The Book Of Jude, v.2-4

v.2-4

During the old days of kings, kingdoms and walled cities, I imagine one of the jobs that was usually the most boring was the job of the watchmen. Most shifts were likely mundane exercises of duty. But then there was that one day or one shift which gave reason for the watchmen’s job, namely an approaching enemy. Jude reminds me of that watchmen, except that Jude has only figured it out after the fact. He comes onto his shift and he thinks that he is going to do the usual thing, but then finds out that he needs to sound the alarm. In this case, the invaders are already entrenched. In fact, the invaders have been subversive spies.

“Certain men have crept in unnoticed…” Men with an agenda. Men whose ideas and whose desires are intentionally wicked. They looked normal, just like anyone else. They perhaps even sounded safe, but they were ungodly people. I imagine Jude feeling a sense of angst and fear. There is an urgency to Jude’s tone, especially because there is a danger that he will not be heard. Perhaps people will ignore him, or write him off as ignorant or old fashioned.

But this does not concern Jude. He knows why he is writing. He knows his motivation is pure. But more than that, he knows that no matter how these men appear, they are indeed men who could derail the faith of the people of the first century church. And that could not happen, so Jude must present his case and quickly.

It makes me wonder where these people are today but that is another issue. What is important for us is that there are things that must be held onto. There are invaders, there are wolves in sheeps clothing among the number of the church. The truth is that it was true for Jude's time and it is true in our time. The point that Jude would have us grab onto is that what we have embraced, our common faith, must be protected and "contended" for, so that it is not wrestled away from us.

Jude warns us that the the issue is our faith. That is what is at stake. That is what we must guard with all vigilance.