On July 8, 1741, Jonathan Edwards mounted the pulpit in Enfield, Connecticut and said of those who do not know Christ as Lord and are not his people, “The wrath of God burns against them, their damnation does not slumber; the pit is prepared, the fire is made ready, the furnace is now hot, ready to receive them; the flames do now rage and glow. The glittering sword is whet, and held over them, and the pit hath opened its mouth under them.”

And lest you think he was trying to overstate the situation, he comments later in the sermon, “So, Rev. 19:15, we read of "the wine press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." The words are exceeding terrible. If it had only been said, "the wrath of God," the words would have implied that which is infinitely dreadful: but it is "the fierceness and wrath of God." The fury of God! the fierceness of Jehovah! Oh, how dreadful that must be! Who can utter or conceive what such expressions carry in them!” ¹ Thus, he did not think it possible to speak of the horrors of hell, of the eternal judgment which God will pour out on those who do not believe.

But isn’t this kind of thought exaggerated?! “Surely,” one might say, “an eternal hell full of conscious torment is irreconcilable with what the Bible says about the love of God. ²” Will God really judge mankind, or is he simply good at giving us empty threats which he never dreams of fulfilling but hopes will move us to obedience?

Jude answers these kinds of questions in a very pointed way. In fact, one of the difficulties of preaching this text this morning is that Jude seems to say the same thing over and over. He is simply piling up his point heavier and heavier until you cannot escape the reality of his words. Thus, there are not a number of different points he is making, but only a few – driving them home to weigh on the hearts of his hearers.

So, with that said, what did Jude want his hearers to know as they read this letter, and what should we know as well? I will list a few things.

God’s judgment, though it be delayed, will come – it is sure

Jude, writing, comments that at one point his readers knew of the reality of God’s judgment, but possibly had forgotten or simply had dismissed the reality of such judgment. Thus, he reminds them of the reality of it. He writes, “Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day – just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire” (5-7).

Thus, he gives them clear examples in the past where God’s judgment did in fact come. It’s as if his readers might have gotten to the point of thinking the Lord’s promised judgment was simply an idle threat that God was only hoping would frighten people to obedience. But Jude says, “No, look at the past; he’s done it before.” He points out that when the Lord brought the people out of Egypt and they disobeyed and lacked the faith to obey his commands to take the promised land, he destroyed them. He didn’t say, “Well, I can see why it would be very hard to believe.” He held them responsible and judged them in their disobedience.

Again, Jude points out that with the angels who did not stay within their position of authority, were taken, kept in chains, and await their final judgment. Now, we do not know exactly what Jude is referring to here, but we do not necessarily have to know. For what Jude wants us to see is that the Lord held them responsible for their sin and that their judgment will not be avoided.

Finally, he gives an example of Sodom and Gomorrah. These cities were full of people who indulged in sexual immorality and probably thought God would just overlook such sin forever. But he didn’t. He destroyed the cities and those who died apart from him will know the torment of eternal fire.

Three examples make clear the seriousness and certainty of the Lord’s judgment. And each of them seems to step it up a bit. He took the lives of his people who were unbelieving, he bound the angels to await their judgment, and those in Sodom and Gomorrah are spoken of as undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. His judgment is sure and it will fit the crime as we despise an infinitely glorious God.

And just in case Jude’s hearers think that such coming judgment is not now prophesied, Jude points out that it is. Here he quotes from the book of Enoch, not to say it should be canonical, but simply because what it is saying is true. Just as Paul quoted on of the Cretan’s poets in indicting them, so God’s sure judgment has been made clear to many and is prophesied even in Enoch. Jude writes in verses 14-16, “It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him." These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.” God will judge those who are not found in his son in their sins.

