Historical Posts
Jude 01:01-02 Called, Sanctified and Preserved
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Text: Jude 1:1-2
Introduction
1. In several passages throughout the New Testament, we find serious warnings about impending apostasy
a. Jesus warned that false prophets would arise, the love of many would grow cold, and only those who endure to the end would be saved – Matthew 24:11-13
b. Paul foretold of many disciples being drawn away – Acts 20:29-30
c. Peter warned about the rise of false teachers, and how many would follow their destructive ways – 2 Peter 2:1-3
2. But by the time the epistles of John and Jude were written, the danger was no longer impending, it was very much in existence
a. Antichrists were present, and false prophets were in the world – 1 John 2:18; 4:1; 2 John 7
b. Jude was forced to change his original purpose to deal with the crisis – Ju 3-4
3. If the danger of apostasy was already present in the First Century A.D
a. We should not be surprised that the dangers exists in the twentieth century!
b. We would do well to pay close heed to those epistles written to tell us how to deal with it
4. That makes The Epistle Of Jude especially relevant, and with this lesson we begin a series of expository sermons based upon its contents
5. In verses 1-2, Jude begins his letter in typical fashion:
a. He identifies himself
1) As “a servant of Jesus Christ” and “brother of James”
2) It is considered very likely that James was the brother of the Lord who had become prominent in the church at Jerusalem – cf. Galatians 1:16; 2:9
3) This would mean Jude was also a brother to the Lord Jesus – Matthew 13:54-56
4) That Judas would describe himself as a servant of the Lord and not His brother is typical of the modesty shown by James as well – James 1:1
b. He then addresses his original readers
1) No particular church or individuals are named
2) They are simply “those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:”
3) For this reason, the epistle of Jude has been categorized as a catholic, or general, epistle (like James, 1st & 2nd Peter, and 1st John)
c. He concludes his salutation with a three-fold benediction: “Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you”
6. Before we go any further, the manner in which Jude addressed his readers is worthy of careful notice
a. Jude’s purpose is to warn of those “ungodly men” who have crept in
b. That a warning is necessary suggests a danger that is real: being led away from the faith
c. Yet Jude uses terms in his address that some would say teaches the impossibility of apostasy (especially the phrase: “preserved in Jesus Christ”)
[Therefore I would like for us to focus on the concepts suggested by the three words in the title of our study: “Called! Sanctified! And Preserved!”
Body
I. THOSE WHO ARE “CALLED”
A. THOSE IN CHRIST HAVE BEEN “CALLED”
1. We have been called with “a holy calling” – 2 Timothy 1:9
2. This calling was not according to our meritorious works
3. It was according to God’s own purpose and grace before time began
B. THIS “CALL” CAME THROUGH THE GOSPEL
1. We became God’s chosen and called by the gospel – 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
2. By having the gospel preached to “every creature”, the call is made available to all – cf. Mark 16:15-16
a. This is consistent with God’s desire that “all men be saved” – 1 Timothy 2:3-4
b. This is consistent with God’s offer of His Son as “a ransom for all” – 1 Timothy 2:5-6
c. This is consistent with the Lord’s unwillingness that “any should perish”, but that “all should come to repentance” – 2 Peter 3:9
C. OUR RESPONSIBILITY, HAVING ACCEPTED THE “CALL”, IS TO MAKE OUR “CALLING AND ELECTION SURE”
1. This requires much diligence on our part – 2 Peter 1:10-11
2. Otherwise, we will be like the Israelites in the wilderness – Hebrews 3:12-19; 4:1-2, 4:11
a. All were called by God to enter the Promised Land of rest
b. But most were unable to enter because of unbelief that led to lack of diligence!
[It is the need for faithful diligence that explains the many warnings against apostasy found in the Scriptures. It also helps to understand why Jude felt it necessary to write his epistle!]
