One more time, join me in the
book of Jude. And I'd like to starting with verse 19 through
the end of the letter here. It says, But these be they who
separate themselves sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye,
beloved, building yourselves on your most holy faith, praying
in the Holy Ghost. Keep yourselves in the love of
God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal
life. And of some, have compassion,
making a difference. And others say with fear, pulling
them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the
flesh. Now unto him that's able to keep
you from falling and present you faultless before the presence
of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior
be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. And we're going to look this
morning at verse 22. and 23, and it's going to probably
take a couple of weeks to look at these two verses, but this
morning, it's titled this, look at it
and considering this together, simply compassion. And verse
22 says, and of some have compassion, making a difference, that portion
of it. And remembering from verses 4 through 19 in the book of Jude,
it doesn't have much complimentary to say about some of the people
that had joined with them. unawares that were contrary to
what the scripture had to say. It says, turning the grace of
God into lasciviousness and denying our Lord and Savior. And that's
not just simply people that are unlearned or that. That is a category that is uh... mentioned a couple times in the
scripture and uh... and generally it just says get
rid of them just deal with it and don't you can't you can't
have this amongst you uh... unsaved lost men and just really
not just lost uh... and not necessary categories
of lost but just causing dissension and causing disruption and just
nothing good to say about that particular group of people that
was amongst them. And it says here in verse 22, and some have
compassion making a difference. And the compassion depending on who you look to
for a definition of the word, sympathetic pity and concern
for the sufferings or situations of others. And difference, that's
a word that's that there's a lot of opinions on what it's saying,
and some translate that verse as, have compassion on some that
are wavering or doubtful in their faith. Well, it didn't say that
in that many words, but the word difference has to do with a separation of
a distinguishing, discriminating distinction, and one, and I need
to find where I read that and write it down, whose definition
of it was, that was of a different branch of the family tree, which
is, different than what comes to
mind. But what it's saying here, at
least in contrast to those up above in those verses in verse
22, there are those that, in verse 23, that are unbelievers that are unlearned and just don't
know what is what in that regard, or believers amongst us and ourselves
that get sidetracked in one way or another, get into issues. And we'll see that there's ways
to deal with that, but there's also the attitude of those where
it says that some make a difference, There's an attitude different
there. They're not ones that are contrary to what the scriptures
say. They may not understand it. We know of several people that
are being dealt with by others that are, I'd have to say probably unbelievers,
but they're not contrary to the scriptures. the discussion of
what the gospel has to say. They may not agree with it, but
there's a teachableness there in the sense that they'll listen.
And what God does with that word, only God knows and will. We know
that he's about the business of bringing his sheep in, and
we don't know who those sheep are. We can't tell. We've been
we can be fooled by by those that appear to be sheep or those
that appear to be goats and we can be really surprised in in
We can't tell by by looking or or hearing always what? the situation
is with those. But the attitude of these, of
the ones that are making a difference in compassion, the Gospels is
what those people need, of all people. God's people need the
Gospel as much as the unbeliever, but that's the cure. It's not teaching something,
it's the Gospel and what the Scripture has to say, and that
we would have compassion on. And it's in verse 23, and we're
gonna look at this later at another time, but it says, save out of
fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garments
spotted by the flesh. And those, by the gospel of the Lord, that's
the only way they can be pulled out of the fire, as it were,
and the danger of that, and I wrote just a little bit
that I have to read so I can kind of think some of it in order
before we look to some scripture, but it, compassion shown and
felt for those who wander or tempted, fallen, and those who
are ignorant and out of the way is a good thing and should be
so, especially to the household and for the household of faith.
