Yesterday and Today
For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Jude 4
Crept in unnoticed – Now how is this possible? How can it be that some slip into the assembly to do harm and no one notices? The Greek verb suggests that they settled in alongside (pareisduo – coming alongside twice – in duo – both in the open and hidden). How did they get in? Well, they must have said the right things. They must have pretended to be worshippers. They had to look the part. If this reminds you of something in Genesis 3, don’t be surprised. They were unnoticed because they appeared to share a common commitment. But time will tell, and in this case, their true colors soon became apparent.
What were those true colors? How did Jude conclude these people were the enemy? He tells us that they turned God’s grace into licentiousness. What does that mean? Grace is the Greek word charis. Its Hebrew equivalent is shamah – to rejoice, be joyful, be glad. But in Hebrew thought, joy is both inward and outward. The feelings result in action. In particular, shamah is the experience of God’s saving acts. Joy comes when God delivers. This is the sense that Jude has in mind. God has saved us. We rejoice. But Jude sees the need for a warning. Salvation does not mean life without obligations. Our rejoicing entails a certain code of conduct – a path of righteousness. Yes, we have joy because God has delivered us, but that does not mean we are free to do whatever we wish. It means that we are free to obey His instructions. Without the visible sign of obedience, we are pseudo-believers. We might have a wonderful warm and fuzzy feeling on the inside, but we lack all the outward evidence that indicates God actually delivered. You don’t get one without the other.
Notice that Jude expressly indicates what kinds of behaviors deny the true inner experience of charis – shamah. He uses the Greek word aselgeia, a word that Peter associates with Sodom and Gomorrah. But perhaps we are too quick to relegate the meaning only to sexual immorality. While this is the usual meaning, the word carries the idea of license, not simply sexual permissiveness. In other words, Jude warns not to turn the goodness of God’s benevolence into an excuse for permitting any behavior we wish. Grace comes with rules. That doesn’t mean grace depends on rule-keeping. That would be the mistake of associating God’s goodness with human achievement. But just because God sheds abroad His grace on undeserving men does not mean that grace in action has no boundaries. Grace is demonstrated by the change in behavior that accompanies its transformative character. Grace, as Paul reminds us, is never an excuse for sinning all the more.
All of this seems perfectly reasonable. At the human level, we love our children but that doesn’t mean we let them do whatever they want to do. Love comes with obligations and expectations, not for the good of the parent but for the good of the child. But notice what this implies. It implies that there is an acceptable and recognized standard of conduct. It’s no good trying to tell your children that they need to live according to the family expectations if you don’t tell them what those expectations are. And that’s Jude’s point. Those who are part of the assembly of the Messianic community have been grafted into the commonwealth of Israel and therefore, they have been given instructions that accompany what it means to be Israel. To suggest that people can experience God’s grace and reject these instructions is contradictory – and Jude knows it. That’s why he warns his flock about the destructive nature of those who teach that the rules no longer apply.
I suppose we should ask ourselves if we have turned God’s grace into permission to do what we want to do rather than what He wants us to do. And, obviously, we aren’t talking about Sodom and Gomorrah anymore.
Topical Index: grace, charis, shamah, joy, rules, Jude 4, aselgeia, licentiousness
Is there a Christian among us who does not know liberty is not licentiousness? ~ Shall we continue in sin (doing what we want- fulfilling the desires of our mind) that grace may abound? -And the answer is? “God forbid.” If we are to follow Christ- (and we are to follow Christ for His instructions ARE not Were, “follow Me”- Do as I do. Not just “believe as I believe”- but “Follow Me”- “Be imitators of God as dear children and walk in love.” We are to mimic our Master.
Do children ever worry about “what’s for lunch?” – or do they just trust their parents to provide? What about me? – what is my “trust level?”- Do I trust my Prodigal Father – and is He worthy of my trust? – And the answer is… ~ but God is (always) Faithful- Semper Fi. Amen. Our God has-does-and will supply all of our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ~ He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all- how shall He not with Him also freely give (the Prodigal Father) us all things?- All things that pertain unto life and godliness? – “Every” good and perfect gift?
We are not “saved” to do as we please, we are saved/delivered to do as we ought. And what we “ought” to do is to ~love the LORD our God (our God) with ALL of our heart-soul-mind-and-strength~ and ~ to love one another with a pure heart fervently.~ Avad ADONAI Amen. 1,2, and 3. Do it. Why?
My friends- this is exactly how our Example and our Examplar, the LORD Jesus (who is the) Christ lived. ~I do always those things that please the Father ~ – We also, as children of El Elyon- the Mighty God- must also “do” those things which please our ABBA. Yes, to “break it down” even further- we are to “love God and love people”- all people everywhere. Why? Because God is love and because we love Him we also will love what He loves,- all people everywhere, yes, -even (gasp!) “sinners.”
But in my house – there are “house rules.” These are the rules of my house. I have instructed my children: “junior, do not play in heavy traffic”- “junior- don’t place your hand on a hot stove..” “junior, – brush your teeth.” All of these “commands” are for the benefit and blessing of “junior.” And every “thou shalt” of our heavenly Father is “help yourself to happiness.” Every “thou shalt not” is our Father saying- “don’t hurt yourself.” Are His rules for righteous living to our benefit and for our blessing? – And Who was the most obedient Man- ever to have lived, breathed and walked upon this green planet? And what marked His life? Love, peace and joy. Shalom unspeakable and full of glory- ~He went about doing good..~ And yes, “this is my Father’s world!” His by right of Creation and again because of Calvary.