In fact, listen to this account of the final judgment of the wicked from Revelation 20:12-15: “And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. And death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

There are a number of reasons we need to be reminded of this reality as well, just as Jude’s original hearers. First, it is good that we contemplate such realities in the face of the temptation to become lax and apathetic in our laboring for the souls of men. Richard Baxter has said that he labored to preach, “As a dying man to dying men.” We then need to live amidst the world as those who have contemplated the realities of hell to those who will know them first hand if they do not repent and believe. Second, it is good to contemplate such realities so that we might understand the need to ensure we are giving evidence that we are born again. I will talk of this more in a second. But, finally – among the many reasons I could list, it is good to contemplate such realities so that we might realize the love and grace of God toward us. For as we contemplate the reality and fierceness of hell we realize the seriousness of our sins. Hell indeed shows us that God treats us as responsible creatures in a very serious manner. And as we realize the seriousness of our sins, we will realize how much we have been forgiven. And according to Luke 7:47, “He who is forgiven much loves much.” So, it is quite possible that what your heart needs this morning if it is hard and cold is to contemplate the reality of hell, the reality of your sin, and the magnitude of your forgiveness so that you might love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

We need to contemplate this reality that we might love much, that we might search our hearts, and that we might be reminded of the urgency to proclaim the gospel as to dying men. Maybe, like Jude’s hearers, you too once knew clearly the coming reality of God’s judgment and you have removed it from your thoughts so that you no longer allow it to affect the manner in which you live. Allow yourself to be reminded from these verses of such a reality this morning. God’s judgment, though it be delayed, will come – it is sure.

Those who will be condemned by God will manifest their condemnation in their heart and actions

That is to say, they will give evidence in this life of what will be their final judgment. Or, in the words of Christ, “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33).

The reason I say this is because Jude goes on in the next verses to describe these men who have crept into the church and will be condemned in judgment not by saying, “These men are unbelievers.” Now, they no doubt are, but they are described by their actions and the disposition of their hearts. Listen to what he writes of them in verses 8-11. He writes, “Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you." But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to the error of Balaam and perished in the rebellion of Korah."

He says of them that they reject authority, relying on their dreams or visions (rather than God’s Word). Perhaps this is a description of many in our churches who will not be corrected in their thoughts by God’s Word because “they simply know what they know” or “what God has told them.” Our authority is not found in claiming dreams of visions, or even being able to discern God’s voice. Our authority is the Word, and man should only be recognized as speaking with authority in the church as he speaks in accordance with God’s Word.

They show no reverence, for heavenly beings. Possibly they are scoffing at Satan and his judgment or angels, or whatever. But whatever the case, they are men who are proud and stand in the face of that which is greater than them. Jude even points out that Michael even respected Satan in their confrontation. Yet these men are proud. Thus, they blaspheme that which they do not understand and they live like animals, simply satisfying their desires, and are destroying themselves.

And by comparing them to Cain, Balaam, and Korah, we might conclude that they are without love, envious, enticing others to sin, and willing to rise up against authorities and godly men.

Jude describes their hearts and their actions. This is good for us to see because we either know someone who reflects these characteristics, reflected them once ourselves, or reflect them now if we do not belong to Christ. Jude says, fitting such a description is an indication that you will know the same judgment as these men.

And this brings us to a realization concerning salvation and our assurance thereof. It is this: the Bible nowhere (of which I am aware) tells us to base our assurance of salvation simply on a past decision or the sincerity of that decision, but instead it tells us to base it on the evidence of a life of obedience and a heart that loves God and obeying his Word. For example, John writes in 1 John 5:13, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.”

What “things” has John written to this point? Has he told them, “Think back to when you decided to follow Christ and try to remember how sincere you were. Did tears come to your eyes when you prayed? Was your heart racing? Did you feel really bad before and really good after?” No, he has told them that a believer cannot sin habitually (without repentance for such sin). He has told them that a believer cannot hate the brethren. He has told them that a believer does not love the world. He has told them that believers do not abandon Christ’s church. Read through 1 John. John is saying that there will be discernable evidence in the life of one who is a believer to show he is such. And we have done such a bad thing in basing the assurance of one’s salvation on a decision they have made or a prayer they have prayed, rather than a changed heart and life. So that we’ve produced individuals who are not saved and think they are, basing such assurance on the decision they once made/prayer they once prayed and the sincerity thereof. And, we have individuals who truly are saved and yet are struggling to realize they are because they overlook their changed life and hearts and cannot remember if they were really sincere when they prayed a prayer years earlier. Any time we try to bypass God’s methods of anything we leave ourselves in a devastating situation, and we see it in regards to our problems with the assurance of salvation.

