Daily Bread – September 16, 2022 (The Sixth Day – Genesis 1:24-31) Jude 17-19 – But you, beloved, remember the words spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. For they said to you in the last time there will be scoffers indulging their own ungodly desires. These are those who cause divisions, worldly ones who do not have the Spirit. Ungodly Scoffers In The Church Jude urgently addresses the issue of the kind of people that will sneak into the Church “in the end of time”, or “in the last time” (Of course, we should take special note of how we are living in more of the “last days” than they were). These scoffers are not identified as those who are outside of the Church, but rather those who are in the Church. They are discovered to be pretenders who are worldly and who are not born of the Spirit. It is through their worldliness, or carnal thinking, that divisions are created among those who otherwise would walk in unity and submission one with another. They are marked by both their indulgence in ungodliness and their rebellion to authority. Jude reminds us in this letter that just because someone is in the company of the believers, and even rescued as Israel was rescued from Egypt, they may still die in their rebellion and sin. Everyone will be judged for their sins unless they turn to God and submit to His ways – even as the angels who sinned were punished. Whether it was Israel delivered from Egypt, or angels who were created in the splendor of God’s glory, or Sodom Gomorrah, or someone in the ranks of the Church today, all will be judged and punished for their ungodly deeds unless they repent. Therefore, the scoffers who reject authority and slander the glory are equally marked with the judgment of God and must be marked by the household of faith (Jude 8). The scoffers who mock authority and through their rebellion refuse to be under submission to anyone are more present now than they have ever been. These scoffers are like Cain, who would destroy anyone who walks in righteousness (1 John 3:12). They are like Balaam, who was more interested in having money than doing the will of God; and they are like Korah, who rose up against God’s anointed and would attempt to be a self appointed leader. Of course, the worst thing about these people is they lead others into their own mockery of the truth, and if left unchecked, could lead the whole company of saints away with their error. The foundation of God stands sure: Let everyone who names the Name of Jesus depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19; 1 John 3:7; 1 Corinthians 3:11). Blessings, Pastor Mark Spitsbergen
Daily Bread 9/16/2022
