The Application Of Jude 1:3-4

I'm in the middle of writing my exegetical paper on two verses of Jude, 3 & 4 (there's only one chapter). I just finished writing the application section, which is required to be only one page. In this case, writing less was actually more difficult. I was forced to cut out about five sentences. Anyway, I was reading it over and it just seemed worth blogging. So... here ya go.

The first application of Jude 3 & 4, comes from Jude’s words, “while I was making every effort to write you…I felt the necessity.” As we’ve already read, he goes on to speak about something other than his original intent. What strikes me is the relevant truth that correlates with Proverbs 27:6, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.” Likewise, with wisdom, we ought to be more concerned with what is needful for one’s walk with Christ to be strengthened than to only give shallow encouragement in spite of the facts.

The second finds its roots in the clause “contend earnestly for the faith.” Times have changed, but the work of Satan against God’s Word hasn’t. This defense of the faith that Jude wrote is an appeal to sell out for Christ. As false teachers continue to surface to the church’s platform, there needs to be a greater understanding of the Bible. There ought also to be a sense of skepticism that leads us to compare what we hear with the truth we know. Even among smaller circles of believers there should be the fortitude to stand up for what God has said against the postmodern thoughts of modern Christianity.

The third application spawns from Jude’s reference to grace that was made into licentiousness (“a license to sin”). It’s unfortunate that the pendulum of grace and law is often found at one extreme or the other. God’s grace, through the sacrifice of His Son, the ever finishing work against legalism, has enabled us to loosen our grip of the idea that righteousness is by the law. But our freedom of that law does not entitle us to sin against our Rescuer. Our freedom from that law has instead made us more aware of our own inability to not sin against Him, reminding us that we must call on His grace to find an escape from sin. Basically, God saved us into a relationship with Himself, but sin breaks our fellowship with Him. If we decide to use His grace as a license to sin, it begs the question if we truly experienced the overwhelming, life-changing love of God, that we’d be willing to lose communion with Him.