II. “SANCTIFIED” BY GOD THE FATHER
A. THE WORDS “SANCTIFY”, “SANCTIFICATION”
1. Are translated from the Greek word “hagiazo” {hag-ee-ad’-zo}
2. Which means to make holy, to set apart for a special purpose
3. Therefore, God has set apart those who have been called – Ju 1
B. THE PROCESS OF SANCTIFICATION
1. Is said to be the work of the Holy Spirit
a. “sanctified by the Holy Spirit” – Romans 15:16
b. “sanctified…by the Spirit of our God” – 1 Corinthians 6:11
c. “sanctification by the Spirit” – 2 Thessalonians 2:13
d. “the sanctifying work of the Spirit” (NASV) – 1 Peter 1:2
2. Is also said to be the work of the Word of God
a. “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” – John 17:17
b. “that He might sanctify…by the word” – Ephesians 5:26
3. Since the Word of God is said to be the “sword of the Spirit” (Ep 6:17), the Word is evidently the instrument used by the Spirit to help bring about our sanctification
C. THE PROGRESS OF SANCTIFICATION
1. Some people understand “sanctification” as “all at once” or “in two stages” (e.g., the Wesleyan concept of entire sanctification)
2. The Biblical evidence suggests otherwise:
a. The church at Corinth was made up of members
1) Who were “sanctified in Christ Jesus” – 1 Corinthians 1:2
2) Who had been “sanctified” – 1 Corinthians 6:11
b. Yet, many of these members were “babes in Christ” and “carnal” – 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
3. As written to the Hebrews, those in Christ are “being sanctified” – Hebrews 2:11
a. I.e., sanctification is an on-going process
b. It begins at conversion, and continues as we grow in the faith
4. As Paul prayed for the Thessalonians: “may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely” – 1 Thessalonians 5:23
[Whether God does indeed complete the process of sanctification for those who are called will be determined by whether or not we remain”preserved in Christ Jesus”. (Jude 1:1)]
III. “PRESERVED” IN JESUS CHRIST
A. THE MEANING OF THE WORD “PRESERVED”
1. It comes from the Greek word “tereo” {tay-reh’-o}
2. Which means “to guard (from loss or injury)”
3. It is used to describe that which is closely watched and guarded
a. Such as those disobedient angels who are awaiting the Judgment Day – Ju 6
b. Such as the punishment awaiting “ungodly men” – Ju 13
B. THIS WORD SPEAKS OF OUR WONDERFUL ASSURANCE IN CHRIST
1. We are being carefully “guarded” in Christ!
2. Peter uses a different word (phroureo, froo-reh’-o) to express a similar idea – 1 Peter 1:5
3. Paul used yet another word (sozo, sode’-zo) to express his own confidence in God’s preservation – 2 Timothy 4:18
4. Indeed, Jesus reassured his disciples that no one could “snatch” them out of His hand – cf. John 10:27-29
5. But does this mean that it is impossible to fall away? Do we have no personal responsibility to remain “preserved in Jesus Christ”?
C. THERE IS SOME PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY
1. Jude uses the same word for “preserved” in Ju 21: “keep yourselves…”
2. This indicates that we must cooperate with God
a. As Peter indicated, we are “kept by the power of God through faith” – 1 Peter 1:5
1) God provides the power to keep us safe
2) But we must provide the faith
b. Jesus’ teaching on security is for those who are “believers”
1) No one can “snatch” us away from God against our will
2) But what if “believers” become “unbelievers”?
a) Does the promise still apply if the conditions have changed?
b) What if we choose to leave or jump out of God’s protective hand?
c. That “believers” can become “unbelievers”, and thereby in danger of losing one’s salvation, is clearly taught in He 3:12-19; 4:1-2,11
3. Thus we are “preserved in Jesus Christ”
a. But remaining “preserved” involves personal responsibility!
b. It requires that we “keep ourselves” in the love of God!
Conclusion
1. We who are in Christ are indeed richly blessed:
a. We have been “called” by the gospel of Christ, to which call we responded when we obeyed the conditions of the gospel (faith, repentance, confession, and baptism)
b. We have been “sanctified” or set apart for a holy purpose by God the Father, as He works upon us through His Holy Spirit in conjunction with His Holy Word
c. On the basis of our faith, we are “preserved” in Jesus Christ unto eternal life
2. But dear brethren, forces of Satan are very much at work
a. They seek to undermine our faith in Christ
b. They seek to harden our hearts, and to develop an evil heart of unbelief
c. They seek to make us spiritually lazy, and not to maintain the diligence necessary to keep ourselves in the love of God
3. Yet God in His grace has preserved His Word to give us ample warning; shall we not heed the warnings found throughout His Word, such as those found in The Epistle of Jude?
4. And as we speak of giving heed…have you given heed to the call of the gospel of Christ? – Acts 2:36-38
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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Bible Preservation and Translation
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(Can We Trust The Bible’s Preservation and Translation?)
Introduction
1. Has the Bible we have today been altered or corrupted…?
a. We have no original “autographs” (manuscripts penned by the authors)
b. All we have are copies of copies, made over the years
2. How do we know there hasn’t been:
a. Significant changes or errors made in the process of copying?
b. Collusion (secret cooperation for deceitful purposes) by those who possessed the early copies?
3. It is not uncommon to hear such statements as…
a. “The Bible was corrupted by the Catholic church who possessed it” (Mormons, JWs)
b. “Only Catholic Bibles are reliable, since the church possesses the oldest copies” (Catholics)
4. Is it possible to have confidence in the Bible? That it:
a. Contains the Scriptures as they were originally written
b. Is free from attempts to twist the Scriptures to support a particular church or doctrine
5. This confidence comes from keeping two things in mind:1) Textual evidence for the Biblical documents, and2) Translation guidelines for selecting a translation of the Bible.
Body
I. TEXTUAL EVIDENCE
A. FOR THE OLD TESTAMENT
1. The Massoretic Text (900 A.D.)
a. Earliest complete text of Hebrew OT, copied by Jewish scribes called the Massoretes
b. Comparison with earlier Greek and Latin versions
1) Reveal vary careful copying
2) With little deviation during the thousand years from 100 B.C. to 900 A.D.
