January 29, 2024: Jude 22-23 - Let Us Help Those who are Deceived
“And of some have compassion, making a difference: and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” - Jude 22-23
In the prior verses, verses 20-21, Jude told us how we, who are saved by believing in Christ alone for our salvation from sins, can prevent ourselves from falling into the trap of deceivers and imposters, of whom he has written about in the majority of this book. We do that by growing in our faith through prayer and through reading God’s word so that we can recognize for ourselves when someone is trying to deceive us by corrupting what God has written. When we know the truth, which is built on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ, we will not be led astray; rather, we will keep ourselves in the love of God, even when it means it is time to leave an apostate church.
I venture to say that many people today who go to church do not read God’s word for themselves. Of those who do read it, I estimate that the majority of those only read it on a very shallow level and do not study God’s word like we should. For example, for people who profess to be saved, then they should know that this world is not going to get better before the second coming of Christ but that things are going to get worse, much worse. The apostle Paul refers to this degradation as “perilous times” that will come “in the last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1) The key thing is that Paul is not referring to unbelievers in this passage but people who likely go to church and profess to be saved but who truly are not. Paul even tells us who are saved that we are to turn away from them:
“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away,” (2 Timothy 3:5)
In order for a believer in Christ not to give in to the lies and deception of deceivers in the church, we must know for ourselves what God’s word says so that when we are told a lie by a false pastor/teacher or anyone for that matter, we will recognize it as a lie and turn away from them. We also have to be able to discern truth from almost truth. Satan will use deceivers to deceive many by putting in a lot of truth and mixing in a little lie. The Bible tells us clearly that the number of deceivers who deceive people will increase in the latter days, and Jesus’ first words to His disciples regarding His second coming was to let no one deceive them:
“But evil men and seducers [imposters] shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.” (2 Timothy 3:13)
“And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world [age]? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” (Matthew 24:3-5)
The apostle Paul warned us that we must not be deceived and we must not participate with them in their sin:
“Let no man deceive you with vain [empty] words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes [once] darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [expose] them.” (Ephesians 5:6-11)
Notice that Paul said deceivers deceive people with their vain or empty words. This is exactly what Jude had previously written about:
“These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage [flattering people to gain advantage].” (Jude 16)
Sadly, many churches, including churches in America, and I would say the majority of American churches, are being led by deceivers who are telling people what they want to hear to make them feel good in their sins rather than telling them what they need to hear so that they can see they are sinners who need to turn to Jesus. However, most of the people in those churches keep going to them because they have grown fat and lazy, which is what happens many times in a society or country that lives in abundance and comfort. They aren’t used to having to do read and study the Bible for themselves and don’t want to; rather, they want to take the easy route and have someone else to do it for them. They want the fast-food version of the Bible, and they want it in less than a minute. As with literally eating fast food, instead of getting fed the true, nourishing word of God, they are getting fed empty, swelling words - junk food - that fill them up and make them feel full for a moment but afterward leaves them spiritually malnourished. By doing this, they are voluntarily putting themselves at risk of being deceived. This is in complete contrast to what Paul told the young pastor Timothy that he needed to do - and what we need to do - in these perilous times:
“But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Timothy 3:14-15)
It is thought that Paul was referring to Timothy’s grandmother Lois and mother Eunice, who had taught Timothy the scriptures, as Paul mentioned them by name in 2 Timothy 1:5. Notice in the scripture passage above, that Paul said Timothy had learned and knew the holy scriptures, and by having done that, Timothy is able to be wise in his faith in Jesus Christ. You have probably heard how bank tellers are taught to recognize counterfeit currency from true, authentic currency. They do not examine the counterfeit currency; no, they thoroughly examine the true currency, and they use this as the standard to compare against a counterfeit. The same is true for the word of God. We as believers must use it as the standard by studying it and knowing it so that when we come across a counterfeit version of God’s word, we can recognize what it is and avoid it at all costs.
The apostle Paul warned us that we must put on the whole armor of God so that we can stand against the wiles or schemes of the devil. He reminded us that it is not mankind we are wresting against but it is a spiritual battle being led by Satan:
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:10-13)
Paul named the six pieces of the armor of God, and you can compare them to what a soldier long ago would wear to protect himself in a war:
Belt of truth
Breastplate of righteousness
Feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace
Shield of faith
Helmet of salvation
Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God
Paul also included what I consider to be the seventh piece of armor, which is extremely important:
7. Praying always, in the Spirit
We know the power that exists in prayer:
“Be careful [anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep [guard] your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
“Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Jesus Christ; Matthew 26:41)
“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.” (Jesus Christ; Matthew 21:22)
“The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.” (Proverbs 15:29)
We are in a spiritual war, and Satan is doing all that he can today, just as he did long ago with Eve, to plant seeds of doubt in peoples’ minds and that includes people in the church. As brothers and sisters who are saved by Jesus Christ, what then do we do when one of our own begins to have doubts about God because they do not realize they are being deceived, perhaps by a pastor or someone who has a lot of influence in their life? What do we do when someone we know or have met who is seeking Jesus but has doubts? What do we do when someone is headed straight for hell, denying God and rejecting Jesus’ free gift of salvation, and living their lives in a way that they call “good” but which God says will lead them to hell? This is what Jude is addressing in verses 22 and 23, and he makes a distinction between two types of people.
