Jude said it. Jude who thought his brother Jesus was out of his mind, but apparently had a change of mind and heart after His death and resurrection.
Jude wanted to talk about the gospel, “our common salvation” (v. 3). It’s all about the gospel, right? But no, sometimes it is necessary to defend the gospel, to “contend for the faith.”
Why does the gospel need defended? Because there are these people (v. 4). People “in” the church. but they don’t really belong there. They are described as ungodly. They have this startling, very un-godlike characteristic: they “turn the grace of our God into licentiousness [sensuality].” We expect the world to be confused about this, to promote sensuality. How can someone do this in the name of God? How can a minster of the grace of God be confused about this?
I don’t know how it happens, but it does happen today. I mean literally today, when I tuned into an online service at a contemporary church. An announcement about the current sermon series used as a background the country song “She’s Country” by Jason Aldean. Curious, I looked up the lyrics. Here a few excerpts: “sexy swinging’ walk… a hell raisin’ sugar when the sun goes down, mama taught her how to rip up a town… crazy mother trucker, undercover lover.” Any hints of sensuality there? Anything seem out of place at church?
Not out of place at this church. A fan of the church told me recently, “some of the most godly people I know listen to Lady Gaga.” Lady Gaga? Bisexual, erotic, poster child for sensuality Gaga? With her recent release of “Judas” you can add blasphemy to the list as well. If you want a pop icon to illustrate “not like God,” she would be it.
And grace teaches us that we have the liberty to listen to her? No, grace teaches us to deny ungodly lusts. Grace teaches us to live soberly, righteously, and godly. (Titus 2:11-12). To be blunt, grace and Gaga are opposites. If you make yourself a friend of the world, you will find yourself an enemy of God. That’s James, Jude’s brother, writing in James 4:4.
The pastor at this church said, “teach your young people to love Jesus and they will stay pure.” Teach your young people to love Lady Gaga and they won’t, I contend. Try to teach them both, and Jude says you need to be contended with. Our very faith is at stake.
They didn’t have Facebook in Jude’s day, but “I love Jesus” and “I love Gaga” on someone’s wall seems very much what Jude had in mind when he spoke of turning the grace of our God into sensuality. Do that, and you will find Jude contending with you. And James. And everyone that truly understands and loves the gospel.
This is my personal application and illustration of Mark Minnick’s three-part series on Jude 1:3-4.
