Sermon by way of a final reflection on the letter of Jude
By Revd Father Miguel Sánchez Rodríguez SSC
Dear friend,
We have concluded our brief study of the letter of Jude. Although it was brief, I hope it convinced you of the immense importance that this brief document has for the Church today. And there are two parts to this letter that I want to highlight for you today by way of a summary and conclusion of our study. Two verses whose content is of the utmost importance for all of us as Christians, as a community of faith, as a Church.
First, Jude's appeal to you to fight for the truth. Second, Jude's appeal to you to always keep in mind that the primary threat to the Church does not come from outside, from some kind of persecution, but primarily from within. So, first, to care about the true doctrine, and secondly, to be aware of the continuing threat against the truth.
V. 3 You must be prepared to contend for the faith
I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. [Jude 1, 3]
Jude is urging you to take responsibility in keeping the faith you have received in all its purity. Jude is urging you to be ready to defend that faith against those who want to adulterate, change, manipulate or destroy it. Jude is urging you to be bold, determined and resilient in this contend for the faith.
Now, when speaking of faith we distinguish in it two aspects that have traditionally been known by their Latin designation as: ‘fides qua creditur’ and ‘fides quae creditur’; that is to say: the faith with which you believe and the faith which is believed. The pairing of fides qua/fides quae does not imply that there are two separate forms of faith, each which can exist without the other; rather they are two inseparable aspects of the unique virtue of faith. ‘Fides qua’ indicates the personal act of faith, the faith with which you believe. ‘Fides quae’ indicates the doctrinal content that you believe. Jude is using the word 'faith' in this second sense. “The faith” refers to Christian doctrine, the apostles’ teaching, Jesus’ teaching given to the apostles. He wants you to cling to that faith and to contend for that faith, the apostles’ teaching, the body of Christian doctrine.
Jude wants you to understand that this doctrine you have received cannot be improved in any way, nor completed or sweetened. The revelation that the Church has received is complete and the only thing you can do as a Christian is to receive it, apply it to your daily life and transmit it in the pristine purity in which it was transmitted by Christ to the apostles. This faith was “once for all given,” he says. Now “once for all” doesn't mean “once upon a time.” This isn't the beginning of a fairytale. “Once for all” means “once for all time.” In other words, in this truth, in this biblical truth, in this biblical, apostolic presentation of the gospel we have the foundation of the faith. This is no different from what we can read in other New Testament writings. I am sure you remember Paul saying to the Corinthians [1 Corinthians 11,2] that they should hold firmly to the things which he had handed down to them. And certainly, you remember Paul saying to Timothy [2 Timothy 1,13-14], “... retain the pattern of sound words which I have entrusted to you” … “which you have heard from me.” Again and again the New Testament reminds us of the importance of maintaining the faith we have received in all its integrity and purity. Jude is here saying, ‘Dear Christians, care about that truth. Be ready to defend and to contend for that truth.’
And that, dear friend, is exceedingly difficult in the time in which we live for a number of reasons. For one thing, we live in a society which believes that truth, objective, absolute truth does not exist. There are just opinions, and taste and feelings. We are up against the relativism of this culture. But we are also up against the idea that truth does not matter. What really matters is that you are sincere. It does not matter whether you believe the truth. You have just got to be sincere. Even we can hear many times in our churches: “Let us not get caught up in all that doctrine. Let us share the gospel.” “Doctrine divides; love unites.” Many people within the church believe that the truth has no importance or impact on ordinary life. But you know enough to simply accept such a goofy idea. You have heard from the lips of Jesus: "You will know the truth and the truth will set you free" [John 8,32] and also Jesus said of himself "I am the way, the truth and the life" [John 14,6]. So, how can anybody say that truth is not important? The truth is absolutely essential to life. Truth is good for people. It makes their lives better. Truth makes people free. We cannot grow in grace apart from embracing the truth ourselves, knowing it and embracing it ourselves. Truth it is essential for salvation. There is a truth which you must embrace, or you do not participate in His salvation. My friend, that is alien to this generation to think that way.
V.4 Why you must be prepared to contend for the faith?
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. [Jude 1,4]
In verse 4 Jude explains why you must be prepared to contend for the faith. In verse 4 Jude explains why you must be prepared to contend for the faith. And the reason is the false teachers and false doctrines that have appeared within the church and that threaten her foundations. In short, Jude is telling you, "I am writing to you because within your own community there are people who call themselves Christians but who are disfiguring the message that Christ has entrusted to us. And trying to deceive you and attract you to that new doctrine, perhaps easier and more pleasant, but that is no longer that of the Gospel of life that Jesus preached and that he transmitted to his disciples and they, in turn, to theirs and so on until our days. Those false teachers are teaching you false doctrines, they are teaching you cheap grace. They are, in short, denying Jesus Christ. But this cannot surprise us nor should it frighten us. JESUS had already warned us about this: “Be careful of false prophets. They come to you and look gentle like sheep. But they are really dangerous like wolves." [Matthew 7,15]. Also, Paul told the elders in Ephesus that wolves, ravenous wolves would come up even from their own number who would hairy the people of God. And so, Jude reminds us of this. He warns you, beware of these "ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ."
And what does these ungodly people teach? To use grace as an excuse to live a life of indifference and sin, and to deny Christ [they pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ]. They say, ‘Oh, it doesn't matter how you live as long as you’re sincere. It doesn't matter what you believe about Jesus as long as you’re sincere.’ And then, Jude says: 'that teaching is a practical denial of Jesus. A denial of his grace and a denial of his person. This letter was sent to Christians who lived in a pluralistic and relativistic society, following many Gods, fads and fashions. With no absolute truths. Are you familiar with the description of the society in which this letter was written? Doesn't it remind you a lot of our own society today? And to those Christians Jude says, contend for the faith. And 2000 years later that message from Jude reaches us, who live in a society similar to that in which the letter was written and this letter maintains the same actuality. We also live in a pluralistic and relativistic society. In a culture dominated by wish and opinion, a society where no absolute truths are admitted, a culture which follows many different gods, fads and fashions. And Jude's voice resounds again in defiance: Contend for the faith. Care about the truth. Cling to the truth. Be savvy enough about the truth that you can tell a false teacher from a faithful one. Stick close to God's word. Stick close to Jesus Christ.’ He is saying all those things to us. And that word is just as fresh today as when Jude spoke it. Let us pray.
Our Lord and our God help us to be faithful to your word and to the faith we have received from the apostles and help us to faithfully instruct others in this same faith. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.