Giuda 1:3

Miei cari, quando diedi ogni diligenza per scrivervi della comune salvezza, fu necessario per me scrivervi e esortarvi a lottare strenuamente per la fede che una volta fu trasmessa ai santi.

Alcuni hanno pensato (e non vedo alcun motivo per confutarlo) che Giuda, quando si accorse che la sua mente era stata indirizzata per la prima volta a scrivere alla Chiesa, intendeva aver seguito la stessa condotta che avevano seguito gli altri apostoli, Paolo e Giacomo; e di aver parlato della comune salvezza. Aveva in vista di soffermarsi principalmente su quegli argomenti che riguardavano la Persona, la gloria e gli uffici del Signore Gesù Cristo.

Ma che trovò la sua mente dominata dallo Spirito Santo, per dichiarare piuttosto alla Chiesa, le cose che appartenevano all'apostasia degli ultimi giorni; e, nel portare davanti a loro la sorprendente differenza tra gli eletti di Dio ei reprobi, poteva esortarli ardentemente a lottare per la fede una volta consegnata ai santi. Se questa congettura sia giusta o no, non lo determinerò; ma è ben certo che tutto il fardello di questa benedetta Lettera è diretto a questo unico scopo, nel tracciare il confine, tra i fedeli e gli empi.

For, from the end of this verse, to the end of the nineteenth verse, (Giuda 1:3) the Apostle only speaks of the mockers of the last times, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts, and whose characters were of old ordained to this condemnation, being separate from the Lord's own people, sensual, and having not the Spirit.

So that, if we take the Epistle into one view, after the exordium, from this verse to the end, the Apostle treats but of the two distinct classes of people; namely, the reprobate, whose features of character he draws at large; and the lord's people, who are sanctified by God the Father, preserved in Jesus Christ, and called. To these latter, the Apostle, in a very blessed and affectionate manner addresseth himself, and closeth the Epistle. We will follow the Apostle through both.

But, before we go further, I would beg the reader to consider, with me, what a strength of argument is in this verse, for every child of God to regard, what Jude saith of this holy, and earnest contention, for the faith once delivered to the saints. What that faith is, the New Testament, in the inspired writings of the Evangelists and the Apostles, most plainly, and fully shew. The great and leading doctrines of the Gospel, in the everlasting love of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, more or less, are in every page.

The Person, glory, blood shedding, and righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ, with redemption only in his blood, and regeneration only by God the Holy Ghost; these are the bottom, and foundation of all our mercies. To contend for these, and with earnestness, is to contend for the very life of our souls. An indifferency, or coldness to the open profession of these glorious truths in ourselves, or to the denial of them in others, is wounding the Redeemer, in the house of his friends.

It is high treason to the Majesty of God. It is traitorously admitting the enemy into our citadel. I leave the reader to his own thoughts, how far the present day is awfully marked with this character; when the general, yea, I had almost said, the universal plan of professors, is to coalesce, and not suffer mere points of doctrine, as they are called, to interrupt the common philanthrophy of the times.

What the Apostle Jude would have said, had he lived to have seen it, may be easily gathered from his earnest exhortation in this verse! And what God the Spirit, the Almighty Minister in his Church, always watching over it, shall judge, cannot be difficult to conceive.