Plunging into Darkness
Robert Wurtz II
But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (Jude 17-21)
Jude, the half-brother of the Lord Jesus, wrote his epistle to Saints who were infiltrated by people who turned grace into a license to sin (licentiousness). Sin is rebellion against God, and grace is God’s unmerited provision for dealing with the power and penalty of sin. Jude exhorted them to earnestly contend for the faith that was once and for all delivered to the Saints, which implies conflict and struggle. The authentic Gospel frees people from sin; it doesn’t grant them a license to commit it.
To change the Gospel into a license to sin requires redefining God and His unchangeable attributes. The false god of this false Gospel loves everyone regardless of how rebellious and wicked they are. This “god” might have cast Satan and his angels out of Heaven for rebelling, but he has a different attitude towards human rebellion. Unlike Jehovah, he never grows angry or judges sin (Psalm 7:11, Psalm 5:5). He is the “tolerant” god who tolerates whatever rebellion humankind chooses to manifest. Their god is as false and blasphemous as their lascivious gospel.
As this false gospel and its equally blasphemous rendition of God have taken hold, darkness has proportionally filled the earth. Why? It doesn’t turn people from darkness to light (Acts 26:18) but allows them to remain in darkness and believe they are saved. It encourages them to love darkness, hate the light, and continue their evil deeds (see John 3:19).
A History of Blasphemy and Wickedness
The blasphemy and wickedness on display at the 2024 Olympics opening ceremony was a shock to many but not to God or history. Fashion and artistic expression are the cover terms for this latest abomination. Yet, from eternity past, God was fully aware of the depraved evil that would seize our generation. It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him (Jude 1:15-17 ESV).
Jude lists several groups that rebelled against God and were judged severely. The angels who rebelled against God’s order are in chains of darkness, awaiting judgment in Hell (Matthew 25:41, 2 Peter 2:4). The depraved people in Sodom and Gomorrah Committed sexual immorality and are presently undergoing the just punishment of eternal fire (Jude 1:7). Jude also mentions the children of Israel who were delivered from slavery in Egypt but then destroyed for their unbelief.
Prevailing Darkness
Darkness is increasing in our times. Jesus told the disciples to allow their light to shine before men and not to become salt that has lost its savor (salt qualities). After many generations of relatively low “light,” darkness is now upon us. Less light means darkness is prevailing.
Eschatologically, Satan has come down having great wrath, knowing he has but a short time (Revelation 12:12). Jude informs us that since the first century, Satan has sent many infiltrators into the churches pretending to be Christian leaders who never agreed with God or His word except those verses that seem to agree with their false gospel. This problem has only gotten worse.
The Destiny of Deceivers
When deceivers soften things up and present a more “loving” and “accepting” Christian ethos, they signify that they don’t believe in Jesus or love Jesus. Why? For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (1 John 5:3 KJV). You can’t claim to love Jesus and disobey His word. You may call it “love” or “tolerance,” but it’s wickedness.
If the book of Jude has any meaning at all, the people who have changed the Gospel into one that promotes a life of lasciviousness (lusting after evil) are going to split Hell wide open. The result has been a cowardly (fearful, Revelation 21:8), lukewarm “christian” environment that’s afraid to call sin what it is, especially the sins of sexual immorality. It’s Satan’s blasphemous version of Christianity, and I fear that millions are accepting and living it. The result is darkness.
Believing Satan or the Creator
When our Creator and Judge demands that we repent of all wickedness, as He defines it, or face damnation, we ought to have the good sense to obey. Despite what you may have heard, Paul the Apostle preached John the Baptist-style repentance to all Jews and all Gentiles. He was ordained to turn everyone he preached to from darkness to light. He did this by preaching a powerful repentance message (Acts 26:18-21).
But today, there are voices everywhere, speaking the words of Satan, beguiling millions to believe that God didn’t mean what He said, and if He did, then there is really no such thing as Hell to worry about. Some affirm the existence of Hell but then turn the grace of God (that enables us to have victory over sin) into lasciviousness (lust for evil), making the doctrine of eternal retribution of no effect.
Liars and Deceivers
These deceivers crept in unawares, says Jude, but were ordained to this condemnation before ancient times. What condemnation? They are destined for the vengeance of eternal fire (Hell). What do they do? They turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. They deny Jesus by suggesting you can have Him as Savior, but making Him Lord (King of your life) is optional and unnecessary. It encourages or condones rebellion by stripping the many New Testament vice lists of their warnings.
Can you imagine Christians condoning or promoting homosexuality and cross-dressing? These are damnable behaviors as serious as adultery and murder. But their father Satan seduces them into a false love and compassion that condones wickedness and rejects repentance. This is love, according to Satan. But the love of God is to keep His commandments; it’s not some fuzzy feeling of self-love.
Keep Yourselves in Faith and the Love of God
Yet Jude says, But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life (Jude 19-21). Building up yourselves in your most holy faith is important because faith is vital. Faith is responding rightly to God’s word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. You are not acting in faith if you don’t respond rightly to God’s word. Jesus asked that when He returned, would He find faith on the earth? Not if people turn against the word and believe the lie and be damned (2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 KJV).
How can we keep ourselves in the love of God? For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (1 John 5:3 KJV). Keep on being obedient to the commandments! Don’t side with the spirit of antichrist or allow the Godless secular education system and media to turn your mind away from the light of truth! Believe God and keep yourselves in the love of God by obeying His commandments.
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