among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him." In Gala tians 5:22, 23 we are given a list which is the fruit of the Spirit. Look at the contrast as these blessed characteristics are put against the description of those who are apos tate teachers. They are murmerers, complainers, walking after their own lusts (vs. 7). They speak great, swelling words, trying to see what they can get out of it. False teachers are described as murmurers. The people of Israel were constantly unhappy with what was taking place. The picture we get in this passage goes right back to verses five, six and seven where we are told about Hebrew people who had been saved out of Egypt, yet who — because of their mur muring — were destroyed. You re member the angels who were not satisfied with the place God had given them. They were complain ers. Because of this blatant dissat isfaction they are now preserved in everlasting chains. Then these are filled with lust, walking after their own selfish desires. This reminds us of Sodom and Gomorrah (vs. 7) where the people gave themselves over completely to fornication. Murmuring is no small sin. It is the beginning of apostasy. Criti cism and cynicism will easily fol low. Let us make certain that our lives are on an equal balance for the Lord that in all things He, the Saviour, may have the preemi nence. Why is it that we so easily forget those things which we should re member while we seem to remem ber those things which we should Page 46
forget? It is because of this that the Spirit of God seeks to bring to our minds those truths which will help us grow in the grace and knowl edge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Verse 17 of Jude tells us, "Be loved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ." Whenever you get all mixed up, de pressed about your circumstances and surroundings, then return to the place where the answers are all to be found. It was many years ago that I first studied algebra. The math text we used was delightful. You see, the answers were all given in the back. This way there was no reason to cheat or copy someone else's paper because you already had the answers. Our teacher used to say, "Now remember, if you cannot understand things, do not forget that the answers are in the back of the book." We are coming to the back of God's Book where we can find the answers to some of the perplexing problems which seem to attack us on every hand. Jude tells us not to be upset over these things. "Remember the words which were spoken before." This is one great and logical argument for Bible memorization! Nothing can take the place of committing to memory the precious truths from God's Word. Now we are warned that these apostate teachers will come. No tice that verse 18 explains, "How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungod ly lusts." A further description is given in verse 19, "These be they who separate themselves, sensual,
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs