Page 1265 - The MacArthur Daily Bible

TN_12_MacArthur_Bible_Dec.qxd 8/8/03 17:33 Page 1246

DECEMBER 10
And do I not loathe those who rise up the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
against You? 5 But I want to remind you, though you once
I hate them with perfect hatred;
22 knew this, that the Lord, having saved the peo-
I count them my enemies. ple out of the land of Egypt, afterward
destroyed those who did not believe. And the
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Search me, O God, and know my heart; angels who did not keep their proper domain,
23
Try me, and know my anxieties;
24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, but left their own abode, He has reserved in
And lead me in the way everlasting. everlasting chains under darkness for the judg-
ment of the great day; as Sodom and Gomorrah,
7
Proverbs 29:22 and the cities around them in a similar manner
to these, having given themselves over to sexu-
22 An angry man stirs up strife, al immorality and gone after strange flesh, are
And a furious man abounds in set forth as an example, suffering the ven-
transgression. geance of eternal fire.
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Jude 1–25 Likewise also these dreamers defile the
flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of digni-
ude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and taries. Yet Michael the archangel, in contend-
9
Jbrother of James, ing with the devil, when he disputed about the
To those who are called, sanctified by God body of Moses, dared not bring against him a
the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord
rebuke you!” But these speak evil of whatev-
10
2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. er they do not know; and whatever they know
naturally, like brute beasts, in these things
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to
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you concerning our common salvation, I found it they corrupt themselves. Woe to them! For
necessary to write to you exhorting you to con- they have gone in the way of Cain, have run
greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and
tend earnestly for the faith which was once for all
delivered to the saints. For certain men have perished in the rebellion of Korah.
4
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crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked These are spots in your love feasts, while
out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who they feast with you without fear, serving only
themselves. They are clouds without water,
turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny
carried about by the winds; late autumn trees
without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the
roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up
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their own shame; wandering stars for whom is
3 contend earnestly. While the salvation of reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
those to whom he wrote was not in jeopardy, 14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, proph-
false teachers preaching and living out a coun- esied about these men also, saying, “Behold,
terfeit gospel were misleading those who the Lord comes with ten thousands of His
needed to hear the true gospel. Jude wrote 15
this urgent imperative for Christians to wage saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all
war against error in all forms and fight strenu- who are ungodly among them of all their ungod-
ously for the truth, like a soldier who has been ly deeds which they have committed in an
entrusted with a sacred task of guarding a holy ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which
treasure (1 Tim. 6:12; 2 Tim. 4:7). the faith. This ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
is the whole body of revealed salvation truth 16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking
contained in the Scriptures. Here is a call to according to their own lusts; and they mouth
know sound doctrine (Eph.4:14;Col.3:16:1 Pet. great swelling words, flattering people to gain
2:2;1 John 2:12–14),to be discerning in sorting
out truth from error (1 Thess. 5:20–22), and to
be willing to confront and attack error (2 Cor.
10:3–5; Phil. 1:17,27; 1 Tim. 1:18; 6:12; 2 Tim.
1:13; 4:7,8; Titus 1:13). once for all deliv- 13 raging waves. Apostates promise powerful
ered…saints. God’s revelation was delivered ministry, but are quickly exposed as wreakers
once as a unit, at the completion of the of havoc and workers of worthless shame (Is.
Scripture, and is not to be edited by either 57:20).wandering stars. This most likely refers
deletion or addition (Deut.4:2;12:32;Prov.30:6; to a meteor or shooting star which has an
Rev. 22:18,19). Scripture is complete, sufficient, uncontrolled moment of brilliance and then
and finished; therefore it is fixed for all time. fades away forever into nothing. Apostates
Nothing is to be added to the body of the promise enduring spiritual direction but deliv-
inspired Word because nothing else is needed. er a brief, aimless, and worthless flash.
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