Challenge
issued by our pastor at Calvary Christian Fellowship. To read the book of Jude 2 times a
day for the next week, and see how your understanding of the verses
change as you re-read the Scripture. I want to extend the challenge to
all of you here to try.
I have posted the book after the break for you to read online if you should choose to take this challenge.
Jude 1
New King James Version (NKJV)
Greeting to the Called
1 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,
To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:
2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.
Contend for the Faith
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our
common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to
contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the
saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were
marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our
God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Old and New Apostates
5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord,
having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed
those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their
proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting
chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and
Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these,
having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange
flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal
fire.
8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject
authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel,
in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses,
dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord
rebuke you!” 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and
whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they
corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of
Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished
in the rebellion of Korah.
Apostates Depraved and Doomed
12
These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without
fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried
about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled
up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame;
wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also,
saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to
execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of
all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and
of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
Apostates Predicted
16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own
lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain
advantage. 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken
before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you
that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to
their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause
divisions, not having the Spirit.
Maintain Your Life with God
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God,
looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others
save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment
defiled by the flesh.
Glory to God
24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
25 To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty,
Dominion and power,
Both now and forever.
Amen.
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