“For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ,” verse 4.
As we continue our study of Jude, we come to verse 4 and here we have:
THE REASON WHY WE MUST ‘EARNESTLY CONTEND FOR THE FAITH’.
The verse begins with the word ‘for’ which usually begins an explanation. What Jude is about to say explains why he changed from expounding the gospel to calling for a defence of the gospel by Christians.
1. Note the character of the attackers. “Certain . . . ungodly men.” They had absolutely no similarity or likeness to God! They were ‘ungodlike’ in spirit, attitudes and disposition.
The Christian presently bears a likeness to the Lord but will be even more like Him one day. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is,” 1 John 3:2.
2. The attack on the gospel was a sneaky and subtle attack. “There are certain men crept in unawares”. The attack was not an open ‘frontal’ attack but the attackers entered amongst the Christian assembles secretly and stealthily. How clever is the devil! He can camouflage himself. Here are words I want you to remember.
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works,” 2 Corinthians 11:13-15.
I am sure we have all watched nature videos and seen how the lion sneaks up on its prey. Peter says the devil is like a lion and so are his agents. They know how to sneak up on those they wish to destroy! The devil even tried to use the Bible to deceive the Lord, Matthew 4:6.
Think about Judas! He sneaked around for three years pretending to be a follower and believer in the Lord Jesus but he was in truth a deceiver who aided the murder of the Saviour!
3. The attack was directed at the very heart of the gospel. It was not intended to merely wound but to destroy the truth of God. “Turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” ‘Replacing’ (meaning of turning) the holy message of God by a message that promoted sin! It was an attempt to completely reverse the purpose of God.
Here is God’s purpose: “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love,” Ephesians 1:4.
The devil’s purpose is to damn sinners in the lake of fire prepared for him! “Then shall he (the Saviour) say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels,”Matthew 25:41.
4. The chief target was the Lord Jesus. “Denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ”. The word denying means to ‘refuse, reject’. The overthrowing of God and the Lord Jesus is the purpose of every attack by the devil. Ahithophel, a Judas-like person in the Old Testament had been a friend of David’s but joined the rebellion against him and proposed the means of attacking and overthrowing David. “Let me now choose out twelve thousand men, and I will arise and pursue after David this night: and I will come upon him while he is weary and weak handed, and will make him afraid: and all the people that are with him shall flee; and I will smite the king only,” 2 Samuel 17:1-2.
So it is still today with the devil’s attacks on and denials of the Bible’s revelation of the Saviour! Have you believed the devil’s lie and refused to accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour?