Jude: Brother of Jesus but Not a Believer
Jude, whose Hebrew name is Judah, identifies himself as “Jude the servant of Christ and brother of James...” As the brother of James, Jude would also be half-brother to Jesus. Half-brothers because none of Jesus’ siblings shared the untainted blood of God, though His siblings did share the blood of Joseph, Jesus’ earthly guardian, while all were born of Mary. This may be why, although not as well-known as the 12 disciples, he was respected enough that at least one of his letters was included in the New Testament.
During Jesus’ earthly ministry, His own brothers did not believe he was the Messiah. John 7:5 tells us: “For neither did his brethren believe in Him.” And Mark 3:21 gives an even more vivid illustration of their early disbelief: “When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.”
This explains why Jude, like his brother James, was not among the 12 disciples. But Paul records something remarkable in 1 Corinthians 15:7: “After that, he was seen of James, then of all the apostles.” It is striking that Jesus chose to appear to James—one who had not believed in Him—before appearing to the disciples who had followed Him. It suggests that James, and later Jude, became believers after the risen Christ appeared to James personally.
A Servant of Christ Moved by His Spirit
Jude, like James, addresses himself as a “servant of Jesus Christ”, choosing reverence for Jesus over a claim to familial ties. Yet in the same breath he acknowledges being the “brother of James” which humbly affirms his identity without pridefully elevating himself. This shows how deeply Jude came to believe in Jesus—a belief strong enough to transform him from an unbeliever into a leader in the early church. As someone whose life was personally changed by the resurrection, Jude’s teachings carried a weight that a distant observer, even one trained by the apostles or Paul himself, could not possess.
Jude’s letter shows just how deeply concerned he was with the direction and stability of the early church. Though his epistle is only one chapter, its intent is direct and unmistakable. In verse 3 he writes, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”
By using the term of endearment “beloved” he shows his compassion for the early Church, while the term “needful” shows his deep concern. It also reveals that he was being moved by the Spirit as he wrote. His original intention was to write about what he refers to as the “common salvation.” Common salvation is the universal gift of being saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ—the shared outcome all Christians enjoy. But the “faith delivered to the Saints” is something different. It is the Gospel itself—the good news, the message, the truth that our faith is built upon and that upholds our salvation. Jude is not only showing that the Gospel itself was in danger, but was also distinguishing between the outcome of salvation and the foundation that produces it.
A Protector of the Gospel and the Church
Like all the apostles after Jesus, Jude was deeply concerned with false teachers slipping into the Church and twisting the truth of the Gospel. This is the reason for his change in direction—from wanting to write about our common joy in our shared salvation to feeling compelled to write about protecting the truth of the Gospel itself. Jude knew that a corrupted message produced a distorted salvation.
Jude was highly aware of the stealthy infiltration of false teachers into the early church. As a leader, it was within his authority—and his responsibility—to warn believers who were unaware of the spiritual “spies” among them whose only intent was to twist the Gospel. They perverted the Gospel by teaching that because God forgives sin, immorality—including sexual lewdness—were acceptable lifestyles for believers. These false teachers would prey on the minds of the early believers and new converts, whose faith was still growing and had not yet taken root in their hearts. Teaching them to deny that a risen Jesus had the authority to set moral standards for their lives. Because he was well-versed in the Old Testament, he knew the fate awaiting such false teachers when he wrote in verse 4, “The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago.”
What Jude writes in verses 5-7 shows that the human mind has not changed since the beginning of mankind. And this means that since human nature has not changed, neither has God’s judgment. In verse 5 he writes: “I will therefore put you in remembrance though you once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not” This was a stark reminder to his readers that the sin of unbelief leads to eternal separation from God.
In verse 6 Jude turns to the disobedient angels: “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day.” These angels rejected God’s authority and sealed their own fate. Here Jude is showing that if God’s celestial beings will receive punishment on judgment day for their rebellion, so will all of mankind who rebels against Him.
Then in verse 7 he reminds us that Sodom and Gomorrah are examples of the judgment of sexual immorality. Writing that they are “suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
Jude reminds believers—then and now—of the price for unbelief, disobedience, and sexual immorality. These were the most prevalent sins in ancient times, and they remain the most prevalent sins today.
Believers Today Face the Same Enemies
As believers, we must guard ourselves and our faith from the arrogance of nonbelievers and even Christians in name only—those who claim the title of Christian but do not carry themselves with Christian values. The nonbeliever can be highly influential, often boasting of their own abilities and even mocking God. Because of their lack of understanding, they reject the thought of being judged by a higher authority, choosing instead to create their own moral standards—following their own moral compass. Their aim is to make the believer self-conscious, even embarrassed about their faith, targeting us when emotions are high and circumstances are difficult. In those vulnerable moments, believers can become entangled with nonbelievers just as many Israelites did in antiquity.
