What a warning we are given in Jude. The small book starts with these words, “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 3). Now, contending for the faith and truth is not the only thing we are called to do, but it is a part of our calling as believers in Jesus Christ. In speaking about these people who we have to contend against and who twist the truth, Jude writes. “14 Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.” (Jude14-16)
Note that those who twist the truth and those who follow their evil desires are connected in Jude’s writing. But then note what he very specifically says about them in verse 16. They are grumblers, faultfinders, boasters and flatter others for their own advantage. Wow, This is a scary verse because if we turn this passage around or flip it from back to front, we might not like what we see. This is what I mean. If people who twist the truth and are full of evil desires are grumblers, faultfinder, boasters, and flatter others for their own purposes, what does it say about you or me if we do any of these?
What does it say about me if I am a grumbler or often find fault in others to make my views, actions, or perspectives seem valid, supported, or justified? What does it say about me if I often boast about myself and try to flatter others for my own purposes? If I have these things in my life, it suggests that I might be walking down the wrong road. It might even mean I am one of those people that God’s Holy people should be contending against as they aim to contend for the faith.
So, the question is…
Are you doing any grumbling?
Do you grumble and complain about everything that isn’t going your way or the people who don’t agree with your view? Do you grumble?
Are you doing any faultfinder?
Do you find fault in others and try to problem spot their weaknesses and wrongs? Do you focus on other’s problems so that you feel better about yourself? Does faultfinding help somehow justifies your actions and thoughts towards them? Is the situation the way it is because that person or those people did this or that, and they are totally at fault? Are you a faultfinder?
Are you doing any boasting?
Do you have to tell others how great you are so that they know and understand who they are talking to and who they are dealing with? Do you have to make sure people know how educated you are? Do people have to know how much experience you have or how intelligent you are? Do you feel others should know how great you are in something, or in what way you are so unique and better than others? Do you boast?
Are you doing at flattering for your own purposes?
Why do you say good things about others? Is it so that they like you? Do you say nice things to others so they will think well of you? Is there a selfish motive in why you say good things about others? Do you flatter others for your own purposes?
Man, when you look at this list, we live in a time that is just right full of these kinds of things. We see them in our own lives, in the Church, and in the culture around us. These things are connected directly to evil desires. Jude connects these actions to people who are actually enemies of the faith. The issue is, how can I be so confident that I am one of God’s holy people yet be engaged in doing these things that enemies of the faith do?
We can’t.
These two sides don’t mix. Now, hear me, if you realize you have been grumbling a little too much lately, or if you realize you have been faultfinding, boasting and flattering others for your own purposes, don’t think you are without hope. There is always hope in Christ. Love always hopes, and love always offers hope. I’m not trying to weaken people's faith or cause doubting, but I do want to bring a warning. These two sides don’t mix.
If you notice one or more of these four things in your life as of late, take them to the Lord. Repent, ask Jesus to forgive you for your sin of doing these things. But also ask Jesus to forgive you for living following your own evil desires. Remember, these actions are connected to those who live following their own heart’s desires. Desires that are not of the Lord, nor are they for the Lord’s purposes nor God’s glory. They are selfish and evil desires. But we can find forgiveness and freedom in the Lord Jesus Christ when we repent and ask for forgiveness. That is the good news of Jesus Christ.
Remember, though, repent means turning the other way and walking away or in the opposite direction we had been walking. It might take some time to develop holy patterns, and you might need to go back to Jesus’ serval times, but don’t be discouraged. Jesus forgives and forgets. We just need to go to Him humbly and repent. Don’t take His grace for granted, but don’t run away from Him, thinking you have exhausted His love and mercy. You can’t, and you won't.
So, if you realize you have been grumbling, faultfinding, boasting or flattering others for your own purposes, repent and stop doing it. Because it is these types of things that have their roots not in Jesus Christ but in your own selfish evil desires. If you allow these things to grow and you continue to practice them, you will find yourself at some point in contention with God’s holy people.
Wow, isn’t that a scary thought? That we can be so deceived, that we can believe we are all good in God, but indeed be enemies to Him and His holy people. A thought to ponder and seek the Lord about if we have some of these sins in our lives, for sure.
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