Just before the Book of Revelation is the brief but concise epistle of Jude! A brother of Jesus wrote the one chapter of just 25 verses. He warned against allowing negative influences and teachings to contaminate and destroy the Church.

Jude urged us to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among us right inside the Church. These men are godless, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny the Sovereignty and Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Though we already know all this, Jude gave us three historical reminders about the judgment of God:

• The Lord delivered His people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.
• The angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home-- these He has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.
• Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.

These false teachers are dreamers who falsely claim to utter revelations that come from God, to foretell future events, or to have God's power to produce miracles, signs, and wonders. They mainly fall into three general categories:

• those who worship false gods and served idols;
• those who falsely claim to receive messages from the Lord; and
• those who have wandered away from the Truth.

The trademarks of these false teachers are as follows:
going carelessly right on living their evil, immoral lives, degrading their bodies;

1. laughing at those in authority over them, even scoffing at the celestial beings;
2. mocking and cursing at anything they do not understand;
3. doing whatever they feel like, just as animals, thereby ruining their souls;
4. following the example of Cain who killed his brother;
5. doing anything for money just like Balaam;
6. disobeying God and will be destroyed just like Korah;
7. smearing evil at the love feasts of the Church;
8. laughing and carrying on, gorging and stuffing themselves without a thought for others;
9. blowing over dry land without giving rain like clouds;
10. promising much, but producing nothing;
11. bearing no fruit at picking time;
12. being not only dead, but doubly dead, for they have been pulled out, roots and all, to be burned;
13. leaving behind them is shame and disgrace like the dirty foam left along the beach by the wild waves;
14. wandering around looking as bright as stars, but ahead of them is the everlasting gloom and darkness that God has prepared for them;
15. gripping constantly, never satisfied;
16. doing whatever evil they feel like;
17. showing off and loudmouthed;
18. showing respect for others just to get something from them in return;
19. scoffing and their whole purpose in life is to enjoy themselves in every evil way imaginable;
20. stirring up arguments;
21. loving the evil things of the world;
22. having not the Holy Spirit living in them.

Before the author penned off, he gave us this exhortation:

"But dear friends, you must build up your lives ever more strongly upon the foundation of our holy faith, learning to pray in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit. Stay always within the boundaries where God's love can reach and bless you. Wait patiently for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in His mercy is going to give you.

Try to help those who argue against you. Be merciful to those who doubt. Save some by snatching them as from the very flames of hell itself. And as for others, help them to find the Lord by being kind to them, but be careful that you yourselves aren't pulled along into their sins. Hate every trace of their sin while being merciful to them as sinners.

And now-- all glory to Him Who alone is God, Who saves us through Jesus Christ our Lord; yes, splendor and majesty, all power and authority are His from the beginning; His they are and His they evermore shall be.

And He is able to keep you from slipping and falling away, and to bring you, sinless and perfect, into His glorious presence with mighty shouts of everlasting joy. Amen."

Note:

• Jude is a brother of James (Jude 1:1), and James is a brother of Jesus (Gal 1:19).
• A love feast is a meal shared by the early Christians when they met together for fellowship and the Lord's Supper. Its purpose is to remember Christ, to encourage His disciples, and to share God's provisions with the needy.