Inductive Bible Study Method for Jude
Theme: Contend Earnestly for the Faith Key Verses: 3-4
Section 1:
Introduction (vs 1-2)
Verse 1 -
Observation:
Jude, bondservant of Jesus, brother of James, to those called, sanctified by God, preserved in Jesus.
Interpretation:
Jude was writing to those who were called, which was the Church. He said that he was a bondservant of Christ, he was sanctified by God and preserved in Jesus.
Application:
Just as Jude was a bondservant of Jesus, so we should willingly choose to surrender our will to our Master. We are justified once at salvation, but we’re in the constant process of being sanctified. Jude was preserved in Jesus, he knew he was safe and secure in Christ. We can have this assurance because Jesus says He will never leave us nor forsake us in Hebrews 13:5.
Verse 2 -
Observation:
Mercy, peace, love, multiplied to you.
Interpretation:
Jude was blessing those he was writing to by asking God to multiply their mercy, peace and love.
Application:
Not only should we be praying that God increase our mercy, peace and love, but we should also be praying that God bless our brothers and sisters with these fruits and virtues.
Section 2:
Reason for Writing (vs 3-4)
Verse 3 -
Observation:
Beloved, I was diligent to write, concerning common salvation, exhorting you, contend earnestly for the faith, which once for all delivered, to saints.
Interpretation:
Jude was writing about salvation, but also to encourage them to fight for the Gospel which was once for all given to those who believe on Christ.
Application:
We need to exhort and encourage one another to declare the Gospel at any cost.
Verse 4 -
Observation:
Men crept, unnoticed, who were marked for condemnation, ungodly, turn grace into lewdness, deny the Lord.
Interpretation:
There were ungodly men who went into the Church, perverting grace and denying Christ.
Application:
The Church didn’t even realize these men were coming into their church. It’s so easy to let our guards down - especially around those we fellowship with. We should be being Bereans, seeing if things people say line up with Scripture.
Section 3:
Teaching (vs 5-23)
Segment 1 of Section 3:
Old Testament Examples of Sin (vs 5-7)
Verse 5 -
Observation:
Remind you, you knew this, Lord saved people out of Egypt, afterward destroyed, those who did not believe.
Interpretation:
Jude reminded them of how God rescued His people from Egypt, but then wiped out the people who didn’t have faith in Him.
Application:
God lets the rain fall on the just and on the unjust - so people won’t necessarily get consequences for their sin here on earth. Everyone will have to stand before their Maker when they die, so He will have the final say in the end. Are we prepared to meet our Maker? Are those around us prepared?
Verse 6 -
Observation:
Angels did not keep their domain, but left their abode, He has reserved in chains, for the judgement of the great day.
Interpretation:
There were angels who left the confines of God’s Authority to act of their own accord. He has put them away and will use them on the day of judgement.
Application:
Angels were created perfect, we were born sinful - how could we think we’re above sinning if they aren’t even above it? It all stems from pride and the idea that we can be as God. This was the cause of not only Adam and Eve’s fall, but also Satan’s fall. The only way to walk humbly before God is to surrender to Him and admit that nothing good can come from us.
Verse 7 -
Observation:
As Sodom and Gomorrah, and cities around them, given over to, sexual immorality, gone after, strange flesh, set as example, suffering vengeance, eternal fire.
Interpretation:
Sodom, Gomorrah, and the surrounding cities were set as an example, showing what will happen when people go against God’s commands. Those people are suffering in eternal fire because they wouldn’t turn to God.
Application:
In the perspective of eternity, anything we do on this earth that’s not glorifying to God is worthless. For those who live for their flesh, life is short - so live like there’s no tomorrow. Sin is definitely pleasurable for a season, but everyone has a debt to pay in the end. Everyone has the choice to believe on Christ - to give their debt to Him in exchange for living their life for Him instead of living it for themselves. Even as believers, we still live for ourselves. Can we truly say we’ve surrendered our will to Him?
Segment 2 of Section 3:
False Teachers (vs 8-16)
Verse 8 -
Observation:
Likewise, dreamers defile flesh, reject authority, speak evil.
Interpretation:
Dreamers are likened unto those condemned to eternal fire. They discard authority, dishonor themselves and talk badly about those in power over them.
