Jude 1:15 “…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.”
The book of Jude is probably not one you have spent a lot of time studying, if you have read it at all. I suggest you read through the whole thing now so that you can get an idea what the book has to say and where our verse fits into the overall picture. It is not a long book, consisting of only one chapter in its entirety.
A little background on the book. It was written by Jude, who was one of the half-brothers of Jesus and one of the twelve disciples. It was written as a prophetic statement about God’s overall judgement against ungodly people, as a warning to those who were wicked and sin filled in their defiance against God.
It is interesting to note that Jude quoted an ancient prophecy that was directly taken from the Book of Enoch, which was one of the books that was initially considered to be included in the Bible but was ultimately left out. Despite that, it was a book that was still popular among early Christians and was being circulated throughout the regions where Christians lived. The quote comes from 1 Enoch 1:9. This is one of twenty references in the Bible to outside sources or “lost” books of the Bible.
Jude wrote his letter as a warning to the early church about false teachers within their congregation. The false teachers were using God’s grace as an excuse to live immoral, sinful lives. These people were also speaking against church leadership and causing internal strife. Jude wrote his letter emphasizing the severe judgement that would be theirs if they did not change their ways.
Jude’s letter offered a stern warning to the early church while also reassuring them that God is faithful and in control. It was a reminder that God would judge the world and all of the actions of every person and justice would be served. There would be no escape of this final judgement, so the best course of action was to repent and get right with God.
And the same is true for us today. We need to realize and understand exactly what Jude was speaking of – we need repentance as much today as the early church did back in the first century. Spend some time today praying about your life. Recognize sins you might be committing and trying to justify. Confess your sins to God, ask for forgiveness, and turn away from those sins and toward a life of righteousness. Get right with God today, before it is too late.
Prayer: Lord, I want to have my heart convicted and my inappropriate or unnecessary behavior corrected. Guide me as I seek Your ways and help me to live for You first and foremost. Amen
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