In the previous article, the text of Jude 1:3-4 mentioned that “ungodly” people had gotten into the church, and that those receiving Jude’s letter needed to fight for the true faith. The importance of preserving the truth about Jesus became even more clear when those verses explained that one of the things that this “ungodly” group was doing was to turn God’s grace into an excuse for doing ugly stuff.
In that light, the next few verses remind us that God’s grace and God’s mercy don’t preclude punishment for sins.
Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord at one time delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.
Jude 1:5-6 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/jud.1.5-6.NIV
Of course, God is powerful and He did rescue His people from slavery in Egypt. However, there are serious examples of punishment listed here. For one thing, Israelites who rebelled, lacked faith [Holloway, p.153-154], or turned to other gods were destroyed. Furthermore, angels who turned away from their role (who we might call demons) are chained up in darkness, and all they have to look forward to is judgment. In addition, Jude also reminds his readers (in verse 7) about the punishment on Sodom and Gomorrah.
I’ve heard God’s “ultimate quality” explained as being His holiness. Then, from this fundamental characteristic of being holy, He is both loving (from which we receive His grace and mercy) and just (so sin must be punished). Both of these principles are tied together in one of my favorite passages, Romans 3:25-26, where God – who was the only one who could do so – made a way to preserve the
“fairness” of the universe (since sin had to be punished) while still pronouncing us righteous (when we accept Jesus’ sacrifice as a substitute for what we deserve).
So, going back to the “problem group” that Jude was writing about, how could they try to claim God’s grace, but somehow think that they could still openly rebel against Him? Had they forgotten how God worked throughout history? Did they really think that they could practice the same sexually perverse behavior as those from Sodom and Gomorrah did, without receiving the same punishment as they did (see Genesis 19:1-29)? If God had to rain down brimstone on those cities for their behavior, I personally think that it makes a lot more sense for me to run away from those choices, even though I’m forgiven in Jesus.
After all, while history isn’t everyone’s favorite, it can teach us some valuable lessons if we pay attention. We might quote the saying, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it” (probably George Santayana, but the history on that quotation is a bit muddy), but it seems that this group in the first century – centuries before that phrase came to the English language – had plenty of history that they should have learned from.
In simple terms, being holy isn’t just a one-and-done decision; it requires continually inspecting what we let into our lives, feeding what is good and right, but also getting rid of what is wrong. So, may you and I both continually strive to be more like the ideal that God calls us to, even as we accept His forgiveness when we fall short.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for August 24, 2025
References:
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – James & Jude, by Gary Holloway. © 1996 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 