65. Jude (Bible Summary)

Introduction and Salutation: Jude introduces himself as a servant of Jesus Christ and the brother of James. He extends mercy, peace, and love to the recipients of the letter.

The Change of Subject (3): Jude initially intended to write about the common salvation shared by believers, but he feels compelled to address a more urgent matter.
The Reason for the Change: The Presence of Godless Apostates (4): Jude writes to warn about false teachers who have secretly infiltrated the church, perverting the grace of God into a license for immorality and denying the sovereignty of Jesus Christ.

Historical Examples of the Judgment of Apostates (5–7): Jude uses examples from history to illustrate the fate of those who rebel against God.
- Unbelieving Israel (5): The Israelites who were delivered from Egypt but later perished in the wilderness due to unbelief and disobedience.
- Angels Who Fell (6): The angels who abandoned their proper dwelling, resulting in their judgment and eternal chains in darkness.
- Sodom and Gomorrah (7): The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, destroyed by fire for their immorality and wickedness, serving as a warning to all.
Description of the Apostates of Jude’s Day (8–16)
- Their Slanderous Speech Deplored (8–10): These false teachers defile their bodies, reject authority, and slander celestial beings, speaking arrogantly without understanding.
- Their Character Graphically Portrayed (11–13): Jude describes their actions, comparing them to Cain (who murdered his brother), Balaam (who sought profit through wickedness), and Korah (who rebelled against God’s appointed authority).
- Their Destruction Prophesied (14–16): Jude prophesies that the Lord will return to execute judgment on these ungodly men, who are marked by grumbling, faultfinding, boasting, and following their own sinful desires.

Remember the Apostles’ Warnings (17–19): Jude calls believers to remember the teachings of the apostles, who foretold that mockers would come in the last days, following their own ungodly desires.
Building Yourself Up in the Faith (20–21): Believers are encouraged to build themselves up in their most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, and keeping themselves in God’s love, awaiting the mercy of Jesus Christ.
Rescuing the Doubtful (22–23): Jude exhorts believers to show mercy to those who doubt, to save others by snatching them from the fire, and to be merciful, yet cautious of being polluted by the corruption around them.

Praise and Glory to God: Jude ends the letter with a doxology, praising God for His ability to keep believers from stumbling and to present them faultless before His glorious presence with great joy. He ascribes glory, majesty, dominion, and power to God, through Jesus Christ, before all time and now and forever.