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In this series I attempted to do an exegetical verse-by-verse breakdown of the Book of Jude.

In January 2020, when I was first led to do a Bible Study on this book, I knew then I would be interrupting a three year trend of doing topical studies. I also knew that I would be breaking down every single verse in Jude and was relieved that it was a short book. 🙂

But as I started plumbing the depths in May, I began to see a rather timely topic emerging in spite: Jude was essentially teaching a Christian community how to deal with difficult people. In fact, it was a veritable How-To Manual on the subject!

And I had simultaneously become aware, shortly after its onset, that COVID-19 had the potential to bring out the best in some people and the worst in others.

Sterling example: After 7 months in pseudo-isolation, I made my first road trip. When I was returning on I-75, I—along with two or three other cars—was passing a camper that was towing a trailer in the slow lane. I was keeping up with traffic in the fast lane, as we passed him out, when I became aware that someone was tailgating me and trying to force me back into the slow lane. It was a guy on a small, low-riding motorcycle. I never noticed him until he swerved left and appeared to be preparing to pass me on the tiny strip of pavement between the fast lane and the median! I then endeavored to stay the course 100% with both hands on the wheel while praying for our mutual safety. When I had good margin, I finished passing the camper and pulled into the slow lane. That gave the motorcyclist enough room to get past us both. He pulled a couple of hundred feet ahead of me, whirled his upper body around and expressed his road-rage with the infamous middle finger salute. 😊

So basically there’s at least one low-riding motorcyclist on the highways with a spirit of entitlement. By Golly, whether he drives a tiny motorcycle or an 18-wheeler, his vehicle should have the same intimidation factor/respect! But…he is so angry that he’s on a suicide mission to prove his point. COVID-19 brings out the fight or flight tendencies in people—retreat into a cocoon for seven months—or possess the land, specifically Interstate Highways.

So I am thinking that this Bible Study Topic might prove helpful for those who are on the verge of boiling over as well as those who are in the way 🙂

After I had written posts for ~ each verse in Jude I re-sequenced them to line up with people types, i.e., difficult heathenish people that we might encounter, in church or other walks of life.

The series starts with a not-for-the-timid factoid post about Jude and who he was. Then it dives into the following people types (with instructions on how to deal with each one):

1. Wolves in Sheeps’ Clothing Type
2. Stealthy Assassins
3. Nephilim – The Perverted and Unrepentant Type
4. Sodom/Gomorrah – Perverted/Unrepentant
5. Perverted + Unrepentant + Slanderers
6. Repellent Faith Wreckers
7. Cain/Korah Types: Jealous/Rebellious
8. Balaam Type: Greedy/Rebellious
9. Blaming + Boasting + Flattering Hypocrites
10. Riot-Inciting Scoffers
11. On The Highway to Hell

In On The Highway to Hell, we address the worst-case Monster Type and re-emphasize what our end game responsibility is; yet, in the midst, the post seeks to stir up hope and motivation–by basically concluding that “it ain’t gonna happen without continuous divine intervention.”

Finally, we talk more about the call-to-action that Jude gave us and every believer–what is our responsibility here as believers in these difficult encounters, and how on earth can we deal with these heathenish people? And the subject of our perfect role model is dovetailed into this post—in celebration of the Christmas holiday.

Jude ends his epistle with a doxology which beautifully underscores that God will always preserve and protect the believer, and seek to joyfully redeem the unbeliever; and that we’ll never be able to thank Him—or express the fullest respect that He richly deserves—enough:

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord before all time, and now, and for all eternity.

Amen.

Note: To view the posts in this series, you can use Search Bar at the very bottom. To view all posts chronologically please go to “PRIOR POSTS” Selection on Menu Bar. (“Uncategorized” link gets you vintage posts.) Once you’ve selected a post, if you scroll to the very bottom, you’ll find navigation links to help you easily traverse through the topic.