And what father among us does not delight in (and desire to reward!) obedient children?
What we believe we “live by”- all the rest is just religious talk- and if any man -does “any man” include the Jew also?- what about those Episcopalean vegetarians? or shall we listen (again for the first time) to His words from His Book?
~For if a man (any man) will be a hearer of the word and not a doer of it, this one is like one who sees his face in a mirror, and studies himself carefully, and then goes off and immediately forgets what he looks like ~ (James 1.24)
Ahh,- but there is another man- “This man.” The man who is blessed. Who is this? – Shall we?
~ But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing ~ (James 1.25)
~ But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you ~ (Psalm-song 81.16)
~ This book of direction-instruction-law-torah shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success ~ (Joshua 1.8)
Yes, Abraham “believed God”- but the next morning he got up and saddled his donkey.. He believed and then proceeded to carry out the instructions he had received.
~ Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?~ (Luke 6:46)
Oh? we think we know a better way? Let me know how that works out for you.. ~ There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD ~ (Proverbs 21.30)
And what about stupid people in large numbers?- ~ Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered ~ (Proverbs 11.21) Mom, dad, -the best thing you can do for your children today is to obey God.
I started reading a book called, “Disciplined By Grace”. It’s only so-so, but the premise was really good:
Main Point – We don’t preach grace too much, we preach it too little. If we taught the fullness of grace, we would see that it is a DISCIPLINING force in our lives. A distinguishing feature of grace in the life of a believer is SELF-CONTROL. Titus 2:11-13
I sort of ‘reverse engineered’ this verse and asked myself, “Do I have more self-control/discipline now that I am a Christian? Or than 5-10 years ago? Am I ‘increasing in grace’?” The answer was no, but it gave me hope to know that my feelings of discontent were valid.
Skip I would love for you to elaborate on the goal of the sacrifices.
The only reason to go to the temple was so that the worshiper could draw near to the throne of YHVH and experience His awesome presence. We have this stupid idea that every time someone sinned they had to go stand in line at the temple to offer a sacrifice. Nothing could be further from the truth! It was a privilege not a punishment!
You couldn’t even think about approaching the temple (where the throne of God on earth was) if you were not walking in righteousness and keeping yourself in a state of purity according to the torah.
I personally have come to believe that it was and is Grace that our Father destroyed the temple so that we ignorant idiots couldn’t draw near and become little whole burnt offerings at the gate. Pseudo-believers would have been found out. I’m thinking may that’s what Heb. 4 is about. Those who demonstrated unbelief in the wilderness are examples for us. With the verb tenses in Heb. 10 being changed in our English versions we tend to believe the temple was already gone.
I’m now thinking maybe the writer to the Hebrews was talking to a group of folks who gathered there at least for the festivals if not daily. They would not have been able to do that had they not kept themselves “clean”. The sin sacrifice was for unintentional sin that the worshiper was unaware of. Perhaps that’s one reason why we see the sacrifices reinstated in the temple in Ez.?
In any case we need to “purify ourselves” 1 Jn.3:3 because when He appears He will draw near and we want to be ready for Him like the Children of Israel were ready when He drew near to Egypt and took the first born and passed over them. It’s not safe to draw near to YHVH or have YHVH draw near to us in a state of purposeful uncleaness.
Our lame excuses won’t hold water in that day. Especially for those of us who have been enlightened and refuse to shema. The fear of YHVH is the beginning of wisdom. There is no sacrifice for intentional sin.
Lame excuses don’t hold water then or P.R. (post Ressurection). God is the same forever. Peter didn’t see the quick judgment upon Ananias and Sapphira as unduly harsh. They knew what they were doing and God saw it as temping Him. v.3 “Why has Satan filled your heart”, Peter asked them. Willful deceit is spiritually disastrous! Truth and integrity are the norm of a Godly life. Sin is not trivial with God. (consider the cross!)
There still will be a lot of little whole burnt idiots–the penalty will come due–unless repented of–His grace gives time for repentence–let us tremble in Holy fear!
Sometimes it doesn’t appear God is paying attention, but only the faithless are so blind/stupid. The penalty will be paid–unless repented of, it is only a matter of time.
“Grace comes with rules.” John the Evangelist would say grace comes with power, the power to become sons and daughters of Adonai. It is the power to obey the law, the power of obediance … our shamah is not in the things of this world , but rather in Jesus and Adonai – in the Paraclete he has sent. When we are made new there is nolonger a desire to hide from Adonai’s presence. It has been replaced with giyl. Adonai perfects us constantly like gold and silver in the refiners fire. We walk Torah with Adonai exchanging the perishable desires of the flesh for the imperishable desire of Adonai. That unity is our Shalom from which our Hesed flows like rivers of flowing water. At first we experience darkness and loss as we put away the things of a child, but when we embrace the things of a man Adonai replaces our joy in these former things with himself. We burn with the joy of his presence like sparks amid the stubble …