121
TH E
K I N G ’ S' B U S I N E S S
March 1925
O u t l ine St ud i es in t ke Book of J ude T. C. H orton
the aim of all th eir destructive work; they finally strik e a t our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. John describes them in 1 John 2:22: “W h o is a lia r b u t h e th a t d é n le th th a t J e su s is th e C h rist? H e is a n tic h r ist, th a t d e n ie th th e F a th e r a n d th e S on .” All erro r concerning the tru th cen ters in the attack upon the P erson of Christ,-—His Deity, His A tonement, His Resurrection. Unless He was tru ly God m an ifest in th e flesh He could be no Saviour, and we could never be free from the guilt of sin, for sin demands God as a sacrificial offering, or else hell as th e punishm ent for sin. How do men deny His Deity? By opposing the tru e inspiration of the Word of God; by apostasy from th e tru th (2 John 9-11): “W h o so e v e r tr a n s g r e s s e th , a n d a b id eth n o t in th e d o c tr in e o f-C h r is t, h a th n o t God. H e th a t a b id e th in th e d o c tr in e o f C h rist, h e h a th b o th th e F a th e r a n d th e Son. “I f th e r e c o m e a n y n n to y o u , a n d b r in g n o t th is d o c tr in e , r e c e iv e h im n o t in to y o u r h o u se , n e ith e r bid. h im G od sp eed . “F o r h e th a t b id d e th h im G od sp eed is .p a r ta k e r o f h is e v il d e e d s.” W hat is the doctrine or teaching which is to be contended for, as is commanded in v. 3 ? I t is fa ith in th e tru th of the Word of God which was (1 ) Delivered by God, th rough H is Word, by th e Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit evidences the tru th of the Word to us. He makes us conscious of its verity. (2) Delivered once fo r all. There will never be ano th er Gospel. There may be a hundred which are contrary to it, b u t never ano ther from God. We can re st upon it. It is a sacred tru st given to us. We are urged to keep it and be strengthened and com forted by it. Satan hates it. He Will do all w ithin his power to destroy its power in our lives. How can we contend for it? Preach it! Teach it! Live it! Confess it! Suffer for it! It is a sword— use it! Be good soldiërs w ith thé sword (Eph. 6:11, 16, 17 ): “P u t o n th e w h o le a rm o u r o f G od, th a t y e m a y h e a b le to sta n d a g a in s t th e w ile s o f th e d e v il. *** “A b o v e a ll, ta k in g th e s h ie ld o f fa ith , w h e r e w ith y e s h a ll b e a b le to q u en ch a ll th e fie r y d a r ts o f th e w ic k e d . “A n d ta k e th e h e lm e t o f s a lv a tio n , and th e sw o r d o f th e S p irit, w h ic h is th e w o r d o f G od.” (Next month, “The Certain Judg m ent of Apostates.” ), gê» 'éSt GOD’S PURPOSE IN CHASTENING 1. - F o r Proving (Deut. 7:2, 3). 2. F o r P urifying (Mai. 3 :3 ). 3. F o r Teaching (Ps. 119 :71 ). 4. F o r Humbling (2 Cor. 1 2 :7 ). 5. F o r Restoring (Ps. 119 :67 ). 6. F o r Promotion (Dan. 3:23, 30). — C. I.
(2 Pet. 2 :1 ): “B u t th e r e w e r e fa ls e p r o p h ets a lso a m o n g th e p e o p le , e v e n a s th e r e s h a ll b e f a ls e te a c h e r s a m o n g y o u , w h o p r iv ily s h a ll b r in g in d a m n a b le h e r e s ie s , e v e n d e n y in g th e L ord th a t b o u g h t th em , and b r in g u p o n th e m s e lv e s s w if t d e str u c tio n .” These were. “Godless men,” for they robbed God of His honor. They were perverts. They used th e ir liberty as a cloak (1 Pet. 2 :1 6 ): “A s fr e e , a n d n o t u s in g y o u r lib e r ty fo r a c lo a k o f m a lic io u sn e s s, b u t a s th e s e r v a n ts o f G od.” (Gal. 5 :1 3 ): “F o r , b r e th r e n , w e h a v e b een c a lle d u n to L ib e r ty ; o n ly u s e n o t lib e r ty fo r an o c c a sio n to th e flesh , b u t b y lo v e s e r v e o n e a n o th e r .” False teachers are nothing new in the history of th e church. These de ceivers were prophesied, and “ prophecy is given by inspiration of God” and is for our in struction and warning (2 Tim. 3 :1 6 ). P aul had said (Acts 2 0 :2 9 ): “F o r I k n o w th is , th a t a ft e r m y d e p a r t in g s h a ll g r ie v o u s w o lv e s e n te r in a m o n g y o u , n o t s p a r in g th e fl'H'k,” bu t when Jude w rites, th e grievous wolves are already a t work. . He does not say th ere “will be” but there “ are.” The church flourished under persecu tion, so the devil changed his tactics and introduced “wolves in sheep’s clothing." Nowadays “intolerance” is a th ing of the past. Men believe what they choose. Sin is comm itted in the name of religion and is respectable. The Bible is to rn to pieces in a “ holy” manner, w ith “sanctified” speech. These men were ordained, or— more literally— were “w ritten abou t” of old. The “la st days” are described in the Old Testament, as suggested in 2 Pet. 2 :5 , 6: “A n d sp a r ed n o t th e o ld w o r ld , h u t s a v e d N o a h th e e ig h th p e r so n , a p r e a ch er o f r ig h te o u s n e s s, b r in g in g in th e flood u p on th e w o r ld o f t h e u n g o d ly . “ A ivd tu r n in g th e c itie s o f Sodom and G om orrah in to a s h e s, co n d em n ed th em w ith a n o v e r th r o w , m a k in g th em an e n - sarn ple u n to th o se th a t a fte r sh o u ld liv e u n g o d ly .” 1 These destructive critics destroy the Bible because .they love it so! They say it is so much more precious to them , and they understand it so much b etter when they deny its autho rsh ip and a u th o rity ! Grace teaches us to deny ungodli ness (Rom. 6 :2 ): “ G od fo r b id : H o w s h a ll w e th a t a re d ead to s in liv e a n y lo n g e r th e r e in ? ” (Gal. 5 :1 3 ): “F o r , b r e th r e n , w e h a v e b e e n c a lle d u n to lib e r ty : o n ly u s e n o t lib e r ty fo r an o c c a sio n to th e flesh , b u t b y lo v e se r v e o n e a n o th e r .” But these false teachers deny the doctrine 'of separation and tu rn "the grace of God into lasciviousness.” ' The climax comes w ith th eir denial of the Deity of Jesus Christ. This is
We would suggest to any “Defend ers of tlie F a ith ” who may he using these outline studies in teaching Bible classes, th a t it usually adds in terest to th e lesson for the teacher to give out th e Scripture references quoted herein, —la ter calling for them to be read, and commenting upon them. If you are being blessed in following these studies, th en seek to in terest others to subscribe to The K ing’s Busi ness, thu s increasing th e number of those who are “ defending th e faith once for all delivered.” A postal from you, a t any time, telling of th e success of your efforts,, will be greatly appre ciated. ' LESSON NUMBER THREE Outline of th e Book: (1 ) The Called and Sanctified are Sainted, vs. .1, 2. (2) The Called are Charged to Con tend for th e F aith , v. 3. (3) The Called are C a u t i o n e d Against th e Creeping Critics, ■v. 4. (4 ) The C ertain Judgm en t of th e Apostates, vs.' 5-7. (5) The Corrupting Influence of th e F ilth y Dreamers, vs. 8-10. (6) The Comm itment of th e Cor ru p ters to E te rn a l Doom, vs. 12, 13. ( 7 ) The Coming of th e Lord to Exe cute Judgm ent, vs. 14-16. (8 ) The Caution Against Mockers, vs-. 17-19. (9) The Counsel to th e Saints to Build Up in F aith , vs. 20, 21. (10) The Classification of Those De serving Rebuke, vs. 22, 23. (11) The Comm itment of th e Saints to an All-Wise God, vs. 24, 25. We have already considered the first and second divisions of th is outline, and are now to look, briefly, a t the th ird : “ The Called are Cautioned Against th e Creeping Critics,” v. 4. « F o r th e r e a re c e r ta in m en c r e p t In u n a w a r e s , w h o w e r e b e fo r e o f o ld o rd a in ed to th is c o n d em n a tio n , u n g o d ly m en , tu r n in g th e g r a c e o f o u r God in to la s c iv io u s n e s s, a n d d e n y in g th e o n ly L ord G od, an d o u r L ord JTesus C h rist,” This m ight be called “ The Gospel of Destructive Critics.” Notice Jude says. “Certain men have crept in .” Who are these “ creepers” ? Certainly they are not the sinners, for they are on the outside; bu t these have “crept in ” ! The word means “ Come in sideways,” “privily,” “ by ste alth .” They had no rig h t to be in, P aul describes these fellows _as “false b reth ren ” (Gal, 2 :4 ): «A nd th a t b e c a u se o f fa ls e b reth ren , u n a w a r e s b r o u g h t in , w h o c a m e in p r iv ily to s p y o u t o u r lib e r ty w h ic h w e h a v e in C h rist J e su s, th a t th e y m ig h t b r in g u s in to b o n d a g e .” And in w riting to Timothy he calls them “ creepers-in” (2 Tim. 3 :6 ): “F o r o f th is s o r t a re th e y w h ic h creep Into h o u se s, a n d lea d c a p tiv e s illy w om en , la d e n w ith s in s , led a w a y w ith d iv e r s lu s ts .”
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