© 1998 Michael G. Parham

And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Jude 22, 23

We have seen that Jude's closing verses include

First, care for our own souls; we can't help others if we are unfit!

We have seen that Jude gives three ingredients to building ourselves up in our most holy faith; and he emphasizes our relationship with each Person of the trinity. We must:

· Pray in the Holy Ghost

· Keep ourselves in the love of God

· Look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life

Second, care for others. What use our knowledge and ability if not used to benefit others? This does not mean that we must be perfect first; only that we are personally applying God's Word in our lives; that His Word is our strength and our message.

Third, know that our fitness and usefulness are alike the grace of God in our lives. That is, we must not end with a sense of personal pride or self satisfaction; but a sense of awe at the unending mercy of God!

Today we see Jude's instruction for dealing with or ministering to others.

1. We must have Discretion.

The world always cast Christians as either kind but doting old women who are sheltered from the harsh realities of life and gush a sickeningly sweet love-like acceptance of everything and everyone; or as a harsh, hypocritical closet sex pervert who alike condemns one and all with his self-imposed, unattainable, but loudly proclaimed standards.

We must fulfill neither of these caricatures, but we must have some of the qualities of each! We must neither represent God as the Big Ogre in the Sky nor as the All Embracing One; but rather as the One Who has grace and compassion on all those who come to Him, but Who deals suddenly and harshly with those who love their sin.

Jude teaches us to alter our approach to suit the demands.

Paul's example: 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Imagine a child in great danger (cliff or snake; house fire or sinking boat). Depending on the child and the danger, you might scream or whisper; suit the warning to the danger. In the same way, the message of Salvation must be shaped to fit the person and situation. The singer who only sings one song soon is dreaded, the preacher with only one message avoided, the parent with one answer ignored, and the spouse with one response despised. The rescue worker with only one tool must leave many victims unsaved; and the Christian with only one presentation of the Gospel will perhaps win some to Christ while driving others to eternal darkness.

Jesus example: John 8:11, Convicted the Pharisees, but pardoned the harlot.

2. We must examine our Motivation.

Some seem to have as the central motivation of Christian faith "suffering for Jesus" or "being persecuted for the faith." It seems they take every opportunity to court more suffering, to woo more persecution. They prove their faith by quickly pointing out all error and gladly suffering rebuke and rejection; they validate their commitment by the continual haranguing of others with their narrow doctrine and rigid standards until, at long length ostracized and rejected, they have finally enjoyed persecution.

To be sure, Paul was persecuted and Jesus was the "Man of Sorrows." But these distinctions were only the by-products of a consuming motivation to bring others to a saving knowing of God. Christianity is not a contest to see who can earn the most stripes, the more severe deprivation, or the greater ridicule; but a willingness to endure such ignominy if necessary to bring many into the Kingdom.

"To save some"

Paul's example: 1 Cor. 9:22 "that I might by all means save some"

Jesus' example: Luke 19:10 "to seek and to save"

3. We must take Action.

Show compassion
Save some
Pulling them

This Christian religion is not a religion of pious pronouncements and wordy blessings, but a call to serve, to surrender, to die if necessary, to bring others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. One thinks his faith is demonstrated by the depth of his doctrinal understanding, another by the length of his list of things "I don't do." Yet another attempts to impress God and man with an abundance of possessions¾ a practical demonstration of the prosperity promised by God, you see. Yet Paul wrote:

1 ¶ Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become [as] sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2 And though I have [the gift of] prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor], and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Jesus' example: "moved with compassion" Mat 14:14; Mk 1:41; 6:34

The Lord's example: John 3:16; "God so loved the world, that He gave..."

4. We must use Caution.

Man prides himself that, as a warm blooded creature, he will not die without protest like the proverbial frog in boiling water. But I'm not so sure. The Scripture abounds with pleas for men and women to return to the fervor of the Lord, to regain the heat and passion of love of God, love for God's Word and God's people. We know by our own sad and oft repeated experience that we too easily grow cold, too quickly are attracted to things we should hate; too soon forget our freedom in Christ and too readily surrender to the chains of sin and the bondage of controlling habits.

We are admonished to hate the garments spotted by the flesh, that is, to detest those things that are defiled by whatever is apart from the holy, regenerating power of God. But we must maintain vigilance. Better men than I have fallen prey to the very sin from which they were attempting to deliver others; like a rescuer attempting to pull another from quicksand, but finally overcome himself, it is easy, IT IS NOT DIFFICULT, to be sucked into the whirling cesspool though you have approached it only to draw others from it. You must hate it, despise it, even fear it; lest you become accustomed to it, then cease to fear it, then attracted to it, and finally, without resistance or restraint, succumb to it. Even the great Apostle Paul said:

But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

1 Corinthians 9:27

Don't flirt with danger. Rescuing others is work for the strong and fit. If you are attracted to the sin, or find yourself weakening in resolve concerning the sin, leave the sinner to someone stronger and more equipped, lest you and the sinner need rescue, and the situation results in your death as well as the sinner.

Jesus Christ Himself was tempted in all points like we (Heb 4:15), but He was strong¾ He did not fail. Don't pretend or assume there will be no temptation, no attraction to the sin itself. And if you doubt your hatred for the particular sin, leave the work of pulling others from the fire to those who can accomplish it. Equip yourself, train yourself, don't assume that you have no responsibility; don't become complacent in your weakness. But don't destroy yourself.

5. We must make a Distinction.

We come full circle, back to the work of discrimination. But now it is not to distinguish sinner from sinner, but to distinguish the garment and the person; the sinner from sin¾ a task much harder from most of us. We know that all unrepentant sinners are equally condemned and go to the same eternal hell, but somehow we find it easier to love the good sinner than the bad sinner. But the remedy for this discretionary love is to distinguish between the sinner and the sin. Every person who has no knowledge of Jesus Christ, is¾ beneath the covering we see¾ a wicked sinner and a rebel against God. Some rebels slyly cover their rebellion in neatly trimmed hair and pin-stripe suits, other more blatantly show rebellion in ugly habits and crude language. But within, under the external covering, they are all alike! SINNERS! Wicked! Vile! Evil!

We like verses such as:

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Re 21:8

But God also says:

An high look, and a proud heart, [and] the plowing of the wicked, [is] sin.

Pr 21:4

Even the plowing of the wicked! The orderly, productive activity of any who do not know God is sin.

Paul's example: Rom 9:3, "could wish myself accursed"

Jesus' example: Mat 23:37, "How I have wept..."

The same principles apply in all relationships; with sinner, Christian, spouse, children, employees.

1. Suit the remedy to the disease, the solution to the problem.

Because someone doesn't agree with you is no reason to lump him with the wicked.
Some sin thru weakness, some thru wickedness. Don't treat all sin alike.

We must not deal with motes as with beams, and put the wicked and the scrupulous in the same rank, nor the gross heretic, and those that mistake in point of church order. While the judgment is sound in fundamentals, and the practice is reformed, we should use meekness till God reveal the same thing," Phil. iii. 15, 16. God hath given them light in most things, and those which are most necessary, and in time will discover those truths to them, whereof they are yet ignorant.

Thomas Manton, Vol 5, Pp 358.

2. In all actions, be sure your motives are right.

· Gentleness from fear or sharpness from arrogance are wrong, even though they may appear to be Godly compassion and holy hatred.

· Are you seeking self-justification or the edification of another? Much criticism and condemnation comes from a need for the authentication of personal misery by others.

3. Be careful about judging quickly from appearances.

Sometimes what appears compassion is only weakness; likewise, what appears cruel is sometimes necessitated by love.

4. We demonstrate Christianity with our actions more than our words. Words are never sufficient; our actions speak much louder.

5. In all our relationships, we must exercise caution. Not every road to hell stinks of stale beer and yesterday's vomit! Some pursuing that end smell of fine leather interiors and cashmere wool, and speak with the articulate accents of culture. We must fear the one as the other as the standard for our life or the goals for which we live. We may follow another's example in certain endeavors, but we must never let others become the standard. Such a wrong focus can be shown equally by a childish, "But everybody's doing it"; but equally by a slavish pursuit of things, prestige, or reputation.

For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. "but they, measuring themselves by themselves, are not wise.

2 Corinthians 10:12

6. Let's attempt to see people as God sees them; not judging by the externals, but understanding the heart and spiritual condition beneath. Those who are Believers, we fellowship with and encourage. Those who are not Believers, we bring to a knowledge of Jesus Christ. When we must correct, we do so from God's perspective and with His heart. Though we appear cruel, we act with love; though we appear weak, we exercise strength.

If by any means we might save some,
If by any means we might correct some,
If by any means we might lead some,
If by any means we might mature some.

Mp 930103