Bible Study

Bible Study May 16, 2025

“Subtle Deception”

Jude 1:1 – 4

1 “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: 2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Jude stresses the urgency of avoiding, opposing, and speaking against false doctrine that had crept into the church of the day. Seems as though things never change as we have cycled once again into false teaching in the church and have allowed the scriptures to say to us what we want them to say.

Jude as you may remember was the half brother of Jesus as well as the brother of James the Apostle. He had intimate knowledge of the teaching of Jesus. He knew right from wrong, right interpretation verses false teaching.

Jude initially had planned to write about the salvation that he and those reading had in common, but the threat of apostates (false teachers) who had entered the church caused him to write against —those who had rejected the truth and had turned away from God—persuaded him otherwise.

He warns those reading his letter about these apostates, and to help them better understand that false teachers will face the judgment of God for their immoral lifestyle and evil teachings. He explains the difference between true believers from apostates by identifying true believers as “called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:1). He also identifies them as his “beloved,” or “dear friends” in some translations (Jude 1:3, 17), and encourages them to keep the faith and to minister to others (Jude 1:21–23). He assures them that God is able to preserve them and present them before himself faultless and with great joy (Jude 1:24).

If you attend a church check out what they believe, ask questions, get some real answers and if they teach contrary to the scriptures I would immediately look for a new church, Check out the websites their beliefs should be listed. If you are looking for a church search out a good scripture teaching church to worship in.

God Bless.