jude

Contend for the Faith
(Jude)

Jude, brother of James, half-brother of Jesus,
a servant of Christ the Lord,
to those who have been called, who are loved by God
and kept by Christ, the Word;
mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance,
he tells Christian sisters and brothers.
He encourages them to contend for the faith,
not following godless others.
“The faith” is the doctrine that Christ ordained,
salvation for which he died.
It was given just once to endure for all time
so that justice is satisfied.
Godless men, he says, are among you
who try to change God’s grace
as a license for immorality
and deny Christ his rightful place.
He reminds them of the Hebrews
who out of Egypt were saved,
then later destroyed for unbelief,
defying the laws God gave.
A third of the angels in heaven
joined Lucifer when he fell,
and are kept in chains and darkness,
awaiting judgement and hell.
Sodom and Gomorrah and surrounding towns
gave themselves up to perversion
and serve as an example of those
who will suffer the final dispersion.
In the very same way, those dreamers
pollute their own bodies with sin,
rejecting all authority,
and slander celestial beings.
Even Michael, the archangel,
when disputing for the body of Moses,
dared not to slander the devil
for the evil he imposes.

§

Trouble Makers
(Jude)

Woe to men who speak abusively
of things they don’t understand.
They live only by their instincts,
like unreasoning beasts of the land.
Those instinctive desires will destroy them;
they have taken the way of Cain
who killed his righteous brother
with only damnation to gain.
Like Balaam, by greed motivated,
and Korah, who posed as a priest,
they are shepherds who only feed themselves,
impart no love in the least.
These men are blemishes at love feasts,
con artists who preach for money.
They are clouds without rain, all bluster and show,
with the promise of sweet milk and honey.
They are autumn trees without any fruit,
uprooted, dry - twice dead.
Wild waves of the sea, they foam with shame;
beware of the shoals ahead!
These men are grumblers, complainers,
finding fault wherever they go,
as they follow only their evil desires
and flatter others for show.
The apostles of Jesus Christ foretold
scoffers with ungodly desires
who would try to divide the kingdom,
with Satan to conspire.
But build yourselves up in your most holy faith;
in the Holy Spirit pray.
Snatch others from the flames of fire
that they, too, may be saved.
Show others mercy, mixed with fear,
hating the stains of sin,
relying on the grace of God,
the victory to win.

cgtrent@att.net
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