So, Jude reminds us of the fact that our assurance and hope can be found in looking at how we live and the disposition of our heart. A believer obeys the Lord and finds delight in such obedience.

Finally, Jude teaches us that these kind of men will be found amidst the church

First, remember what has started this whole discussion. Jude writes in verse 4, “For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

Men had crept into the church. They were now within the church, yet they were not saved and awaiting their condemnation. Again, Jude says of these men in verses 12-13 that these men were taking part of their worship. He writes, “These are blemishes on your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, looking after themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.” Thus, they may have been in the church, but Jude makes clear that they are dangerous, selfish, useless, dead, dirty, and awaiting certain judgment.

And he wants them to know that the apostles had prophesied of such. He writes, “But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions." It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.”

We remember one such proclamation Paul made to the Ephesians elders as he said in Acts 20, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them” (28-30).

Therefore, let us not be arrogant in assuming that we are above such in this church but rather examine our own lives to see if we are such men, and let us labor to ensure that other members of this church indeed will find their eternal home to be in heaven as well.

Thus, what all should we do in response to this text?

I will list four things:

1) As I have just mentioned, examine your own hearts and lives to see if you are these men.

Maybe you can look back to a time when you profess to have repented and trusted Christ to save you. That is great. However, more than anything we should want to know that God have changed our hearts and lives, actually giving us a new heart. The way the Scripture tells us we can be assured of such is if our heart is continually bent toward repentance for sin and we continue to trust in Christ as our only hope for salvation. So, watch your life and examine your heart in light of this. And let’s pray for one another – to ensure we have such changed lives. In fact, we have a beautiful opportunity to pray for one another and aid one another so that our hearts and lives might truly show that our hearts have been changed.

2) We must live in such a way that we foreshadow our judgment.

That is to say, because God has declared us holy – if we are his – we should live holy lives. Especially in light of the magnitude of our forgiveness we should live holy lives. So repent of known sin this morning if you need to do so and make war on sin in your life.

3) Speak truthfully to others about judgment and fight for their souls.

How can we do anything less than this in light of these truths we hear from Jude? Just this week I was reminded of the importance of this. I received an e-mail from a friend I knew back in high school who claimed to be a Christian then and yet gave little to know evidence of such. So many times I could have spoke truthfully with him about some of these things, and I didn’t. However, in God’s kindness and grace he covered such sin on my behalf, and the e-mail I received this week said this:

”Dear Lee … I have started accountability with my best friend from college who led me to Christ a year ago. To backtrack here, I do not truly believe I knew [the Lord] in school … I did everything for "[My] Glory" not His glorification. So in the past year we have looked at my past life and my new life and the main difference being I now bear fruit.” And he goes on to speak of the manner in which God has changed his heart and his life.

As I read that letter this week, I was excited – and I was convicted. May I not let such opportunities to speak truthfully to others pass me by again.

4) Finally, we must live, thanking God daily for his grace in our lives.

So many times as I read these descriptions of the men in this it hit too close to home in the tendency of my heart. It should not be too difficult for us to realize we could be these men. So, I urge you to wake up every day and as you realize your heart is not hardened by the deceitfulness of sin and indeed loves God and obeying him, thank him for his grace. For what makes you different from another except that which you have received from God.

May his grace drive us to obedience even this morning. Amen.

¹ Jonathan Edwards, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” (Public Domain).

²Quoted in D. A. Carson’s The Gagging of God as an example of a popular thought among many theologians nowadays. However, I should make clear a view which Carson himself does not support (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), 519.

WICKED MEN AND THE SURE JUDGMENT OF GOD

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