Brother Hawker says in his commentary, we are propelled by grace to
stretch forth a helping hand in any and every way to raise
up the fallen. We know not who are the Lord's
people, and the mercy and grace we have been shown will cause
us to try and save as from the fire those in such extreme danger. And this particular verse, Brother
Hawker is very concise as he is in some places and kind of
says, well, it's pretty self-explanatory. He makes a little bit of a comment,
but it's an attitude, it's a heart attitude that God's people will
have towards the preaching and teaching and bringing forth the
gospel to any, to anyone, not just a particular group. But these
are, there's a softening here that the ones that in earlier
verses are talked about, there's no There's no accepting that
and saying whatever you think is fine type of attitude toward
those. Those are just, and it said they
should be just taken care of and not be amongst the group. And I would like to look at several
verses, passages that speak to showing compassion and dealing
with the others, that it says making a difference between different ones and having a discernment
in some regards. In the book of Romans, and if you read in, I read in
several commentaries, I looked to see what and what Bible scholars had to
say about this, and they go to Romans a lot, and they go to
Romans 9 a lot, where Paul is speaking about the Jewish people,
and they said he would count himself accursed for their salvation
and their situation, and they say that this should be kind
of the attitude and the thought. But I'd like to look at chapter
10, and start with the first verse and reading down a bit.
It says, Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for
Israel is that they might be saved. For I bear them a record
that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about
to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves
unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the
law for righteousness to everyone that believeth." And this indeed
applies to everyone. This does not have The Jewish
people had no corner on self-righteousness or legal righteousness, but this
is a position that all of God's people have found themselves
in, at least in time past, that we go about, as it says here,
to establish our own righteousness until he opens the eyes and gives
a new birth, that we realize that There's only one source
of righteousness that God's people can avail of, and
that is the righteousness of our Lord and Savior. Going on,
verse 5, it says, descending to the deep, that
is, to bring up Christ again from the dead. But what saith
it? The word is nigh thee, even in
thy mouth and in thy heart. That is the word of faith which
we preach, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord
Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him
from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever
believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference
between the Jew and the Greek, for the same Lord over all is
rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call
upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they
call on him whom they have not believed? And how shall they
believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they
hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except
they be sent, as it is written? How beautiful are the feet of
them that preach the gospel of peace and bring glad tidings
of good things. But they have not all obeyed
the gospel. For Isaiah saith, Lord, who hath
believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing,
and hearing by the word of God. And that's the answer in a nutshell
to those who are unbelievers, those who are believers, and
those who are believers that may be in terrible time of testing
or trial or whatever it is. The same word is, that comfort
and peace and rest to all. And where it speaks about those
that call upon the name of the Lord that said shall be saved,
it's not do this and you'll be saved. Those that God has given
the new birth to, that's when that takes place, not the other
way around. It's not a how to do this and
you get that. This is speaking to God's people
primarily about where they stand and how they're there, and what
those that have not heard and need to hear, how that comes
about. And that God will either put
his sheep in a place to hear the word, or God will bring the
word to the sheep. One way or the other, they will
hear that. And as it says here, faith cometh
by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, and God's spirit
using that word. And that's how it comes about. in Galatians, turn the book of
Galatians with me, please, to chapter, just a minute, six,
I believe. Okay, this, it's not, and up
above here, it speaks about our liberty that we have in Christ,
and it speaks about our justification, it speaks about problems and
other things that we find ourselves in or that we come from, but
I'd like to look at chapter 6, starting with verse 1. It says,
Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual,
restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself,
lest thou also be tempted. Bury one another's burdens, and
so fulfill the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to
be something when he is nothing, he deceived with himself. But
let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing
in himself alone and not in another. For every man shall bear his
own burden. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto
him that teacheth in all good things. And here, a couple of
things that are important, I think, in this, and bear on Jude, that
it says, if a man be overtaken in the fault, ye which are spiritual,
restore such one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself,
lest thou also be tempted. And I think that bears on verses
22 and 23 in Jude there that we have a compassion for those
