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Jude’s End-Time Apostates

12 Sunday Apr 2020

Posted by in Bible Prophecy

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20 But you, loved ones, continue building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Ruach ha-Kodesh. 21 Keep yourselves in the love of [YeHoVaH], eagerly waiting for the mercy of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who are wavering— 23 save them by snatching them out of the fire; but on others have mercy with fear—hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.  – Jude vv. 20-23, TLV (the bracketed word is my emphasis)

I used to be unable to understand how apostates could creep in anywhere unaware. That changed while I was evangelizing in South Korea.

Sadly, at the South Korean Christian school where I taught English, there were professed Christians who, as Jude describes, were “…bellyaching grumblers, following after their own desires. Their mouth speaks grandiose things, showing favoritism for the sake of gain” (Jude v. 16, TLV). They were believers in Yeshua who also possessed knowledge of Yeshua’s Gospel; however, they were way too much like the metaphorical seed that falls on rocky soil and springs up quickly only to wilt when the scorching sun of trouble shines on them or when they are under the roasting pressure of persecution.

For sure, it was their love for more money, larger schools, more curriculum knowledge, and/or better-paying jobs that had caused them to fall away from what they at one time must have believed. Put differently, they were not walking in obedience to Yeshua, as it was evident that, as backsliders, they were following the desires of their flesh.

They were behaving like the kind of apostates Jude says the apostle Paul had warned about – “…the ones who cause divisions—worldly-minded, not having the Ruach” (Jude v.19, TLV). Indeed, the people who worked at this school when I was there were definitely spiritually divided – that is to say, those who kept the faith were spiritually separated from those who had sincere doubt. It also didn’t help that the school’s Christian owners also physically separated certain staff members from each other. In other words, the backsliders or those who were wavering — those who had not become committed apostates – were isolated. These segregated backsliding apostates are the ones that Jude advises the overcomers to “…save…by snatching them out of the fire” (Jude v.23a).

At this school, there also was another kind of apostates – those who willfully rejected the Gospel of Yeshua. These were the apostates that not only distorted YeHoVaH’s Truths but also denied those spiritual Truths and biblical doctrines that defined the genuinely saved believers in Yeshua. In other words, these apostates were no longer backslidden believers but rather they had become the kind of unbelievers that the writer of Hebrews says cannot be brought back to repentance (see Hebrews 6:4-6).

There were the kind of apostates who had passed the point of no return – those whom Jude describes as the apostates that overcomers should “…have mercy with fear—hating even the garment defiled by the flesh” (Jude v.23b), as they are apostates whose damnation had already been secured (Jude v.4). Additionally, the apostle Peter describes these apostates as the proverbial dogs who return to their own vomit and pigs who return to wallowing in the mire (see 2 Peter 2:22 and Proverbs 26:11).

Now, the reasons why these apostates were able to creep into our churches, our schools, our business, etcetera is because so few of today’s believers in Yeshua are spiritually savvy enough to discern when believers have departed from the faith, or when wolves have joined flocks, or when a backslider’s conscience has been seared, or when so-called Christians have a form of godliness, and so forth. For sure, there are many believers in Yeshua today who are living and/or behaving as the apostates who are described above, BUT far too many professed Christians either are clueless or indifferent about these apostates who clearly neither are clinging to the Holy Spirit nor are controlled by (cooperating with) Him. In other words, these professed Christians have not crucified their own ‘self,’ and they have not been filled or controlled by the Holy Spirit. They, instead, are sensual, which means they live in accordance with their senses because they are too soulish. This truth is why they are walking after their own lusts instead of being in accordance with the Holy Spirit.

Lastly, Jude makes it clear that believers in Yeshua can have victory over apostasy but only as overcomers who stay filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the only One who is able to keep believers in Yeshua from falling away from the faith. He also is the only One who is able to present believers in Yeshua as blameless before their Lord and Savior, but only if they allow Him to change them into overcomers.  

Becoming overcomers begins when believers in Yeshua realize their assured victory does not mean that they don’t have to fight to win. Every genuine believer has to contend for the faith – the kind of faith that will help them to become victorious over sin, the world, and their flesh. However, living a holy life will keep those believers who are progressively becoming overcomers on the battlefield. Put differently, there is no way that contending for the faith won’t be dangerous at times. That is why it is important to remember what Yeshua and His apostles taught, which is that those seeking to become overcomers will obediently do the following: 1. Build themselves up on their most holy faith; 2. Pray in the Holy Spirit; and 3.Keep themselves in the Love of YeHoVaH  (Jude vv. 20-21). This is how they not only survive apostasy but also how they become victorious over sin, the world, and their flesh. Additionally, this is how they will have the power to snatch backsliders out of the fire – apostates who have NOT passed the point of no return.

Once again, the ultimate solution to apostasy is believers’ proximity to Yeshua, which is achieved through the Holy Spirit. This Divine Truth is why believers in Yeshua must always stay close to Him, and they must always keep preaching His Gospel. By contending for the faith, with the aid of the Holy Spirit, and by staying close – via the Holy Spirit – to the only One who is able to keep believers in Yeshua from falling, Yeshua’s believers will be able not only to survive apostasy but also able to thrive as holy overcomers in spite of the fact that apostasy is everywhere in today’s world. Selah . . .   

How Rich Are You In GOOD Works?

02 Saturday Jan 2010

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Many pastors and other spiritual leaders in today’s institutional church mistakenly think that they can be everything to everyone. The real truth is that it takes more than one person to meet the needs of every deprived church member. It also takes more than one person to meet the needs of the disadvantaged people in any community, any work environment, and so forth.

