Bible Quiz 17
(How well do you know the New Testament?)
133. Was a whole book of the New Testament written about: (a) false teachers who distort grace and (b) the importance of Christians fighting against that false grace message?
(Yes, it was Jude.)
134 Does that alone speak loud and clear about the importance of this issue?
(Yes, it is clear and obviously very important.)
135. Was Jude initially eager to write about a different subject than the false grace teachers? If so, what was that subject?
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints. For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. (Jude 3,4)
(Jude was initially very eager to write about salvation, yet this problem with a false grace being preached was more urgent. Imagine that! ALL Christians needed to be warned of this problem and encouraged to contend against that false doctrine. EVERY Christian has that responsibility and COMMAND, according to the Holy Spirit, who inspired Jude to write that! Dear reader, are you obeying that COMMAND?)
136. To refute, in part, the counterfeit grace in his day, Jude referred to the Israelite deliverance out of Egypt. What did he say happened which is related to the problem with grace?
Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. (Jude 5)
(Jude referred to those who were once delivered by God, then afterwards destroyed by God! God saved them, then destroyed them. That was, in part, his Scriptural refutation to the counterfeit grace message. That also sounds like a solid point against the counterfeit grace of our day too.)
137. What point opposing the false grace of that day, did he make with the angels who fell?
And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day. (Jude 1:6)
(The angels that didn’t “keep” for themselves what they had, lost it and ended up in darkness bound with everlasting chains. Hence, just like the angels, Christians are also responsible to keep what they have spiritually so they don’t lose it. Jesus taught:
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. (Rev 3:11)
138. What related point did he make with Sodom and Gomorrah?
In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 7)
(The Sodomites are examples of sexually immoral people, who went to eternal fire after their death. [There is no Universalism, nor are there Christian fornicators.])
139. Were the false grace teachers similar to the Sodomites?
In the very same way, these dreamers pollute their own bodies, reject authority and slander celestial beings. (Jude 8)
(Those dreamers [or false grace teachers] spiritually polluted their bodies like the Sodomites did through sexual immorality. 2 Peter 2:14 says they have eyes full of adultery.)
140. Are the false grace teachers abusive in their speech about what they don’t understand?
Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals—these are the very things that destroy them. (Jude 10)
(Yes. The once saved always saved people frequently speak abusively against Christians, who are obeying the Lord Jesus.)
141. Are those same false teachers in serious trouble with God? If so, why?
Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion. (Jude 11)
(Yes, they are in very serious trouble with God. They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.)
142. Does rushing for profit into Balaam’s error imply those false teachers taught falsely to get money?
(Yes. Balaam is an OT character who gave advice to an enemy country of Israel to ensnare Israel spiritually for the financial gain he would get! See Rev. 2:14; etc.)
143. Can false grace teachers be in the office of shepherd, that is, [false] pastor? Also, are they unsaved, even though they are in that influential position?
These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. (Jude 12)
(Yes, they can be called by the title of pastor, evangelist, deacon, missionary, author, apologist, humanitarian, etc., but they are not genuine! They can be very popular, but are unsaved people—spiritually dead.)
144. Has blackest darkness been prepared for the false grace teachers?
They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever. (Jude 13)
(Yes, again proving they are unsaved.)
145. Do the false grace teachers follow their own evil desires, instead of following Jesus?
These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. (Jude 16)
(Yes.)
146. Is it the false grace teachers who are divisive rather than Christians who obey God’s command to contend for the faith?
These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. (Jude 19)
(Yes.)
147. Do the false grace teachers have the Spirit of God?
These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. (Jude 19)
(No, which makes sense since they are unsaved people headed for blackest darkness, not God’s kingdom. They are not Christians, even though they claim to be.)
148. Are Christians told to build themselves up in their most holy faith?
But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. (Jude 20)
(Yes, it is our personal responsibility under true grace to do this.)
149. Is God able to keep us from falling?
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. (Jude 24,25)
(Yes, but we are also to keep ourselves pure [1 Tim. 5:22], keep ourselves from idols [1 John 5:21], etc. NOTE: Question #150.)
150. Does the Biblical record show that any Christians have ever fallen and/or fallen away, even though God is able to keep us from falling?
They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. (Luke 8:13)
Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’” (Mat 26:31)
(Yes, those verses and others prove the saved must have a part in what occurs after salvation. If it was 100% left to God, no one would ever fall or fall away, since God does everything perfectly and desires all to be saved.)
151. Does their fall logically prove that God will not keep someone who turns away from him to wickedness?
(Yes, even though it is his will that none perish. Remember: Sin brings forth spiritual death when the righteous turn to evil. See http://www.evangelicaloutreach.org/spiritualdeath.htm )