Application:
Dreamers are those who live in a fantasy world. Usually when a person fantasizes about something, they are imagining things that give them delight and pleasure. If we are living in a fantasy world, then we’re going to only care about ourselves. We need to be extremely careful to live with our eyes open to what’s really going on around us. This will ensure that we are honoring to God, others and ourselves.
Verse 9 -
Observation:
Michael the archangel, contending with devil, disputed about Moses, not bring accusation, “Lord rebuke you”.
Interpretation:
Michael was battling Satan, and the question was brought as to where the body of Moses was buried. Michael didn’t argue with Satan, he left it in God’s hands.
Application:
If the archangel didn’t even take on Satan, why do people think that they can? We are to be sober and vigilant because Satan is seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8), but we are not to take him into our own hands because God is our strength and defense.
Verse 10 -
Observation:
These speak, evil of, whatever they do not know, whatever they know, they corrupt themselves.
Interpretation:
Jude brings it back to the dreamers - they put down what they don’t know, and they pervert what they do know.
Application:
The comparison here is that Michael knew that his Authority was God, whereas the dreamers don’t care who their authority is, speak evil of them, and disobey them. We should strive to please God, proclaim His awesome Name, and obey Him.
Verse 11 -
Observation:
Woe to them, run greedily, in error for profit, perished in rebellion.
Interpretation:
Those who had been greedy and willing to do anything for profit ended up perishing in rebellion.
Application:
When we put greed, profit, and the love of money and possessions above everything else in our lives, we end up being destroyed - not necessarily physically, but definitely spiritually. 1 Timothy 6:10 says “For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed form the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” God needs to be number One in our lives, and everything else will follow according to what He wants for us.
Verse 12 -
Observation:
Spots in love feasts, without fear, serving themselves, clouds without water, carried about, trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled by roots.
Interpretation:
There were those who defiled the love feasts and only looked out for their interests. They were like clouds without water and trees without fruit - they didn’t serve the purpose of existence, which is to glorify God. Twice dead and pulled up by the roots is dying both a physical and spiritual death.
Application:
If we aren’t serving God, then there’s no way we can truly serve others - the only one left to serve is self. What is a cloud without water? Nothing. What are we without Christ? Nothing. We need to find our identity in Christ and hide ourselves in Him.
Verse 13 -
Observation:
Waves of sea, foaming shame, stars reserved, darkness forever.
Interpretation:
They were like the sea, foaming up their own shame, and wandering stars for whom the blackness of eternal darkness was reserved for.
Application:
When you’re so full of something, it’s going to end up coming out - their shame came out because they were full of unrepentant sin. When you have nothing to live for, you’re forever wandering. They didn’t put their faith in Christ and repent of their sin, so God has no choice but to judge them righteously and place them in hell - eternal blackness and darkness. Are we wandering or full of shame? Are we truly saved? If so, we need to repent of our sins, we need to have Christ as our reason for living.
Verse 14 -
Observation:
Enoch prophesied, about these men, the Lord comes, with His saints.
Interpretation:
Enoch was the seventh son from Adam. He foretold of these wicked men. He also foretold of the Lord coming with ten thousands of saints.
Application:
Enoch got word from God about the evil to come, yet that didn’t stop the evil from spreading. Even though God tells us about consequences that will happen as a result of our actions, we usually ignore Him and have to learn the hard way.
Verse 15 -
Observation:
Execute judgement, convict ungodly, deeds committed, things spoken, against Him.
Interpretation:
The Lord will come with ten thousands to judge the ungodly. Every single human being ever to have lived has sinned - all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). The ungodly are those who committed ungodly deeds in an ungodly way and spoke badly against Jesus.
Application:
The only difference between believers and unbelievers is Christ’s blood. We need to see that we are no better than anyone else - that it’s nothing we did to save ourselves, and it’s everything Christ did to save us.
Verse 16 -
Observation:
Grumblers, complainers, walk to lusts, swelling words, flattering to gain advantage.
Interpretation:
Those whom the Lord will judge are listed. I’ve never seen or heard of a person who hasn’t been selfish, except Christ. These people walked according to their lusts, whereas Christ walked according to the Spirit.