Those who claim to follow Christ but walk in the flesh and not the Spirit can be even more dangerous than those that deny God altogether. This is because the Christian in name only often has a seductive tongue, using phrases such as “thanks to my Lord and Savior” or “by the grace of God” when speaking with believers who trust their word at face value. They are highly manipulative and self-seeking, and have no shame about using the Lord’s name in vain with unsuspecting believers who are sincere in their walk with Christ. This type of false believer is often a prime target of false teachers and evil spirits, to use as an object of contention, and to even cast doubt about the faith of a true believer.
Just as it was in Jude’s day, false teachers and nonbelievers who mock the faith are unavoidable. Jude knew this, and in verse 9 he gives the example of Michael the Archangel disputing with the devil over the body of Moses. Michael did not insult or condemn the devil; instead, he simply said “The Lord rebuke you.” In a similar manner, when we as believers are being attacked by those the evil one works through, we are to show restraint. We do not repay insult with insult, and we do not raise our voices to match theirs. We stand firm in our faith and walk away, knowing that those who oppose God bring judgment on themselves, for “vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19).
At all costs, followers of Christ are to avoid false teachers and false believers, or else risk going “in the way of Cain.” Cain allowed his wounded pride to turn into anger at God and jealousy toward Abel. We learn from Ephesians 4:26: “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry…” Yet Cain allowed his anger to grow into jealousy, jealousy into hatred, and hatred into murder. Wounded pride can bring devastating results for a believer. Imagine if Jesus had responded to the Pharisees according to their provocation—it would have given leverage to the doubts they cast about Him, creating a ripple effect among the people. Believers today must guard themselves against provocation meant to make them respond according to the flesh. Jesus warns in Matthew 26:41: “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” This warning should serve as a reminder of the reality of evil temptation and the power of prayer against it.
Knowing the Word Protects From Joining the Sins of Others
In verse 11, Jude warns of those who “ran greedily after the error of Balaam, for reward…” Balaam’s error was greed—compromising his obedience to God for financial gain. It is the same spirit we see today in so-called prosperity preachers who exploit the Gospel for personal profit. As believers, we must know the Word for ourselves so that we avoid joining the sins of others, including those who treat the church as an income stream. When believers support such individuals and enable them to continue in their deception, it is as if they share in the sin with them. Paul warns of this in 1 Timothy 5:22b: “neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.”
We must guard ourselves not only from false teachers, but also from spiritual “dreamers” who lead believers into rebellion, or else we risk perishing “in the rebellion of Korah.” Numbers 16 records the story of Korah, a Levite who led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, challenging their God-given authority as spiritual and moral leaders of Israel. What appeared to be a call for equality was actually rooted in envy, pride, and selfish ambition. Today, we recognize these same traits in cult leaders and the cult followings they create. As Christians, we should absolutely stand for equality, justice, and the dignity of others—especially the less fortunate. We must know the Word for ourselves to avoid being seduced by leaders who use inequality, injustice, and the threat to rights and freedoms to lure the Christian heart into what amounts to rebellion against culture, society, and even the church itself.
We are not to join in rebellion of leadership when the true motive is selfish ambition. We have seen this happen in modern times, particularly when pastors, ministers, and preachers entangle themselves in political movements. Standing against sin in our culture is what the church should do. But the church should never join itself with political leadership for political influence and financial gain, nor to create fame for church leaders. While church leaders are called to shepherd the flock, believers are never to rest their faith solely on the credentials of others. God’s Word was not inspired for or written only to theologians and church leaders—it was written for all who are willing to open their hearts to God. And His children must regard His Word as intimate communication from their Father in Heaven. This is how we build a relationship with God, live by the example of Christ, and allow ourselves to be led by the Holy Spirit.
The Ungodly Among the Godly
“Ungodly” means not accepting God; sinful; wicked; refusing to conform to God’s standards. It is a word seldom used today, yet it perfectly describes much of our global culture. Jude not only draws parallels between false teachers and all who rebel against God—he also uses the word ungodly in verse 15 to describe them: “To execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
It may be difficult to accept, but ungodly actors can be found in church settings. Jude addresses some of them in verse 12 calling them “spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear.”
We know from 1 Corinthians 13 that the word ‘charity’ in King James and older translations is the Greek word agapē, meaning love. In Jude 13, the Greek word agapai, meaning the act of love, is used. So “feasts of charity” refers to love-feasts—communal meals held by the early church to express their Christian love, unity, and fellowship. As a child, I remember attending the fish fry the church I attended would have every few Sundays. This was common among African American churches in the 70’s and 80’s. Other churches would have potluck dinners. These meals would be similar to the “feasts of charity” that Jude is addressing.