2. The Dead Sea Scrolls (150 B.C. – 70 A.D.)
a. Discovered in 1947, containing copies of OT books dating back to 100 B.C.
b. Compared with the “Massoretic Text” of 900 A.D., they confirm the careful copying of Jewish scribes for over 1,000 years!
3. The Septuagint version of the OT (200 B.C.)
a. A Greek translation of the OT, done in 200 B.C. by 70 scholars
b. It also confirms the accuracy of the copyists who gave us the Massoretic Text
4. In his book, Can I Trust My Bible, R. Laird Harris concluded, “We can now be sure that copyists worked with great care and accuracy on the Old Testament, even back to 225 B.C….Indeed, it would be rash skepticism that would now deny that we have our Old Testament in a form very close to that used by Ezra when he taught the word of the Lord to those who had returned from the Babylonian captivity.”
B. FOR THE NEW TESTAMENT
1. The number of the manuscripts
a. Over 4,000 Greek manuscripts
b. 13,000 copies of portions of the N.T. in Greek
2. The location of the manuscripts
a. Found in various places: Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Greece, Italy
b. Making collusion very difficult (not one church or religion contains them all)
3. The date of the manuscripts
a. Several papyri fragments have been dated to within 50-100 years of the original
b. We have several nearly complete N.T. Greek manuscripts within 300- 400 years
1) Codex Sinaiticus, found near Matthew Sinai
2) Codex Alexandrinus, found near Alexandria in Egypt
3) Codex Vaticanus, located at the Vatican in Rome
4. The variations of the manuscripts
a. The vast majority are very minor (spelling, differences in phraseology, etc.; modern translations often note the differences in footnotes)
b. Only 1/2 of one percent is in question (compared to 5 percent for the Iliad)
c. Even then, it can be stated: “No fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith rests on a disputed reading…It cannot be too strongly asserted that in substance the text of the Bible is certain: especially is this the case with the New Testament.” – Sir Frederick Kenyon (authority in the field of New Testament textual criticism)
5. Other translations of the manuscripts
a. More than 1,000 copies and fragments in Syriac, Coptic, Armenian, Gothic, Ethiopic
b. 8,000 copies of the Latin Vulgate, some almost dating back to Jerome’s original translation (ca. 400 A.D.)
6. Writings of the early “church fathers” (100-400 A.D.)
a. Early religious leaders who left 1000s of quotations of the NT in their writings
b. Even if all the NT manuscripts and translations were to disappear overnight, it would be possible to reconstruct the NT from their quotations, with the exception of 15-20 verses
7. The evidence is sufficient to show that the Greek text of the New Testament has been faithfully preserved, without the possibility of collusion or corruption by any one religious party or faction
8. While the text of the Bible has been remarkably preserved in its original languages, how can we be sure that the version we use is faithful in its translation of the text?
II. TRANSLATION GUIDELINES
A. BEWARE OF THOSE BY ONE INDIVIDUAL
1. Some translations are the work of one person; for example:
a. The Living Bible, by Kenneth Taylor
b. Which is not really a translation, but a paraphrase
2. Though well intentioned, such translations often:
a. Express the views of one person
b. Convey the theological bias of that individual
3. It is better to find translations produced by a committee of scholars
a. With often hundreds of experts in Hebrew and Greek
b. Who examine and critique each other’s work in the translation
B. BEWARE OF THOSE BY A PARTICULAR DENOMINATION
1. Some translations are the work of one religious group; for example:
a. The New World Translation
b. Produced by Jehovah’s Witnesses
2. Such translations are often slanted to prove doctrines favorable to the group
a. E.g., the NWT translation of John 1:1-2 (“the Word was a god”)
b. E.g., the NWT translation of Colossians 1:16-17 (inserting “other” four times)
3. It is better to find translations produced by representatives from different backgrounds
a. Who are members of different religious organizations
b. Who check each other’s work to prevent theological bias
C. RECOMMENDED ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS
a. A classic, but somewhat archaic
b. Many people have problems with or misunderstand the old English
2. New King James Version (NKJV)
a. An updated KJV, desiring to preserve the beauty of the KJV
b. My personal choice, very easy to read
3. American Standard Version (ASV)
a. Most literal to the Greek, but therefore harder to read
b. Almost out of print
4. New American Standard Bible (NASB)
a. An update to the ASV
b. Though often wordy
5. English Standard Version (ESV)
a. English version of ASV
b. My second choice
5. Other translations useful as references:
a. New International Version (NIV) – easy to read, but prone to theological bias
b. New American Bible (NAB) – approved for Catholics, useful to show differences in doctrine are not due to translations
Conclusion
1. Can we trust the Bible? Yes, because:
a. The Hebrew and Greek manuscripts have been providentially preserved
b. Translations are available that are free from theological bias
2. Yes, it is possible to have confidence in the Bible, that it:
a. Contains the Scriptures as they were originally written
b. Can be read without fear that it has been tainted to support a particular church or doctrine
3. I can trust the Bible…do you? – James 1:21-22
Content by Donald W. Treadway
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