Truth Matters

Over the past couple of days, I’ve been pondering how we discern what is true. With so much media available online, books to read, church leaders, friends, family there can be so many voices in our lives which compete for our attention. Even when we know we love the Lord Jesus and have given our lives to following Him, it can sometimes feel hard to work out what is true in the details of our days and determine how that affects the way we live. How increasingly vital it is to have a godly framework for understanding so that we can discern which ideas are valid and which destructive.

In his short letter, Jude gives his readers some great guidance. The church at that time was being torn apart by false teachers. What they said may have sounded attractive, but Jude shows how the teachings are rejecting Jesus and negating the gospel in such a way that grace – God’s undeserved goodness and favour - is being twisted into ‘giving permission’ for immoral lives (Romans 6:1). I can imagine his readers’ shock - or relief - as Jude begins his response by being clear that God knows all about such teachers and will deal with them accordingly. Nothing in our lives is hidden or goes unnoticed by Him.

So, I wonder, do we ever measure others by how positive they are, how much they affirm us, and how good they make us feel? Do we listen to online preachers and get caught up in the enthusiasm of their charismatic words and want the kind of dramatic results they report seeing? Do we ever find ourselves being drawn to strong personalities who seem to know exactly what is and isn’t true and, with absolute certainty, tell us how to navigate our lives? Do we ever question any of it? Do we get nervous that we might choose wrongly? Imagine then, having a friend who loves us enough to tell us we’re wrong! How very precious to be cared for so deeply that someone will risk offending us to save us from terrible choices we might otherwise make.

Jude loves his ‘dear friends’ and his strong warnings come out of deep knowledge of God’s love for them. God can keep them safe but they must not presume upon His goodness, take their salvation for granted and allow themselves to be swept into sin.

There are many descriptions in Jude to help identify false teachers. There is clarity here that exposes the voices which seem attractive or exciting but are, in reality, self-serving and false. They don’t really care about the people. What a helpful contrast to consider Jesus who loved people with outrageous generosity and self-sacrifice and whose character – full of the fruit of the spirit – is displayed in His faithful followers!

I can imagine Jude’s readers asking what they should do about the false teachings. What do we do if we recognise such influences in our lives? They, and we, are to remain fervently faithful to Christ by the study of God’s word, prayer and by walking in God’s ways (verses 20-21). What a challenge! But we’re called not only look after our own spiritual health. After stressing God’s mercy through Christ, Jude exhorts us all to have mercy upon those who are already falling. We are to passionately contend for our fellows’ lives while remaining fearfully aware of the danger (verses 22-23). But Jude reminds us that the ability to save, and to keep safe, belongs to God. We are secure in God’s hands. What a promise!