Jude urges us to "contend for the faith" in the midst of a godless culture. He also speaks boldly to the fact that much of that contention will be within the "gathered community".
Often the most destructive things in a believing community are not the attacks from the outside, but rather, the factions that emerge from within. Jude believed that not all those on the inside are truly on the "inside". These are the ones we should guard most vigilantly against.
Jude's solution was to continue to build ourselves up in faith, to pray that the Holy Spirit will keep us loving God and each other, and to expect the mercy of Jesus to be on our lives.
These are strong words.
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