An Alphabetical Analysis
Volume 6 - Doctrinal Truth - Page 251 of 270
INDEX
draws near, and the closing days of all dispensations necessarily set in.
Paul reveals that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,
giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils (1 Tim. 4:1), and
that 'in the last days perilous times shall come' (2 Tim. 3:1).  So also Jude
tells us that 'in the last times' there shall be 'mockers' who would walk
after their own ungodly lusts (Jude 18).  Both Paul and Jude are painfully
concerned with 'ungodliness', and with that abuse of truth that turns grace
into lasciviousness, and liberty into licence (Jude 4; Gal. 5:13); Paul,
Peter and Jude all viewed with apprehension the creeping in, unawares, of the
enemies of the faith (Jude 4; 2 Pet. 2:1; Gal. 2:4), and both Paul and Jude
knew the pain of seeing men 'removed' unto another gospel (Gal. 1:6; Jude 4,
where metatithemi, is translated 'removed' and 'turning' respectively).
It may, therefore, be helpful to ponder the exhortation given by Jude
to those who sought to stand fast in the closing days of the dispensation
with which he was associated:
'Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common
salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that
ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto
the saints' (Jude 3).
Three times in this short epistle Jude addresses his readers as
'beloved',
'Beloved ... earnestly contend for the faith' (3).
'But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the
apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ' (17).
'But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Ghost' (20).
In these three passages the 'beloved' are exhorted to a threefold
service:
(1)
To contend earnestly for the faith once committed to the saints.
(2)
To remember, and abide by the words of the apostles, indicating
that the faith once delivered, will be found within the pages of
inspired Scripture.
(3)
To build as well as contend; to emulate the men of the days of
Nehemiah who wrought both with sword and trowel, contending and
building at the same time.
The opening exhortation is divided into two corresponding parts by the
repetition of the verb 'to write':
First, Jude wrote concerning 'the common salvation'.
Secondly, he wrote concerning 'the faith once delivered to the saints',
'the faith' being but another way of speaking of 'the common salvation'.
Let us acquaint ourselves a little more closely with the meaning and
usage of this word 'common'.  While, in some usages, the word does indicate
that which is mean and vulgar, yet in such phrases as 'The House of Commons',
'The book of Common Prayer', or in such words as 'common sense' or
'commonwealth', 'common salt' or 'common seal', the primitive meaning of the
word is retained and intended.