The theme of Jude’s brief epistle is “contending for the faith.” And it is strategically placed in the canon of scripture just before the book of The Revelation. Jude warns about apostasy, that is “desertion, unbelief, and rebellion against God,” which had “crept in unnoticed” into the local Church (Jude 4). Hence the need for believers to contend for the faith. Apostasy leads to sinful living. The Church today needs to take heed.
In context, Jude admits he originally intended to write concerning our “common salvation,” but chose instead to write concerning the need for christians to “contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). These “apostates” are ungodly and immoral people who pretended to be ministers of the Christian gospel (could also be “false converts”), who opposed the Lord Jesus Christ, His people, His church, and His cause.
Jude identified the deceptive and disruptive behavior of these apostates and sternly warned them that they will certainly face God’s inescapable wrath and judgment. At the same time, Jude reminded the believers that they “once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterwards destroyed those who did not believe” (Jude 5). Jude mentioned three groups and three individuals of apostasy in the past and God’s judgment on them. These were unbelieving Israelites, angels that sinned, and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. God is holy, just, and righteous and will not disregard or overlook sin in any form.
In concluding his letter, he exhorts believers, “building yourselves up in your most holy faith, and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life” (Jude 20,21). Since our righteousness comes from God alone, He is the one who keeps us in His love from day to day. “How deep the father’s love for us; How vast beyond all measure, That he should give his only son to make a wretch his treasure.” (Stuart Townend).
William MacDonald points out, “Here the love of God can be compared to the sunshine. The sun is always shining. But when something comes between us and the sun, we are no longer in the sunshine. That’s the way it is with the love of God. It is always beaming down upon us. But if sin comes between us and the Lord, then we are no longer enjoying His love in practice” (Believers’ Bible Commentary p. 2345).
Jude concludes his epistle, with this wonderful benediction: “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, now and forever. Amen” (Jude 25). Believers, let us rejoice, and find total fulfillment in enjoying and glorifying our great and merciful, sovereign God who is worthy of our highest exaltation and praise.