and it says, getting them out as it were of
the fire and even hating the garments spotted by sin. And here, as it says, considering
thyself, lest thou be tempted, or find yourself in the same
issue. And it doesn't define what it
means by in a fault, but it says, you who are spiritual, restore
such one in the spirit of meekness. that I think is a key, what it's
speaking about with compassion, what that Jude is saying, that
with that sympathy and pity and concern for a person's situation. a true burden for that issue
and that person. I think there's probably a lot
of people that have been taken in a fault, whatever that might
be, and been probably not approached in that
manner. We had a message here a while
back. I can't remember the text of
it, but one of the thoughts of it was, and we're going to read
a verse that's similar, but that the goodness and gentleness of
God leads us to repentance and not correction in the way that we
would think. Turn over with me to the book of Ephesians. And
these places we're looking at, you do well to read about, start
at the beginning of the book to read up to the spot we're
at, but for time we're not going to, but I think these passages
bear on what we're looking at. In chapter four, Just a few verses. It speaks earlier in this chapter
about speaking the truth in love. And whenever the gospel is preached
or those things are dealt with, it should be done in true love
and the compassion that Jude mentions. But here, let's look
at verses 29 and following for a
couple of. It says, Let no corrupt communication
proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use
of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve
not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of
redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath
and anger and clamor and evil speaking be put away from you
with all malice. And be ye kind one to another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's
sake hath forgiven you." And here in, oh, just a minute, in
verse 29 where it says, that which proceedeth out of your
mouth, which is good to the use of edifying, then it may minister
grace unto the hearers. And that should be the goal and the intent of whenever
the word is preached or brought forth or taught or shared with
others even. Turn to 1 Peter, if you would. Turn to 1 Peter. And you have to remember and
check and read yourself and see the context of some of these.
Some of these, the words are good thoughts and true thoughts,
but you have to... You have to understand or see
who they're speaking to and kind of what is the context of the
thoughts. But I think, and I pray that
we do no harm to, as we're using some of these passages. In 1
Peter 3, starting with verse 8, There's a lot of here in 1 Peter
preceding this about our conduct and submission to those in authority
and those that indeed do bring the word out. It says in 1 Peter
3, verse 8, Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion
one of another, Love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous, not
rendering evil for evil or railing for railing,
but contrary wise blessing, knowing that ye are there unto called
that you should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life and
see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his
lips that they speak no guile. let him let him eschew evil and
do good, let him seek peace and ensue it. For the eyes of the
Lord are over the righteous and his ears are open unto their
prayers, but the face of the Lord is against them that do
evil." And this speaks to the heart attitude
of how it should be always, not just in a context of somebody
that's in an error that we're going to straighten out, but
always when the Word is preached and brought
out and related to others. It should be done with that in
mind and not just a way to show either what we know or that they
are wrong in a point. While we're in 1 Peter 3, skip down also to verse
15. In the same chapter, it says, Sanctify the Lord God in your
hearts, and be ready always to give an answer to every man that
asketh you for a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness
and fear, having a good conscience, that whereas they speak evil
of you as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse
your good conversation in Christ. For it's better if if the will
of God be so that you suffer for well-doing than for evil
doing. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for
the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death
in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit." And here again, having to do with the attitude
and the desires and, again, the attitude
that's in those that are bringing the Word as much as those that
are receiving it. And those that brought the gospel,
they We don't know how they'll receive
it, but we know how it should be given out, as he says here. In 2 Timothy, turn to 2 Timothy
a couple of places. Let me find 2 Timothy here. Second Timothy in the second
chapter. All right, just a minute, let
me. This is all good stuff, but we're
gonna pick a spot here that I have in mind. Chapter two, starting
with verse 23. It says, but foolish and unlearned
questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strife. And the
servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all
men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that
oppose themselves, if God perventure will give them repentance to
the acknowledging of the truth, and that they may recover themselves
out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him,
at His will. And here we know what this is. It says, in Meekness, verse 25,
instructing those that oppose themselves, if peradventure God
will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth.
And that's going to, all natural man is opposing himself they
don't know it. They're not aware of it. And
it's that, like the saying, they don't know what they don't know.
