Beware Of Spots In Our Feasts

Jude exhorted the faithful believers to “earnestly contend for the faith” (v. 3). Because there were certain false and corrupt religious teachers, who have found their way into the church and they were “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness” (v. 4), or into something immoral or shameful (Eph 4:19)! These malicious and “deceitful workers” (2 Cor 11:13), seek to “cause divisions” (Rom 16:17), and destroy the church.

Sadly, there are many pretenders today that befriend believers with the strategic purpose of finding out some dirt or past sins about them. They would twist and exaggerate some small facts against them through gossip (1 Pet 4:15), and “slander” (Prov 10:18), by using various social media platforms to deceive others (Mt 7:6). Instead of praying with them, they are actually preying upon them! They are like spots and blemishes, “sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you” (2 Pet 2:13). When gathering around with believers, such as during the ordinance of “the Lord’s supper” (1 Cor 11:20), these folks would turn that event into a scene of riot and disorder! However, the “eyes of the Lord are in every place” (Prov 15:3).

He can see all the sin “spots” in our lives. He can distinguish between the true believers in Christ (1 Pet 2:9), and those who “lie in wait to deceive” (Eph 4:14). As bible-believing Christians, we must be very careful with people who don’t render “fruits meet for repentance” (Mt 3:8). Our Lord Jesus instructed us that we can know them “by their fruits” (Mt 7:20). We need to pray for their salvation, just like when Paul prayed for Israel to get saved (Rom 10:1). We must protect ourselves by putting “on the whole armour of God” (Eph 6:11), and learning to “discern” (Mal 3:18), so we can keep our lives “unspotted from the world” (Jms 1:27)! God bless you!

- Pastor Melito Barrera