Of all New Testament writers, perhaps Jude is the most outspoken. He refers in his epistle to those who had perverted the “grace of God” and “denied the Lord Jesus Christ”, ungodly men who had changed the “common salvation” into something altogether different, worshipping the creature more than the Creator, “Their mouth speaking great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage” . . . “to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever”.
There can be no doubt that this inspired writer had every reason to write as he did. He was moved by the Spirit to expose the wickedness that was apparent on every hand. But he concludes his epistle on a different note. “Keep yourselves in the love of God”, he said, “looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference, and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire”.
What a sobering note to conclude such an epistle.
What noble and mature admonition! Why did Jude introduce this kindlier attitude, this softening influence? Had he not learned this at the very feet of Jesus? Had he not watched His reactions in such circumstances—circumstances that were charged with all types of wrong doing, accusation and condemnation—a reaction summed up so beautifully in the words, “Neither do I condemn thee; go and sin no more”. Jude had been with Jesus, he had learned of Him, and his advice to those to whom he wrote was, in the face of all the evil that abounds on every side, “Keep yourselves in the love of God”. Remember that you yourselves will need “the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ”, therefore, “of some have compassion making a difference, while others save with fear”.
The one great pre-requisite of all who seek to help others is the realisation of our own insufficiency and our own shortcomings. Every one of us is in the same position as the apostle Paul: “O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of sin?”. Every one of us has inherent and cultivated tendencies which may take a lifetime to overcome, and for which we all stand in dire need of the mercy and love of God. Therefore, intimates Jude, keep this in mind in all your dealings with others, or, in other words, keep yourselves within the influence of the love of God.
As the servants of Christ, we all have a work to do, both within the brotherhood and to those outside. We are to proclaim the true message of salvation; we are to uphold the teachings of Christ, and His way of life. On the negative side, this often brings us into conflict with wrong belief, wrong conception and wrong doing. These are to be rectified, for sin and wrong belief can never be condoned. But let it be done in the right spirit, let it be tinged with mercy, for “mercy glorifieth over judgment”. Let us at all times keep in the forefront of our minds that at one time we were “strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world”.
Its so easy to point the finger; its so easy for a pharasaical attitude to creep in, even unconsciously. We have the truth! We have to refute error! It is our duty to expose wrong doing! “Reprove, rebuke, exhort!” But how few of us are equipped to do this! How few of us have learned from the apostle who penned these words the manner or spirit in which it should be done. How few of us have followed Jesus through His life and ministry and learned His method of winning men over from wrong doing to right.
On the other hand, how often have we witnessed severe and sharp rebuke between brethren. How often have we listened to or perhaps spoken harsh words that have offended? How many would there be whose perhaps faltering steps have departed from the truth because of an intolerant attitude? How many of our friends, after initial interest, have turned away and never responded to the truth because of our blunders in expounding some point of doctrine.
Certainly, the truths of God do not alter, they cannot be adjusted to suit the individual, but our manner of presenting them can. That is the instruction of the apostle Jude: “Of some have compassion, making a difference”. There should be no rigid stereotype method of preaching the gospel. If we are equipped with the human understanding of Jesus, our message will be presented in a way that will not offend. Behind the veil in every life there are shadows, human problems and distresses the true follower of Jesus will readily perceive. Oftimes almost a lifetime of hope and comfort have been built around certain beliefs which can never be removed by blunt statements and raw facts; but which can be displaced only by a full comprehension of the glad tidings of the truth. No words of ours, no matter how true, can take the place of the sustaining influence of the Word of God; but this must take root in the heart before it can nourish, before the errors cultivated through years of misconception can finally be removed, for they are such a powerful force in a person’s life from the human point of view.
In this field of human values and relations the true servant of Christ should be right to the fore, for in Jesus we have One whose understanding of human nature and its innermost problems was of the highest order. In beholding Him we see our own imperfections, even as did His disciples of old, who of all men had the hardest lessons to learn. But they learned them nevertheless. From being raw recruits, who wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy those who opposed them; who forbade those who worked in the name of Christ because they were not one of them; who marvelled that Jesus as much as spoke to the woman of Samaria—from men like this they grew to be like Jesus! They learned of Him, to which Jude bears testimony by his words, “Of some have compassion, making a difference”.
Have we, too, learned thus of Jesus? Perhaps the greatest need of our time, in the life of the true believer, is a continual re-assessment of Christ, not through secondary influences, but by walking with Him, by placing His estimate on human beings. Then will we be able to attract, not repulse; to win, not drive; to uplift, not destroy. Then we may have the means to unlock the door to hearts that have long been closed. Where matter of fact words may fail, the kindly and tolerant spirit of Jesus will “compel” them to come.
“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature”, the old will pass away. All inconsiderate words will disappear. Ill-timed and thoughtless remarks will be left unspoken, “for the love of Christ constraineth us”. Thus only can we reach out for the pinnacle expressed in these enriching and ennobling words of Jude, a pinnacle that had been reached also by the beloved Apostle when he declared, “Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life which I now live, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me”
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One