Choose Your Mindset (Jude, Part 4)

Sorry I missed posting this last week. However, I will do three posts over the next week to keep on track with Jude (this one plus two more to finish!). I do not know about you but I was getting quite intrigued as reading through Jude to hear just what he would say next. It has been challenging.

Last time we started to hear just how relevant Jude’s words are to us today, and just why we should listen to them. God is speaking to us through them, and particularly into our society. There are those among us who live by jealousy, greed, and pride. We know what is marked out from them as has been revealed – and that is not eternity with Christ, which is our hope.

Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." - Jude 14-15

Judgement is coming! And it is going to be a time of much devastation – and much rejoicing. For everything which is done – so shall judgement come. While all are sinners, we who call ourselves Christians are born again of the Spirit in Jesus Christ – that we may know forgiveness of sins. Our God is a just and holy God; therefore judgement must come. But he is also a God of love, and by His grace he has saved a remnant.


We read in Philippians 2:9-11 -

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Where will you be and in what mind when every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord? Will it be in the light of forgiveness – of having been saved from the judgement deserved purely by grace, or in the light of condemnation – knowing the reality of the penalty you will suffer for eternity under right judgement?

Jude now continues in describing these men, these frauds, so that they might be recognised from among the flock of his people – this is how that jealousy, greed, and pride is shown in them, that we may recognise it. In so describing, Jude also describes how one would look who is walking in the Spirit – that is, the opposite to those who are not.

These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. - Jude 16-19

Not all have the Spirit, and it is these men whom do not that threaten to turn others astray. And what are we to do? Jude tells us quite clearly that we are not to run scared but remember what has been spoken already. In the last time there will be mockers who follow their own lusts, just as these frauds also do. We are in the last times, being after Jesus Christ has come and before his return. And so, here we can see one example of just how this is so. However, in remembering the words which were ‘spoken to us’, what we need to also do is remember the other words which were spoken, the words which hold the truth – the gospel. In remembering this and holding to this you will also be less likely to be swayed by persuasive words, but keep to the one true gospel.

Now my question to you – we hear in Jude 19 how these people without the Spirit cause divisions amongst us – what divisions can you see within ‘Christian’ communities (or community) which may have been caused by such mindsets?

Coming up: Jude Part 5

God Bless

Personal Symbolism

So, I suppose the first question is what do I mean by personal symbolism? I think I can safely say that the universal symbol for Christians or Christianity is 'the cross'. Many take that one step further and take the crucifix but that too is the cross, just with Jesus still on it.

We, each of us, have things - images, symbols, objects - which remind us of something else. This is symbolism. Within the church we use a lot of symbolism - more so I think, or perhaps just different, in traditional services. The cross up the front to remind us of what Jesus has done for us. Holy Communion is also symbolism - the bread, his body; the wine, his blood. In traditional services, the incence and ringing of bells as a symbol (what the symbolism is here can differ between denominations).

The thing with symbolism is that care always needs to take place that it does not become idolatry (particuarly in regards to the church and matters of faith), that is putting all your care and praise towards the image rather than what the image is representing. The purpose of symbols is to remind us of something more, not just get caught up in it.

Now to address the 'personal' part of this blog. We choose our own symbols to remind us of different things. You may have 10 people with 10 different symbols all representing or reminding them of the same thing. Or similarly have 10 people all with the same symbol reminding them of 10 different things.

One way in which people show symbols is through body art, or tattoo's. Initials of a person you love, a flower to remind you of the field where you were engaged, southern cross because you are australian, a snake or tiger because that's the year you were born in (chinese calendar), or perhaps a word like destiny because that's what you believe in. There are many, but when it comes down to it, it is only things which people see as important to them which they get tattooed on them. Sometimes, this might just be because it looks cool and that is what is importat to them but more often than not, it is a symbol, and what is behind the symbol is why they have it.

This is a picture of my tattoo and next week I will tell you the symbolism behind it. Take a guess at it if you like in the comments - see if you can cover everything.

In this blog we've looked at different kinds of things which people have for personal symbols to represent different things, my question for you is what do you have a symbol for?

Coming up: 'Unpacking Personal Symbolism'

God Bless