not true to the house of Israel as a whole, because
how many times do we have record of, we will do it, and they did
not do it. And God's people, when he reveals
himself to them and reveals ourself to us, then we say, we cannot
do it. If you have not done it, it will
not get done. Our hope is that, not anything
that we have or can do or will do this side of heaven. If any of it relies upon our
doing of any part of it, we know that it is not going to happen. It cannot happen. In Isaiah, there's almost too
many verses to put down that speaks of this, but it turned
to Isaiah chapter 41. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel all
speak to those things to do with salvation of his people of old. Isaiah chapter 41. starting with verse eight and
reading down just a bit, it says, but thou, Israel, art my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham, my friend, thou
whom I have taken from the ends of the earth and called thee
from the chief men thereof and said unto thee, thou art my servant,
I have chosen thee and not cast thee away. Fear thou not, for
I am with thee. Be not dismayed, for I am thy
God. I will strengthen thee, yea,
I will help thee, yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand
of my righteousness. Behold, all they that were incensed
against thee shall be ashamed and confounded. They shall be
as nothing, and they that strive with thee shall perish." But
here, speaking of and to Jacob in this, but all of God's people,
and his sheep particularly, these things that God will do
and does for his people. And from time past not, and surely
with Jacob came down and didn't see Jacob was such an upright,
straight guy that he would do these things for him. Just the
opposite, that he was, Sinful man, just like any others. And
we see there though in Malachi where it says, I'm God, I changed
not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. That means
a lot to God's people because those that were sanctified in
Christ, as we're gonna see later and are kept, God doesn't change
his mind towards them. And it's not that I didn't love
you and now I love you. It was an everlasting position. And it can't change as God cannot
change. And he's not like man. He's not changeable and he doesn't,
we're so changeable and we can't understand something that's that
constant. And we just can't comprehend
that as constant as God is. And in chapter 49, And you have to just about read
all the way through Isaiah without stopping. But in Isaiah chapter 49, starting with verse 13 of Isaiah 49, it
says, sing, O heavens, and be joyful, O earth. Break forth
into singing, O mountains, and for the Lord hath comforted his
people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted. But Zion said,
The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can
a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion
on the son of her womb? They may forget, yet I will not
forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon
the palms of my hands. Thy walls are continually before
me." Here, speaking of eternal things and not just those things
on earth. And he says, can a mother forget
her child? It says, yes, she can. And they
do, but God cannot and will not forget thee. He says, I raven
thee upon the palms of my hands. Thy walls are continually before
me. He is everlasting in his love of his people. Though they
change and come and go, our thoughts and our thinking on things, God
does not. His thinking does not change.
His position of his people, it speaks to the everlasting things
that God does in choosing his people. In 2 Timothy, it speaks to a holy priesthood, a holy calling
that God's people have in him. that's not a decision made or
someone that confers things upon us, but these things are done
of God. And they're done for the elect's
sake, it says in 2 Timothy chapter two. So then we see the everlasting
love of God towards the church, the election of grace given to
Christ and chosen in Christ, From the beginning, all his thoughts
toward us in Christ, he changes not. All our praise be to God
and as in prayer, we know not how to praise him as we ought
or to reverence him as we ought. The Holy Spirit intercedes in
our praise as well. And those that We'll stop this
morning there at that point and we'll continue at a later time
with the rest of the next thought in the Book of Jude. Thank you
for your attention.