Monday, 23 June 2008

The Deterioration of the world (1 John 2:17)

And the world passes away, and its lust: but he that does the will of God abides for ever.

The demolishing of worldly lust (v. 17a)

Now the last reason given by John as to explain why Christians should stop loving the world is because the deterioration of the world. The world that God created perfectly has become under the power of sinful behaviors. Sins have controlled the world and none can stop it. On the other hand God has decided to destroy the world according to His timing. The sinful deeds of the world have reached their fullness and God has planned what is best for the world. This will be the final end for the world and its system.

The apostle John gives a different aspect of the demolishing of worldly lust. This is seen in the verb ‘paragetai’ (Present Middle Indicative). Its present tense denotes the ongoing process of passing away. It is the Descriptive Present in its syntactical usage. Whereas its middle voice denotes that the act of passing away will occur by itself. The final goal or destination of the world is the passing away by itself. This is to say that whatever things the world is doing and thinking best for her will be for her destruction. George rightly commented when he said, “Verse 17 gives the second reason for John’s command not to love the world. It talks about the transitory nature of the material things (cf. 1 Cor. 7:31), and verb is in the present tense, points to the ongoing process of disintegration.” Calvin said it in another way, “I take lust here metonymically, as signifying what is desired or coveted, or what captivates the desires of men. The meaning is, that what is most precious in the world and deemed especially desirable, is nothing but a shadowy phantom.”

The contrast of loving the world and doing the will of God (v. 17b)

At the last phrase of this periscope, John gives the contrast of loving the world and doing the will of God. This contrast is introduced by the use of conjunction ‘but.’ However the two verbs in verse 17 also show its contrast. The verb used here is ‘menei’. It is in the Present Active Indicative third Singular. This verb is being contrasted to the verb ‘paragetai.’ The two verbs are in the present tense which convey the meaning of ongoing process but they differ in the voice. The verb ‘menei’ is in the active voice which denotes the active action of the subject namely the one who is doing the will of God. The participle ‘poion’ also is written in the present active which also conveys the idea of being actively doing the will of God. This is not referring to one who does the will of God according to what he thinks or likes but rather a constant desire and actively doing the will of God in his life. There is an ongoing actively doing the will of God, no matter the circumstances are, he will continue in the area of doing what God has commanded in His word. “All the vanity of this evil world with its devices is passing away. It has already begun to purify. It is a corpse not yet buried. But the person who really does the will of God has the breath of eternal life.” Calvin gave a remark on this passage, “Were any one to object and say, that no one doeth what God commands, the obvious answer is, that what is spoken of here is not the perfect keeping of the law, but the obedience of faith, which, however imperfect it may be, is yet approved by God.”

CONCLUSION

The command to separate from the world is truly a command for holiness. It is a very test of every true believer in his relationship with God. God commands his followers to be holy as He is Holy. Such command is not an option but an imperative command and a must. The apostle John realized the nature of God’s command to holiness. Thus John reminds the Christians of the threefold of temptations in which Adam and Eve succumbed and fell into sins. If Adam and Eve could fail to obey God while they were still sinless, Satan knows that all Adam’s generation can succumb to his temptations.

Christians must love God and hates the world and its lust because the world is in the process of passing away. Whatever the world has; the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life will lead its destruction. Only those who love God and His commandment will remain forever. It is the desire of God that every true believer will love Him and His Word.

The Gratification of Worldly Lusts (1 John 2:16)

For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

The apostle John described the worldly things into three facets. They were the old patterns used by Satan to succumb our first parents to his will (cf. Genesis 3:1-8). As a result, Adam and Eve had fallen into sin that caused all human kind also sinned because they were the representative of human being and through them the human kind regenerated. Because our first parents have fallen into sin through these three ways, Satan understood the weaknesses of human being. If Adam and Eve could fail to follow the commandments of the Lord when they were at time still sinless, it is surely much easier for Satan to defeat the rest of the human being. He used these threefold method of temptation to prompt the people to do the sinful things which are the worldly lust.

The lust of the flesh (v. 16a)

It is important to note that 1 John 2:15 is one sentence, and verse 16 is another sentence as well in the Greek Bible. However though verse 16 is a dependent sentence, the thought conveys in this verse is an explanation of verse 15. George commented, “In verse 16, the opening ‘hoti’ introduces a parenthetical verification to explain more fully why love for the world is incompatible with love for God. It is because everything in the world is not from God but from the world itself.” Whatever in the world it is for the gratification of the world lust. The apostle John said that ‘all that is in the world’ is on contrary to the will of God. In order to give the full meaning of the phrase ‘in the world’ ‘to en to kosmo’ John explains it in three aspects.

First aspect of the gratifications of the world lust is the phrase ‘the lust of the flesh.’ The genitive use of ‘the lust of the flesh’ can be understood in two ways: first as the ablative of source which means, the desire or lust that comes from the flesh, second as the subjective genitive which denotes the lust or desire that produced by flesh. The second is the most appropriate meaning according to the context. As George further explains, "The desire or craving that has its origin in the flesh. epitumia may in itself be either good or bad. It is used three times in the New Testament with a good meaning (Luke 22:15; Phil 1:23; 1 Thess 2:17), but predominantly it carries the sense of evil desire. It is to be clarified, however, that the desires God has placed in the human body in themselves are not sinful but become sinful when used for illegitimate purposes."

As the apostle explained the meaning of ‘all’ here, he understood that this word referred to the lust that comes from the flesh. It is important to note that John does not use the word soma to refer to body but rather he uses the more specific word ‘sarx’ to refer to the flesh. This implies that this desire that comes from the flesh, in which many people have fallen to, is something that gives satisfaction to the flesh, or something that can make someone temporary feel good.

The apostle Paul has used this term to explain the desire of those who do not possess the Spirit of God. He used the term “the works of the flesh” to sum up the various kind of things that flesh can produce from within. It was the desire of the flesh within that produces the works of the flesh. Thus Paul gave a list of works of the flesh such as, “adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings” (Gal. 5:19-21). In the modern day, there are a lot of things that can be said as to confirm the desire of the flesh. But those who love God, they must separate from them as Paul said, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Ro. 13:14), “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Ro. 8:13).

The true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ must not yield their body unto uncleanness (Ro. 6:19), nor walk after the flesh but after the Spirit (Ro. 8:1, 4). The command to love not the world is not only for the readers of the epistle of John but also applied to the believers in this generation. Whosoever believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit dwells in him and the same Spirit will lead him to walk according to the will of God. As Paul said to the church of Galatians, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Gal. 5:16-17).

The lust of the eyes (v. 16b)

The second aspect of the gratification of the worldly lust is the phrase ‘the desire of the eye.’ The use of genitive in this phrase also employs the subjective genitive which conveys the idea of eyes that produce the lust. This refers to seeing the unlawful things that finally stimulates the lust of the flesh. George explains it this way, “This denotes to the cravings and lust stimulated by what is seen. The expression points to man’s covetous and acquisitive nature or to the desire of seeing unlawful things.

Truly the eye is the center and direction of outward human body. The Bible said, “The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Mt. 6:22-23). Too often people commit sins because what they have seen and then imagine and explore them in their minds and hearts. The greatest temptation man ever encounters is what he has seen and desired to grasp and obtain it whether through legal and illegal, or legitimate and illegitimate, or right and wrong. The impact of the eye on a person is tremendously great. It is for this fact that the Old Testament Law described it as most influence in the life of many people. Thus, the command was “if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out” (Mrk 9:47). Though a person might not commit sins physically, and yet the same person can commit a greater sin in his heart because what he has seen though the eye.