God teaches us in His Word that every believer must work together with other believers so that the needs of each person can be met. Notice what Hezekiah Walker’s choir sings in “I Need You To Survive.” They sing:

I need you; you need me.  We’re all a part of God’s Body. Stand with me; agree with me.  We’re all a part of God’s Body. It is His Will that every need be supplied. You are important to me.  I need you to survive.

Tragically, even though there are believers who spend time with other Christians, their conversations and behaviors usually don’t reflect an interest in spiritual matters. Consequently, most of these believers rarely focus on their mutual accountability, which primarily is their responsibility to one another—the biblical interdependency that exists within the Body of Christ (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:20-21, 26). This mutual accountability is why it also is heartbreaking that, despite the fact that most Christians attend worship services or Bible studies on a weekly basis, far too many of these believers contribute very little, or nothing at all, toward the relief of the poor.

It is upsetting to see Christians turning to the world to have their needs met, instead of seeking help from Jesus the Christ’s CHURCH. However, the truth of the matter is that most needy people feel more comfortable approaching non-Christians because many non-Christians do not tend to make those in need feel poor, worthless, or lazy.

Even sadder still is it to see Christians drifting away from depending on the Holy Spirit to direct their steps. Still, although many believers know that the Holy Spirit is the One who ministers through them, where helping the needy is concerned, there are materialistically, financially, and/or spiritually “rich” believers who ignore the Holy Spirit’s “provoking,” especially when His “provoking” pertains to His accountability ministries. These “wealthy” believers conveniently decide to forget that they must be good stewards of ALL of the resources that God has given them.

Nevertheless, God’s requirement still stands. Believers, especially wealthy believers, are to do the GOOD works Jesus the Christ expects from them, which includes honoring their responsibility to help those in need. To fulfill their responsibilities, believers must use ALL of the resources that God has given them. Believers also must be careful to give abundantly out of their abundance; they must be careful to share inclusively, never overlooking anyone who is in need; and they must be careful to invest wholeheartedly not only in their own but also in other believers’ spiritual maturity and their heavenly home. These mutually shared Christian responsibilities, thus, are why the Apostle Paul specifically gives instructions to the materialistically, financially, and/or spiritually “rich” believers in the Ephesian church.

The Ephesian church consisted primarily of members from the upper-lower class to the lower-middle class, with a few lower-lower class (destitute, homeless, permanently unemployed) and upper-upper class (high society) members in the mix. The Ephesian well-to-do women and homeowners were considered the “rich church people.” Since the Apostle Paul was concerned about the spiritual state of the Ephesians who were wealthy believers, he instructs these Christians to not put their hope in this world’s wealth, because putting their trust in the world’s wealth will cause them to rely more on their own riches and accomplishments instead of relying on their God.

Indeed, Jesus the Christ makes it clear that no one can serve two masters at the same time, a saying which means that no one could serve money and God simultaneously (cf. Matthew 6:24). The Lord also implies that the security of money in the economy of His day, and in today’s economy, is uncertain. For sure, events and catastrophes, then and now, can take away a person’s worldly wealth in the amount of time that it takes the heart to beat a single heartbeat.

The inability for people to serve two masters and the uncertainty related to money, material goods, and/or worldly status are also why the Apostle Paul warns the Ephesian Christians about relying on their worldly riches and worldly status. He reminds them that their true source of life and wealth is in God and in Him alone. This divine truth is why the apostle warns the “rich” Ephesians that their reliance on their wealth and material possessions, or worldly status, is antithetical to their reliance on God.

Now, monetary gains and material wealth do have their own place in believers’ lives. It even is okay for Christians to strive for money and material possessions, but only so that they can use their wealth and worldly possessions for doing good works! In other words, believers’ Christian living must include practical expressions of generosity, as well as a willingness to share!

Therefore, because the Apostle Paul wants the “rich” Ephesians to have the right perspective on worldly wealth, he tells them that they must use their money and material possessions responsibly, explaining to them that their responsible use of their riches and worldly possessions will earn them spiritual benefits from the treasure that they “lay up” for themselves in Heaven. That is to say, their altruistic sharing and giving will prove that they have a genuine faith in God—prove that they rely on/trust in God. As a result, their generosity and willingness to share will build for them a firm foundation in the Age that is to come.

In 1 Timothy 6:19, the Apostle Paul, then, is building on Jesus the Christ’s teaching about the riches on Earth being nothing in comparison to the riches in heaven. The apostle is telling the “rich” Ephesian Christians that in order for them to be able to claim their spiritual benefits they first must form a healthy attitude of detachment toward their money, material possessions, and worldly status! Apostle Paul makes it clear that until these wealthy believers exchange their worldly riches for spiritual wealth, they will not have any practical evidence (no sharing or giving) that proves they have a new life in Jesus the Christ. Only the believers who fulfill their commitment to a mutual accountability in a caring church will demonstrate the kind of responsible behavior (the building of a firm spiritual foundation) that is representative of their unshakeable certainty in God’s divine promise that their Christian hope for an eternal life is secure.

Because much wealth has been given to just a few people, much is required of them. Moreover, where wealthy believers are concerned, God not only has given them riches but also He has provided many opportunities for these believers to do good works—opportunities that other believers will never have. For sure, it is wealthy Christians’ generosity that God uses the most when He is supplying money, goods, and other blessings to those individuals who have needs. Ultimately, when rich Christians are living a life of righteousness, patience, and love, these believers not only will recognize that they have a responsibility to stewardship but also they will be generous givers.

How rich are you in GOOD works?  Are you laying up any spiritual treasure for the Age that is to come?  Are you being a good steward who responsibly administers the world’s wealth that God has blessed you to have? AMEN.

“Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (1 Timothy 6:19, KJV).