Quote from Forum Archives on June 4, 2002, 12:34 pm

Posted by: jnthrower <jnthrower@...>

CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH

THE BOOK OF JUDE

BE COMPASSIONATE AND RECLAIM PEOPLE

JUDE 22-23

Introduction

Last week we looked at the GUIDELINES FOR AVOIDING APOSTASY. (VS 17-23)

A. Remember The Teaching Of The Apostles. (Vs 17-19)

B. Nurture Yourselves In The Things Of The Lord. (Vs 20-21)

1. Building Up Yourselves On Your Most Holy Faith.

2. Praying In The Holy Ghost.

3. Keeping Yourselves In The Love Of God.

4. Looking For The Return Of The Lord.

This week we see that we are to be compassionate and reclaim people for the Lord.

I. WE MUST BE COMPASSIONATE WITH THE BRETHREN WHO ARE DECEIVED AND OVERTAKEN BY FALSE DOCTRINE. (VS 22)

A. UNDERSTAND THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE EASILY SWAYED. (Ephesians 4:11-15)

Example--Albert and "The Way"

B. UNDERSTAND THAT EACH PERSON HAS A MEASURE OF VULNERABILITY.

(1 Corinthians 10:12; Galatians 6:1; 2:11-16; 1 Timothy 4:16)

C. UNDERSTAND THAT THIS WORK TAKES SPECIAL CARE.

(2 Timothy 2:24-26; Hebrews 12:13)

D. UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS WORK.

( James 5:19-20 )

II. WE MUST BE COMPASSIONATE WITH THE LOST WHO ARE DECEIVED AND OVERTAKEN BY FALSE DOCTRINE. (VS 23)

A. A LOST MAN'S ONLY HOPE IS JESUS CHRIST. (Acts 4:12)

Like a drowning man who needs a lifeline.

The lifeline is able to save him, but someone needs to throw it to him.

We have the lifeline. Are we giving it to those who need it?

B. THE HOPE IS NOT IN PLANS AND GIMMICKS, BUT IN THE WORD. (Luke 16:27-31)

Haddon Robinson-- "A kind of arithmetic has been spawned in the counting rooms of hell. This kind of arithmetic is always interested in reaching the masses but somehow never gets down to a man or a woman. This kind of arithmetic always talks about winning the world for God but doesn't think much about winning a neighborhood for God. That arithmetic makes it valiant to cross oceans and never really crosses streets."

-- Joseph Aldrich, "How to Be a Redemptive Person," Preaching Today

"Evangelism is like strong horseradish: people praise it with tears in their eyes.

There are other word associations we could make with the concept of evangelism. For some people, evangelism is an evangelical mugging mission, where we go into a phone booth, come out with a big red S on our chests and charge out into a neighborhood, seldom our own, to win it for Christ.

For others, it's some kind of evangelical ambush where we lure the honest, unsuspecting victim to some type of an event, lock the doors, and sing twenty-two verses of "Just as I Am."

Some people think of evangelism as a bombing mission where, from protective cloud cover at 30,000 feet, we fill backyards with gospel bombs.

For others, evangelism is herding fish into the stained glass aquarium where the big fisherman throws the lure from the pulpit."

I. WE MUST BE COMPASSIONATE WITH THE BRETHREN WHO ARE DECEIVED AND OVERTAKEN BY FALSE DOCTRINE.

II. WE MUST BE COMPASSIONATE WITH THE LOST WHO ARE DECEIVED AND OVERTAKEN BY FALSE DOCTRINE.

III. IN OUR COMPASSION, WE MUST KEEP A HOLY HATRED OF SIN. (VS 23)

A. THIS IS A GODLY ATTITUDE.

1. Romans 5:8-- "But God commendeth his love toward us. . ."

2. 1 John 4:9-11

3. 1 Peter 2:22-- "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth."

B. THIS IS A GODLY COMMAND.

1 Peter 1:15-16-- "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy."

Romans 12:9-- "Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good."

Psalm 34:14-- "Depart from evil and do good."

Psalm 97:10-- "Ye that love the Lord hate evil."

Psalm 101:3-- "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me."

Proverbs 8:13-- "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil:"

(Example--Have you ever gone on visitation to a house where someone smokes?--I want to go home as quickly as possible and change clothes lest someone get the wrong idea that I smoke)