Jude

Read Today's Passage

I am really encouraged by this book. Really, I am. Here we see Jude writing to encourage and warn a church about the men who come in and take advantage of God's grace and mercy (sounds familiar, eh?), and take Paul's warning of "Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial" a little too far. Jude makes reference to the fact that not even the angels make slight remarks about spiritual beings, even the evil spiritual beings. But here we are in 21st century America where we have no problem with making fun of Satan, angels, demons and God Himself. Have we become like those men? Is laughing at a joke about the devil wrong or harmful? Or am I misinterpreting here.

Now granted I am a firm believer that God has an immense sense of humor (e.g. the platypus, navel lint, bodily noises and country music. [okay that last one was mine]), but how far does that humor extend? I suppose the biggest thing to learn from Jude is that we need to watch for these men (and women) and not be led astray by them.

I am also encouraged by verses 22 and 23 in which we are told to show mercy for those who doubt, and in a roundabout way, to love the sinner and hate the sin. To temper mercy with fear, not just to run blindly in but to be observant and watchful.

What did you think of Jude?