Jude Summary

Ok took things a little differently

After looking over it again, I broke up jude 4 - 16 roughly into 2 sections:

1) Jude describes the 'godless men' that have slipped in among them.
Vs 4 - See God as only a God of grace yet rejecting his Lordship over their lives
vs 8-10 - Give in to sensuality, doing only what seems fitting to themselves. They are a law unto themselves. Even things they dont understand, they brag about as if they did. They are driven by selfish selfgratifying instinct
vs 12, 16- These ppl are hidden amongst us and dangerous. They are fruitless, helping only themselves.

2) The punishment to those who have experienced God's goodness yet choose to disobey Him.
vs 5-7 - Jude uses common illustrations of the day to bring forward his point. Each example (the deliverance from Egypt, angels who fell and Sodom and Gomorrah) was one where the people where richly blessed, yet forsook God's goodness. They will be punished with "eternal fire"
vs 13 - Blackest darkness is reserved for these people
vs 14 - God WILL judge these people.

The message that Jude is trying to bring across is clear. It is a sobering warning that though we are under Grace, that does not give us a license to do what we want. In fact, we are freed FROM the power of sin and death SO THAT we can do good and live a life that reflects Christ. We are under the Lordship of Grace.

It is also a warning to be weary of these "godless men (and women btw)" They can be like "hidden reefs" sometimes, hard to detect as they "secretly slip in" among us, yet they can do tremendous damage and must be looked out for.

So my application is 2 fold, to be wary (not weary, thankx WW) within and without. I need to remember not be become like one of these ppl, taking God's goodness and grace lightly and half heartedly, and at the same time, being wary of people who will 'entangle' or 'shipwreck' me. Both of these require a close walk with Jesus, a listening and obedient ear to His Holy Spirit and a deeper, more meaningful understanding of His word.

God Bless you all

Dan