How are we to witness to people who are led astray by some false teaching or doctrine? What if they are following someone who is not teaching the truth? What happens when a person continues in false doctrine until the day they die? These are only a few of the questions that should be coming to our minds as we discover the tenacity of which Jude writes to his audience. He has been increasingly emphatic about not following false teachers, and it is because our eternal lives depend upon our beliefs. In yesterday's verse we learned that some people respond well to compassion, and mercy and pity have a proper response. But sometimes people need a different way of witnessing the truth of Jesus Christ, and Jude refers to that way in verse twenty-three where he wrote:
And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh
There are some people who need to be scared away from their false doctrine and ideas. Some refer to this as hellfire and brimstone witnessing. This term is derived from the book of Revelation in chapter fourteen verses nine through eleven where John the apostle wrote:
And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive [his] mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascends up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receives the mark of his name.
Jesus spoke of hell more than anyone else in the Bible. Below are just a few references:
But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 8:22
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast [him] into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few [are] chosen. Matthew 22:13-14
And shall cut him asunder, and appoint [him] his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 24:51
There are many other references, and the idea is that some people need to realize that there really is an eternal death whenever a person rejects Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. If there was any other way that man could be saved, Jesus would not have endured the torture and suffering of the cross to die for our sins. There truly is eternal damnation awaiting those who reject the gospel or good news of Jesus Christ. One of the most ominous statements made by Jesus in the Holy Scriptures is recorded in the book of Matthew chapter twenty-five and verse forty-one:
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
God does not desire that anyone should perish, and He has made a way available to escape this judgment. We are to be so adamant and emphatic that eternal damnation is imminent with some people who reject Jesus Christ that they truly become afraid and turn their lives to Christ - “and others save with fear”. Our attitudes and words should be so strong with some people that we will even keep our distance from them lest our garments be spotted by their works of the flesh. In other words, we should not desire to be influenced at all by their pernicious ways.
God is very serious about having a relationship with all who will freely come to Him. He will not make them, and He does not demand that they acquiesce. However, He will convict. He will convince, and He will persuade as many as will to come to Him and thereby avoid such a tragic fate of eternal separation from Him.
The Bible is very clear: “Today is the day of salvation,” and for those who will hear His voice, it is not yet too late to receive Him into our lives and rather than be separated from God forever, we can eternally dwell with Him.
Next time we will look at the beginning of a beautiful benediction that Jude gives to end his book, so read ahead, and we will join together then.
Until tomorrow...there is more...
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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