Daily Scripture Reading Jude 1:12-25

Christians have a tendency to assume the best of people. In particular, they assume that people who attend church are good people and have honest motives while participating in church.

The letter of Jude warns us that those are not good assumptions. Today’s passage reminds us that there are people within the church who are destructive forces and need to be resisted.

The third verse of Jude tells us Jude wrote this letter to exhort believers to “contend earnestly for the faith”. Then in verse 4, Jude warned us against people who “turn the grace of our God into sensuality” and deny Jesus. Those people are making a mistake similar to the mistake made by Cain, Balaam, and Korah.

Jude 12 These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted;

The term “men” refers to the people mentioned in verse 4 who crept in unnoticed, turn the grace of God into sensuality, and deny Jesus.

Look at the term “hidden reefs”. A hidden reef can cause a shipwreck.

Notice the phase “in your love feasts”. Jude warned the recipients of his letter that there were people in their churches, attending their love feasts, who were hidden reefs, meaning they were a danger capable of causing destruction.

Christians have a tendency to assume every person attending church is a good person, has good motives, and is an asset to the church. However, Jude made it clear that is not a good assumption. Some people in the church are a menace.

Jude 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever.

The people who turn grace into sensuality and deny Jesus are destructive forces within the church.

Jude 14 ¶ But Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, also prophesied about these men, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones,

Jude 15 to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

The men who turn the grace of God into sensuality and deny Jesus will face the judgement of God.

Jude 16 These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; and their mouth speaks arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of their own benefit.

Jude 17 ¶ But you, beloved, must remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,

The pronoun “you” refers to the recipients of this letter, but this command applies to all Christians. Jude referred to words spoken by the apostles.

Jude 18 that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.”

The apostles warned us that there will be mockers who follow their own lusts. This entire letter is a warning against those mockers. The mockers overemphasize God’s grace and deny Jesus.

Jude 19 These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, not having the Spirit.

The mockers who turn grace into sensuality and deny Jesus are a destructive force within the church.

Jude 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

Jude 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

In contrast to those who turn the grace of God into sensuality and deny Jesus, all true Christians should keep themselves in the love of God. The Bible says anyone who loves God will obey God. Jude reminds us to obey God when we are surrounded by people who overemphasize the grace of God in order to minimize the severity of sin.

Jude 22 And on some, who are doubting, have mercy;

Jude 23 and for others, save, snatching them out of the fire; and on others have mercy with fear, hating even the tunic polluted by the flesh.

Jude 24 ¶ Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,

Jude 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, might, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Christians have a tendency to assume every person attending church is a good person, has good motives, and is an asset to the church. However, Jude made it clear that is not a good assumption. Some people in the church are a menace. They are hidden reefs who cause division, are worldly-minded, and follow their own ungodly lusts.

To what extent do you assume every person in your church is a good person and has honorable intents and motives?

What examples have you seen of people in your church being a hidden reef who caused destruction?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”