And we can bring that word in as it is brought to us and peradventure,
God will use that word in the unregenerate, and as he uses
his word in us, in all of us, that we receive it in the same
manner as it is given here. And then in chapter 3, a couple
of spots of 2 Timothy 3, starting with
verse 14, and here another familiar place, but I think it applies
to these thoughts here in Jude. 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 thou hast
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 here, up here, I think that to keep in, it has
to be in mind, it has to be so that those things that we have
learned, it said, being assured of knowing whom and whom we have
learned them from, and that the Holy Scriptures are able to make
thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
So I think any time a person is dealt with in conversation,
whether there's a problem or not, just any time that the scripture
is there, that's the only source we can go to that we are assured
of that we're on good ground. And it says, and knowing of how
you've learned these things, that, and like he told Peter,
flesh and blood didn't reveal this to you. And it's not by,
it's not by book learning or just learning the text. And there are those that, that, and
are now, and we, either been there or are there that learn
and read and know the words of them, but don't know what the Spirit has said and
says about those things. And that's a thing we always
have in mind is that He shows us what these things mean, and
that He reveals the truth of the matter to us. And especially,
I think if we're going to deal with someone else, we have to
know what we're talking about. And you can't give that which
you don't have, whether it be a preacher of the Word or God's
people that are, quote, unquote, witnessing to somebody, you can't
give that which you don't have. And that's the long and short
of it, and can't give that which you don't have. And then in chapter
4, while we're here in 2 Timothy, I'd like to read the first few
verses of chapter 4. It says, I charge you therefore
before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick
and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word, be instant, in season, out of
season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine,
but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers
having itching ears. and they shall turn away their
ears from the truth and shall be turned to fables. But watch
thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist,
make full proof of thy ministry, for I am now ready to be offered,
and the time of my departure is at hand." And here, as it
says here, Watch thou in all things, verse 5, endure reflections,
do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
And again, I think he only can give
us that word in season, but it says that to be It says, preach, in verse 2,
the word be in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort
with all longsuffering and doctrine. And this is, it doesn't just say use this
to correct something, but exhort, build other people up, build
each other up. And I think that's part of the
love of the brethren is that the word is used to build each
other up and to, as it says, exhort. It's not something to
beat people with, but it indeed is the true good news. And that's
what We believe that's what we stand
for and that's what we must bring forth. And I think as talking
about having a compassion for others that Jude talks about,
I think that's missing an awful lot of times is the word is used
to straighten somebody out. not from the right motives or
right direction. In the book of James, and just
a couple of thoughts here, and we're going to wrap these thoughts up for
now. First chapter of James, first chapter of James, starting with verse 17, James
1, 17. It says, Every good and every
perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of
lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of
his own will begot he us with the word of truth, that we should
be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures, or creation. Whereof,
my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to
speak, slow to wrath. Verse 20, For the wrath of man
worketh not the righteousness of God. Wherefore, lay apart
all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with
meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.
In verse 22, But be doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves. And here, again, point to that
compassion in those things that we need to
guard, and we pray, God, give us those things. Give us the,
here where it says, swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to
wrath, that those are things that we
always need, at least I do. And then in chapter three, last
part in James here, chapter three, last couple of verses, 17 and
18, it says, but the wisdom that is from above is first pure,
than peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy
and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the
fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."
And here, where it says that it should be received this way,
it's often that we think that other people should receive it
that way, but we have to, If those things have to be part
and parcel of the good news, or it's not the good news in
and of itself. And then back to the book of
Jude. And by now, everybody ought to
know where we're headed in the book of Jude. Verses 24-25, it
says, None to him that's able to keep you from falling present
you faultless before the presence of his glory with the exceeding
joy. To the only wise God, our Savior, be glory and majesty,
dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. And with that,
as it says in the book of John, truth will set you free. Be free. Thank you.