God’s
Order – Part III
Clarifying the man’s role as the believing husband, father, or leader.
Our study began in Jude. We discussed how Jesus’ younger brother Jude was writing to the brethren excited about their faith and common salvation, but then he changes his mode and says that he finds it necessary to exhort them about contending for the faith which was delivered for all of the saints. We found that Jude was writing this because ungodly men had successfully crept into their fellowship. The danger here was that these believers did not even know that these men were among them. The description Jude gives to these men show that they have gone in the way of Cain. This led to a greater discussion of exactly what is the way of Cain. Jude describes these men throughout the letter. As we are to be leaders within our own household, it is just as important to recognize when someone has entered your fellowship without biblical doctrine. We discussed the angels who had left their proper domain (contrary to God’s order for them) and how Sodom and Gomorrah in like manner lived opposite of God and were set as an example. In verse 14 we read about Enoch as we have studied him in the previous meetings. Here we see Enoch as a prophet foretelling about these types of men and their impending judgment. Our discussion led to the fact that even though the brethren were saved, they were not being diligent about their faith. They had accepted false doctrine as easily as truth because they were NOT contending for their faith. They were the examples to their families, friends, and neighbors. This is very important to us because we are the example to our families, friends, and neighbors. In order to teach sound doctrine and live the life that God asks us to live, we have to be able to discern what is biblical truth and live it! Jude gives us as leaders the exhortation to keep our faith, pray in the Holy Spirit and to take action within the body of Christ.
We jumped over to Cain and Abel and took a closer look at the way of Cain as described here. Cain is offering an unacceptable sacrifice and God reminds him that if he did well, his correct offering would have been accepted. The point here is Cain obviously knew what was acceptable, chose not to obey, and chose to offer the work of his own hands. We see God’s curse on Cain and how he continued to be disobedient. He had taught his children through example and they followed accordingly. We see Lamech taking two wives contrary to God’s order from Genesis 2:24. Cain’s children and their children continue down that path. In verse 4:23, we see Lamech killing a man for wounding him, hurting men, and claiming unjust vengeance that will be seventy-sevenfold. When we teach our children, they will do what we do by our example. Jude writes that this way of Cain is also the reason that God will judge mankind. His family, through the generations, ultimately dies in the flood. Enoch prophesied about living this way as being contrary to God the same as we are to preach and live the Gospel in everything we do. Enoch was raptured. This was followed by judgment. The church will also be raptured and the world will once again see judgment. Are we teaching our families the truth about God’s word? Are we living as the example that God wants us to be? Are we discerning the difference between the world and God’s truth to our families?
We find that every way of man is right in our own eyes. But God sees our hearts. The men that Jude was writing about lived as the pagans that they are, brute beasts and doing what they see as right in their own eyes. We live in that world. It is hard to teach the word of God and live it out in our lives in this world. Seems that Enoch was saying the same thing. Jude not only encourages us to contend for our faith and live that way, he makes it an exhortation. These verses in Proverbs show us that God knows our hearts. In verse 3 he makes it clear that we are to do righteousness and justice according to His word, to live that life of freedom in His Grace and mercy. God sees this as more acceptable than the rituals of life that we think are good work. Living as Jesus asked us to and living according to the same faith that was once presented to all of the saints (including us). This is God’s order for our lives.