The first group is those for whom we are to have compassion and to help them by giving them the truth in love. We remind them it is Satan who causes us to doubt God’s word. We remind them of God’s deep love for us, and that He wants us to know the truth: God the Father sent God the Son, Jesus Christ, so that we will be saved from our sins and delivered from spending our eternity in hell if we believe in Jesus as our Savior. When we meet someone who is truly seeking to know the truth, we must give it to them, trusting in and knowing that the Holy Spirit who dwells within us will lead us and provide us with the right words to say to them (Mark 13:11). When we make that decision to put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ to save us from our sins, we are instantly filled with the Holy Spirit, who opens our eyes to give us understanding of God’s word. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit comprise the Trinity: one God in three persons, and they each perform distinct works in our lives.
When someone is seeking to know the truth, Satan will put whatever and whomever in their path, including the many cults around the world, to prevent them from knowing the truth of God and to deceive them. I know this from my own personal experience when I was seeking to know the truth but not understanding what makes putting one’s faith in Jesus Christ so different from all the various religions around the world. Literally, as soon as I began seeking, with a true longing in my heart to know God, there came a knock at my door from one of the cults, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, who were all too willing to give me their version of “the truth” that were pure lies from Satan. I was deceived for over four years, but through God’s love for me, He snatched me out of that cult and began showing me the truth. Oh, how I thank Him for that, for I was headed for the eternal fire of hell and brimstone!
Satan, the great deceiver, uses all means possible to deceive people into believing otherwise because he wants to be God. There are many people in our world, both in the past and in our world today, who believe that if they follow Satan, also called the Devil and Lucifer, they can be like god or become gods. This is increasing in our world today at a rapid pace, with many rich and powerful people all over the world pushing transhumanism. These are lies from the pit of hell. There is only one God, and we will never be Him.
The other group of people, whom Jude described in verse 23, are those whom he says we are to save by fear, by telling them what the word of God says will be their future eternity if they remain on the path of destruction: the eternal lake of fire and brimstone. As a fireman would pull someone out of a burning building to save them, we are to try and pull or snatch unbelievers out of the fire by giving them the truth of God. People who have not put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ are being bombarded with the lies of Satan, who is using apostate pastors/teachers, churches, educational systems, media, entertainment industries, corrupt governments, and anyone or anything else to cause them to stumble (sin) and he is leading them to hell. We are to warn unbelievers by giving them the truth.
God used His angels to warn Lot and his family that God was going to destroy the wicked cities Sodom and Gomorrah because of the deep sin of the peoples that lived there and that Lot and his family must leave that place:
“And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: for we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen [has grown] great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.” (Genesis 19:12-14)
Lot had a wife, two daughters and their husbands, who were his sons in law. Lot went and warned his sons in law of what was coming and that they must get out of the city. However, they did not believe Lot and thought he was joking:
“And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked [joked] unto his sons in law.” (Genesis 19:14)
The next morning, the angels went to urge Lot to hurry up and get out of the city because he and his family were lingering. The angels literally took Lot and his family by their hands and pulled them out of Sodom and Gomorrah before God sent fire and brimstone upon those cities to destroy them:
“And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity [punishment] of the city. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without [outside] the city.” (Genesis 19:15-16)
Before God would destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and after the angels had brought Lot and his family out of the city, they told Lot and his family:
“Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.” (Genesis 19:17)
Then God sent destruction upon Sodom and Gomorrah:
“Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; and he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.” (Genesis 19:24-25)
However, Lot’s wife did not heed the words of God’s angels, and she looked back at the city, for her heart’s desire was to remain in her sin and not turn away from it and turn to God. She was given the truth, and she refused to believe it. For that, she was destroyed:
“But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” (Genesis 19:26)
Out of six people in Lot’s family, only three people made it out alive after Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, and that was Lot and his two daughters. Two people, his sons in law, didn’t believe in the truth that were told them, and his wife knew the truth but her heart didn’t want the saving truth but wanted her sin. Consequently, they were destroyed when God rained down destruction on Sodom and Gomorrah.
We as believers in Jesus Christ cannot save anyone by forcing them to believe in the truth of God; but we can give them the truth, telling them what lies ahead for them if they continue in their sin. However, the choice of whether to repent by turning to God, having a change in their heart to follow the light instead of the darkness, is theirs alone to make. We tell them the truth in love, and we do not participate in or approve of their sin, thinking we can “love” it out of them. No, true love is giving them the truth, even if it offends them and even if they hate us afterward. We still love them but we hate their sin. We pray for them to turn to Jesus Christ and be saved.
Just as with Sodom and Gomorrah, the world is in rebellion against God. Many countries, especially in the USA, are just like Sodom and Gomorrah were back then. May we remember the end of those cities, and that for the USA and any country who is like those cities were, our end may very well be the same:
“Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread [food], and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.” (Ezekiel 16:49-50)
We help people who are caught in sin, whether believers or unbelievers, by giving them the truth of God, which truly is to love people. We do not pretend to love people by caving to the increasing demands of society to call what is evil, good and what is good, evil. We do not change the word of God so that it accommodates and even promotes their sin. No, we earnestly contend for our faith in Jesus Christ, boldly and unashamedly proclaiming the everlasting gospel and praying for those who are deceived by the lies of Satan:
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek [non-Jew], For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17)
When we do this, we have a clean conscience, knowing we did everything we could to save them from the fire. What they do with it is up to them, just as it was with Lot and his family. ✝️