Love is the earmark of the Disciple of Christ. Jesus said in John 13.35— “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” Although it is important, we really aren’t known by our doctrine. We aren’t, or at least shouldn’t be known for our buildings and size of congregation. Jesus just said we are known for our love. Particularly the love we have for each other, in the body of our local (visible) church.
That sounds good doesn’t it? There is one problem—you can fake it. When there were wolves in the midst of churches in the first century, Jude wrote to them and warned them, that some could fake their love. Some could even gain leadership and teach heresy without anyone being the wiser, until it had already taken out the weak ones. Jude said— “These are spots in your feasts of charity [active love], when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear…” (1.12 with notation added in brackets). Something to consider here is the fact that our gathering in the first century was a feast. Perhaps a ‘Lord’s supper’ event, and perhaps even weekly. We do not know the extent, except to say that when they were together, it was centered in a loving environment. The word is still agape but added with: preferring each other, and with divine love. It was, as the King James says, ‘charitable’. They cared deeply for each other and there are those who would disguise themselves in a cloak of fake love to blend-in with the true disciples. Jude makes it clear that they are “spots” on your feast. A word that means ‘hidden reefs’, something just under the surface. This is not good! This can be extensively damaging to the cause of Christ in that place.
What do we do about this? Jude has his Holy Spirit application to that text, and to be clear it is combat. You have to face off with it. But how did they not get exposed before that point? It’s hard to distinguish them if you’re never around them. In the typical church of North America, a section of the congregation only see each other at the next ‘service time’. This could lead to anyone being ignorant of the true identity of some. Secondly, and more important to the topic provided today, the love is untested!
Love is tested not in the good times, or with ‘good’ people. Love is tested in the mud and muck of this life. It is tested in the hardships and the hurts. Paul talks about Jesus’ example of this in Romans 5.6-8— “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” He demonstrated love to those who were way more than just unlovely, they were against Him. Jesus gave this as a command in Matthew 5.43-48— “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” Love your enemy. That is not easy! In fact, it is impossible without Jesus’ help. He said so in John 15.5—“…for without me ye can do nothing.” It is a spiritual, divine, kind of love remember. So without the power of His Spirit within us, we simply cannot do this. So I suppose the answer is: a closeness with the Spirit of Truth. A walk with Him. An obedience to His promptings.
Speaking of the Spirit of Truth, let’s turn our minds back to the context of Jude for a moment. Jude was inspired by that same Spirit to write the truth you have before you. In it you can see a critical item essential in getting this right—truth! Verses 3 and 20 tell us to “earnestly contend” or with skill and commitment oppose whatever is not of faith; and to “build up your…faith”. Faith originates, is illustrated, and developed by—the Word of God. Says so of itself in Romans 10.17— “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” You need truth to combat the lies and the agendas. Because it will not be easily detected, especially if your fellowship is not deep with each other. Jude said in verses 15 and 16— “…and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.” So they know what to say to whom they know to say it, to divide, and yet stay in the good graces of others. This would naturally shred the love the church has together. Their love feast is being shipwrecked every time they are together, because someone is planting spots under the surface of the relationships in the body.
This brings the continuation from the last post. In our last article we dove into the love of the church and it’s leadership. In this text we can see a man of God (Jude) seeking to warn the churches of the agenda of Satan. He does so by truth. He does so by warning them and instructing them with truth. Truth that sanctifies (John 17.17). If a pastor is to love the flock which the “Holy Ghost hath made you overseers” (Acts 20.28). He will love them by warning them; and teaching them; and training them with and in the word of God. Paul said of his own ministry to the leaders of Ephesian church— “Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears” (Acts 20.31). The health of the body is solely determined by their love for God (Matthew 22.37). How can one know the extent of that love without it being tested by the Spirit within, as the Word of the Spirit is taught? If a pastor loves, he will teach the word, preach the word, confer only with the word. This is a love that exposes the fake. This is a love that allows the Spirit to test the resolve of some. This is the love spoken by Jude to believers who desperately needed to choose their faith over their feelings.