Jude is pointing out not only false teachers, but also Christians in name only who claimed the name of Christ yet had no genuine love for the body of believers. They attended the love-feasts without caring for their brothers and sisters in Christ, having no desire to serve, encourage, and build up the Church—but only to satisfy their own selfish desires. This is not unlike today, where we see many attend church as an illustration of their belief rather than a heartfelt need to worship and fellowship with other believers. Some may even donate goods or attend church functions, enhancing their Christian image, while hardly exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit in their daily walk. We are warned about such individuals not so we can judge them, but so we can identify them—and avoid being entangled with them or becoming like them.
He further describes these false teachers and false-believers as “clouds without water” meaning they give the appearance of having faith, yet their faith is dry and empty—unable to nourish the soul by providing the “living water” of Christ (John 4:10). He goes on to say they are “carried about of winds“, suggesting that whatever belief they claim is not rooted in truth. Instead their doctrines would change with every new and popular idea; they were without conviction and unable to offer spiritual direction.
Jude continues: “Trees whose fruit withers, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots.” This illustrates that their teachings cannot produce the fruit of the Spirit and therefore have no spiritual benefit—their message and beliefs are spiritually dead. These are those whom Jesus addressed in Matthew 7:23 when He quite plainly stated: “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Just as Jesus does not recognize them as brothers and sisters, we are to recognize their ungodliness—not so we can judge them, but so we can protect ourselves, guard the image of the Christian faith, and avoid teachings that pervert and even abuse the Word of God.
Warnings That Encourage Self Examination
Jude was offering a warning, not a condemnation, to the believers he was writing. His epistle moves from the dark tone of warning to the Light and promise given to believers. Reminding us in verse 18 that the Apostles had already spoken of a time when there would be “mockers of God who will walk after their own lusts” (2 Peter 3:3). Jude is not introducing a new threat—he is reminding those he ministered to of what the early Church had already taught.
While the exact year of Jude’s writing cannot be determined, most scholars agree that it was written in the late first century, somewhere between mid-60’s AD and 80 AD. This means he may have been very familiar with the teachings of the apostles, including Peter. Peter wrote his second epistle around 64 AD, warning believers of the very same dangers. This overlap shows how real and immediate the threat was to Christianity in its infancy—and the understanding early Church leaders had of the need to protect the faith from corruption.
Jude encourages us to examine what we have been taught about God, Christ, and the Word, because these truths form the foundation our faith is built upon. He emphasizes our relationship with the Holy Spirit—especially through Spirit-led prayer—which he highlights in verses 20: “But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit.” Jude understood that firmly rooted faith, especially in difficult times, requires the work of the Spirit strengthening the believer. When we do not always know what to pray for, the Spirit does (Romans 8:26).
Eternal Life is Still the Pillar Our Faith Rests On
Today, eternal life does not seem to be the pillar of faith that it was for the early believers. Their faith—and their hope—rested on the promise of eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven. All of the New Testament writers express looking forward to a resurrected life. But Jude goes further by directly instructing us in verse 21: “keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” He reminds us that eternal life is a pillar of our faith and not simply a doctrine. The promise of eternal life sustains our faith as believers and should shape our choices. It is the promise that keeps us anchored in Christ.
This promise undergirds Jude’s final call for compassion among the Church body in verses 21-23: “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” Through reverence of our Lord, and love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, we are to pull those who stumble into darkness out of sin, and even out of the hands of nonbelievers. Jude reminds us that it is our faith in Christ that will keep us from falling into darkness, even though we ourselves may stumble while walking in the light.
We preserve the work of the Cross because it was the sacrifice that cleansed us from our sins and makes us righteous in the eyes of God. And in doing so, our lives bring glory to His name.
Scriptures About the Help of God in Protecting Faith
Psalm 46:1
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Isaiah 41:10
“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
1 Corinthians 16:13
“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.”
Philippians 1:27a
“Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”
Ephesians 6:11-12
“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
A Faith Based Prayer of Thanksgiving
Father God in Heaven, Your Spirit shows me how to share the faith I have in You through my words, actions, and deeds. Through true loving fellowship, the foundation of salvation is protected, false teachings are exposed, and eternal life is preserved as Your Spirit triumphs over the flesh. The cleansing work of the Cross saved me from sin and made me righteous in Your eyes. I thank You that it is You who keeps me from falling into darkness, even when I stumble in the light. As a servant of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I pray and give thanks in His holy name. Amen.
Trinitarian Benediction
May regarding God’s Word in your heart lead to an intimate relationship with Him.
May the example of the Lord Jesus Christ be the example you live by.
And may the guidance of the Holy Spirit lead you out of all darkness and into God’s eternal light.