Application:
We should be walking in the Spirit. We are called to be set apart from the world - to be in the world but not of it. How are we supposed to let our light shine before men if we’re acting just like them? If we’re truly walking in the Spirit, our attitudes and faces will show it.
Segment 3 of Section 3:
Exhortation to believers (vs 17-23)
Verse 17 -
Observation:
Beloved, remember words, spoken by apostles.
Interpretation:
Jude is asking the called to keep the apostles’ words in mind.
Application:
If you’re not remembering, you’re forgetting, plain and simple.
Verse 18 -
Observation:
They told, be mockers, who walk, according to lusts.
Interpretation:
Jude is reminding them, once again of the evil that would come into the Church. These people lived only to please themselves.
Application:
If something is repeated in Scripture, it must be important. These mockers would come in the last time - that time is pretty near! We need to be on the lookout for these people, and have discernment so that we don’t fall into sin.
Verse 19 -
Observation:
Sensual persons, cause divisions, not having Spirit.
Interpretation:
These people did not have the Spirit, which meant that they weren’t saved. The most crucial thing for these people would not be to condemn them, but to give them Jesus.
Application:
God is not the Author of confusion - when people are divided over something, it’s because they’re not putting God first. Salvific issues need to be fought for, non-salvific issues need to be agreed to disagreed on, and everyone should have God as the center of their lives.
Verse 20 -
Observation:
Beloved, building up, holy faith, praying in Spirit.
Interpretation:
Jude encourages the believers to keep building themselves up in their faith and praying in the Holy Spirit.
Application:
The only way to build our faith is to be in communion with the Lord. We do this by praying in the Spirit, reading the Word and fellowshipping with believers. We should be walking with the Lord and encouraging others in their walk. Our lives as Christians is not just to have a relationship with Jesus, but to have relationships with our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Verse 21 -
Observation:
Keep in, love of God, looking for mercy, unto eternal life.
Interpretation:
Keep yourselves in God’s love - His love is never failing, so there’s no way we can get out of His love. However, we can burn our consciences and thereby numb ourselves to Him. There’s only one place we can find mercy - this is at the Cross in Christ’s atoning blood.
Application:
How do we keep ourselves in the love of God? He wants to be in a deep relationship with us, so there needs to be a willingness to submit to Him instead of disobeying Him. We are to cast ourselves upon His mercy, knowing that it’s only through Him we can have eternal life with Him.
Verse 22 -
Observation:
On some, have compassion, distinction.
Interpretation:
To make a distinction is to have more of a sensitivity to some than to others. Some people need more of a gentle approach than others.
Application:
We are to have compassion on every human being, but even more so for some people. We need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading in order to know how to minister to each individual we come in contact with.
Verse 23 -
Observation:
Others, save with fear, pulling out of fire, hating garment, defiled by flesh.
Interpretation:
The other side of being gentle is to be firm in a loving way. Some people need more of an emphatic, earnest approach.
Application:
Again, being sensitive to the Holy Spirit is key. No one should be scared into salvation, but they do need to know of the impending judgement. Any witness we have is useless if it’s not in love. Hate the sin, love the sinner.
Section 4:
Closing (vs 24-25)
Verse 24 -
Observation:
Him Who, keep from stumbling, present faultless, presence of glory, with joy.
Interpretation:
God keeps us from stumbling and presents us faultless with joy in His presence.
Application:
God won’t let satan tempt us beyond anything we can bear and He won’t intentionally cause us to stumble. If we ever think we’re above sinning, there’s a good chance we will fall in that area. We can’t stay strong without Him - we need to rely on the Holy Spirit in all things. He can present us sinless to the Father because His blood washed our sins away. Are we joyful in this amazing truth?
Verse 25 -
Observation:
To God, Who is wise, be glory, majesty, dominion, power, now and forever.
Interpretation:
God our Savior is wise, deserving of all praise, eternally.
Application:
I often catch myself wondering if God really knows what He’s doing. He knew what my life would look like before He laid the foundations of the earth. He deserves above and beyond what I could ever offer Him and I am so enthralled that we’ll be worshipping Him forever. I need to have faith that He knows what He’s doing and always praise Him - in the good times, and in the bad times. He is Lord of all no matter what.
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