They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.
As Jude dives into the topic of his letter, we immediately understand that there are three groups of people involved.
The first group, the group that James is part of, are “loved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.”
The second group, not mentioned by name but implied, are the people of the world who do not know Jesus but need Him. These people are not “lost” to Christ, but neither are they yet “found.” The one thing about this group that applies to all of them is that none of them claim to be Christians.
The third group is the subject of James’ letter. These are the “ungodly” people. Worse, they masquerade as believers in Christ. They mislead people by perverting the grace of God into something that it is not. They teach that God approves of immorality and by many twisted means deny Jesus is our only Sovereign and Lord.
Jude offers three examples of what is in store for such people. Like the Israelites who died in the desert, like the wayward angels bound with everlasting chains, and like Sodom and Gomorrah were erased from the face of the earth by burning sulfur, so will these ungodly people be called out, bound in chains, and punished with eternal fire.
It is not a pretty picture, is it? Nobody likes to think of someone burning in eternal fire for… well … eternity. How could a loving God do this? One thing I am sure of, it is not out of any petty vindictive spirit. God is not like that. God is, however, a just God. Justice demands payment for wrongdoing.
As humans, we have a sense of what this means. We know when we have been wronged. We know what it means to get even. We also know intuitively, that “getting even” never really works out. If a spouse or child is killed by a bullet, killing the shooter or putting them in prison for life does not make up for the loss. Sometimes there is no way to even the score.
When we offend our Creator, we are really stepping in it. Like losing a loved one, there is nothing we can do to make up for the offense. Fortunately, our Creator loves us dearly. He sent his Son, Jesus, to pay the debts for those who accept Him as Lord. He paid for our sins and restores us to a relationship with our Father / Creator. Through the love of Jesus, we ourselves become children of God.
God doesn’t like it when people mess with His children. Certainly, immorality is bad. Sodom and Gomorrah deserved what they got. But if what they did is bad, how much worse is it to deceive God’s children and teach them that immorality is okay?
Application: Pray for the church today. Pray for those who are ”kept for Jesus” to have wisdom in dealing not only with the world but also with the ungodly among them.
Food for Thought: What is the defining characteristic of the people in the third group?
People who masquerade as believers are still of the world. They will think like the world, act like the world and ask others to do the same. So one defining characteristic is that they will be worldly in attitude and desire. 1 John 2: 15 – 16. They are either deceived or are deceivers or both.
Very well said Rich!
Rich,
Interesting point about being either deceived or deceivers or both. That brings to mind Matthew 23:15 where Jesus talks about the Pharisee’s converts being made “twice as much a child of hell” as they themselves are.
Seems like I read this earlier, looks like the root of the problem. “Deny Jesus is our only Sovereign and Lord.”
Ron,
A key word in that quote is “only.” Jesus does not share his sovereignty with any manmade god. There is no other choice. Jesus is our only access to the Father. People who say that Jesus is “one way to heaven” deny Him.