This is Spoken Gospel.

We’re dedicated to seeing
Jesus in all of scripture.

In each episode, we see what’s
happening in a Biblical text

and how it sheds light
on Jesus and his gospel.

Let’s jump in.

Jude, the brother of Jesus,
responds to a theological crisis

and calls his people to fight for
the faith passed down to them.

False teachers have claimed that God’s
grace has canceled his moral commands.

They say it’s God’s job to forgive, so Jesus is no
longer a moral Master or Authority in their lives.

The false teaching says that as humans we are free to
pursue our passions, particularly sexual ones, because

we are the masters of our body and
God will forgive us anyway.

So, Jude reminds his readers of several stories
from the Hebrew Bible where God exercises

his moral authority by judging
those who dismiss his authority.

In the Exodus, God saved Israel from slavery but judged
the Israelites who did not believe God was in charge.

Before the Flood, a group of angelic beings
disregarded God’s authority, slept with

human women, and were judged
for crossing that divine boundary.

In Sodom and Gomorrah the opposite
happened, but with the same effect.

A group of men wanted to rape angelic
beings and were punished for it.

To Jude, these false teachers are just new incarnations
of an ancient hostility towards God’s moral authority.

Jude then borrows from a piece
of popular literature that adapted

the story of Moses’ burial
from the Old Testament.

In the popular version, the Devil
claims to the archangel Michael

that Moses’ body belongs to him
because Moses murdered a man.

Michael, instead of accusing the devil of
slander, holds his tongue and in effect says,

“I leave judgment, in this case, up to God”.

Jude’s point is that even in their popular literature all
the heavenly beings admit God is Master and Judge.

These false teachers are ignorant of reality.

And in their ignorance, they’ve become
animals ruled by whatever their hearts desire.

Like Cain who murdered his brother in envy,
and like Balaam who sold out Israel in greed,

or like Korah who committed treason
to gain power, these false teachers,

baited by their lusts, invite
judgment on themselves.

Jude warns the faithful that these
shipwrecked souls are now like hidden reefs—

both dangerous and inviting
death to anyone who gets too close.

Like a comet loosed from orbit, the end of their moral
autonomy and cheap grace is eternal darkness.

Quoting from the then-popular book of Enoch,
Jude warns that God is coming to bring conviction

and justice against all who reject God’s
authority and take advantage of his grace.

[music]

False teachers are nothing
new and shouldn’t surprise us.

False teachers have always tried
to snatch and divide God’s people.

But the good news is that in a world of
deceptive teachers, Jesus keeps us for himself.

In a world that lures us to
follow our hearts and instincts,

Jesus keeps us from being
trapped by that ancient hostility.

And instead of becoming
enslaved to our instincts,

Jesus our Master frees us to persevere in
mercy and love like he did on the cross.

Jesus has kept us for himself,
mercifully snatching us from the fire.

And he empowers us to show mercy towards
those who doubt the reality of God’s judgment.

God does not desire that any would die, and
so he makes us ministers of preservation

so we can snatch other
doubting souls from the flames.

Perhaps right now you doubt God’s
moral authority as you watch this.

If so, let this video warn you
that God’s judgment is coming.

But if you accept that warning, know that the Moral
Master of the Universe will use all of his authority
to save you from the judgment you’ve rejected.

He will free you from your appetites and
make you truly human and righteous forever.

So, may the Holy Spirit open your
eyes to see the God who has all

glory, majesty, dominion,
and authority forever.

And may you see Jesus as the One who is able to
keep you and present you blameless before God.