The idea that professing Christians may not be true
Christians is something not easily acknowledged in the present climate of the
church. One finds it even more difficult to believe that ministers, with
acknowledged gifts and abilities, whose teaching may have been blessed to many,
could after all be devoid of true grace themselves. The fact that error and
apostasy appeared so early on in the history of the New Testament church was to
be a solemn warning to the church in later ages. We find that in a very short
time after Pentecost error was creeping in, for example, to the church in
Corinth and to the churches of the Galatians. Paul’s letters to Timothy and
Titus are full of warnings of the readiness of some to apostatise from the
truth. The Epistles of John and the Epistle of Jude warn Christians of the
danger of falling away. The threat of apostasy is highlighted in the letters to
the seven churches of Asia in Revelation chapter 2 & 3. How frequent the
promise there is made “to him who overcometh”.
Satan is behind apostasy
If that was true of the church in the age of the
apostles, what will become of us, if we cease to be watchful and not use the
means of keeping ourselves from falling away? The enemy of our souls is ever
active in this respect. His malice is made clear by John Owen in his treatise
on ‘The Nature and Causes of Apostasy from the Gospel’: “Satan is ever at work
attempting to lead Christians into apostasy. He blinds their minds, inflames
their lusts, pours out his temptations, involves them in false and corrupt
reasonings, transforms himself into an angel of light, and uses signs and lying
wonders, all to support his delusions. Satan never tires; he never goes on
holiday.” Dr D M Lloyd-Jones said: “I am certain that one of the main causes of
the condition of the church today is that the devil is being forgotten.”
Jude, in his General Epistle, gives us solemn
warnings about apostasy but goes on to apply the preservative. At the outset of
the Epistle he tells us that he was about to write on “the common salvation”
(v3), when something came to his attention which required urgent action. His
focus was drawn to threats that caused him to exhort his hearers “to earnestly
contend for the faith which was once delivered to the saints”. He was aware of
Satan using men as instruments of this apostasy. “There are certain men crept
in unawares”. It was like someone slipping poison into a glass. Certain men
were perverting the grace of God and turning it into sensuality. He goes on to
speak of their doom, which is as certain as what happened to Israel in the
wilderness, to the fallen angels and to Sodom and Gomorrah (vv5-7).
Protection from apostasy
Following all the warnings Jude addresses his
readers with the remedy (vv20-21). “But ye, beloved”. There must be a distinct
difference as far as true believers are concerned. We are to go in the opposite
direction from the apostates. There is one central remedy set before us: “Keep
yourselves in the love of God”. If we were to follow some modern translations
of verses 20-21 we would be considering four imperatives – build, pray, keep
and look. But the original points to only one imperative – keep, and then to
three participles – building, praying and looking. There is the what we are to
do, and then the how we are to do it.
I. The what we are to do
“Keep yourselves in the love of God”. How is this
possible? Two things are implied:
1) It is because God has set His love on us that we
are Christians. There is no salvation outside that consideration. We are the
objects of the benevolent love of God to hell-deserving sinners. The apostle
John said: “We have known and believed the love God hath to us” (1 John 4:16). Hold on to that. Keep yourselves
in “the faith that worketh by love”.
2) It is because God’s love for us has become His
love in us. “The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost
which is given to us” (Rom. 5:5). In His love to us He imparts to us
His own nature. We are made “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Pet. 1:4). That nature is love. The
commandments are the imprint of his nature and therefore we keep his
commandments. Love becomes the moving power or principle within us. “God is
love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16). There is a reciprocal love in the
relationship. Jesus said: “As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you,
continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love;
even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” (John 15:9-10) The triune God comes to love us
with a love of complacency.
II. The how we are to do
Three things are required:
1) “Building up yourselves on your most holy
faith”. We are to build on the only true foundation and as living stones we are
being fashioned into the temple of the church, which is Christ’s body.
Instruction in the truth and spiritual illumination are the means for
preserving our souls. “Gospel truth is the only root from which gospel holiness
grows.” (John Owen)
2) “Praying in the Holy Ghost”. There is saying
prayers, as Saul the Pharisee did frequently, but only when he was wrought upon
by the Holy Spirit could it be said, “Behold he prayeth” (Acts 9:11). Prayer is the vital breath for
maintaining the spiritual life.
3) “Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
unto eternal life”. The Lord Jesus Christ has given eternal life to His own (John 17:2). It is “the life proper to the age
to come” and it has entered our souls in this present age. “Ours is a
religion,” said J G Vos, “whose centre of gravity lies beyond the grave in the
world to come.” That is where our focus must be.
Keeping short accounts
The Puritans used to say: “Keep short accounts with
God and men.” The truth is that there is no such position as standing still in
the Christian life. “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For
it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Phil. 2:12-13) If we are not going forward we are
going back and that is where the seeds of apostasy are liable to be sown in the
soul. The neglect of warnings leads to a false sense of security. We need to be
constantly reminded that only “he that endureth to the end shall be saved” (Matt. 10:22). It is by faith that we will overcome.
But “the faith that is unto salvation is a penitent faith and the repentance
that is unto life is a believing repentance.” (John Murray) According to Hebrews 10:37-39, if one perseveres
in faith he will gain his life; if he shrinks back he will prove himself
reprobate. In the words of R L Dabney, “the saint is a penitent until he
reaches heaven”. And Philip Henry was surely right when he said, “I will take
my repentance to the gates of heaven.”