The pride of life (v. 16c)

The third aspect as the gratification of the worldly lust is the phrase ‘the pride of life.’ The word ‘tou biou’ does not refer to life in the same meaning with ‘zoe’ but rather it refers to ‘living’ or ‘livelihood.’ In other word, “the word ‘alazoneia’ here refers to boasting and arrogance (cf. James 4:16). biou means life, and here emphasizes the temporal and material aspects of human existence” It is so common for the world to boast of their living, what they have, and how respectful they are in society. People are tempted to do their uttermost in order to reach to that kind of status. Pride is the most subtle enemy of human being.

This was true to the fact that our first parents had fallen into this type of sin. The desire to be equal with God was the most longed in their hearts as Satan persuaded them to rebel against God through their disobedient to the word of God. Fatal punishment was just near the corner. Adam and Eve fell into a greatest sin that immersed all his generation into a sinful nature (Gen. 3:1-7). The danger of pride is so severe and yet pride is one of the most common practices seen in daily life. It’s for that reason, John commanded the believers to stop loving the world and its lust because it is the way to destruction.

Believers are commanded to separate themselves from these practices because it is on contrary to what God wants. God desires that every believer should live a holy life for it is the will of God for eternal life. None is indispensable. Everyone is an object of these temptations. Christian should guard their steps. Because of the danger of this sin, Paul exhorted the Philippians, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory: but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves” (Phil 2:3). This was said to the believers at Philippi because everyone is the object of this temptation regardless they are Christians or non-Christians. As Calvin said, “In the last place follows pride or haughtiness; with which I connected ambition, boasting, contempt of others, blind love of self, headstrong self-confidence.”

The last part of verse 16 explains that the three aspect of the gratification of the worldly lust expounded above was not derived from God “is not of the Father, but is of the world” because God only desires holiness and perfection. God is not like man who seeks gratification from the worldly lust. God’s perfect desire is to see His beloved people walking according to the light and not according to the darkness. Thus John rightly said that God was not the sources of these worldly lusts but it is from the world. John used the conjunction ‘alla’ to show the contrast of the source of the lust of the world.

The Command to avoid loving the world (1 John 2:15)

Do not love the world, neither the things in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

The exertion to prevent loving the world (v. 15a)

This is an exhortation of John to separate from the world. John used the present active imperative agapate as the main verbs for this section. The use of this present imperative with mh; implied that before the command was given by John, the recipients of this epistle have continued loving and being part of the world. When they believed in Christ, apparently they were lack of knowledge of how they should conduct themselves according to the ways of God. It pictured the state of their hearts which still attached to the worldly desires. Therefore John gave this command that the recipients should stop loving the world. They should stop what they have been doing pertaining loving the world. Whatever facets of love that practiced must be stopped for it is on contrary to the practice and desire of the believers. Hiebert rightly commented on this use of prohibition, “The form marks a standing prohibition and may imply that the readers were prone to do so but must stop this evil practice. But the prohibition may simply prohibit a practice without implying that it is actually being done. It is a danger against which they must constantly be on guard.”

The imperative verb agapate functions as the main verb where all clauses in verses 15-17 subordinate to this verb. Because of agapate was in the present imperative, the command not to love has the force of continues or repeated action. In other words, the command is something needs to be uttered repeatedly as to remind the recipients the important of the command. And because of the continuous impact of the command it is applicable even to this present time. The apostle John still continues exhorting the Christians to avoid loving the world.

John used the term ‘world’ in this epistle as he used in his gospel (John 3:13) but differ in its meaning. John mentioned it 6 times in these 3 verses. The word ‘kosmos’ here refers to “human society, temporarily controlled by the power of evil, organized in opposition to God.” This is to say, whatever thing that is on contrary to the will of God is opposition to God. John further emphasized with the followed phrase ‘mede ta to kosmo’ ‘neither the things in the world.’ He commanded the believers to stop loving the world and things associate with. The definite article Neuter Plural ‘ta’ depicts the collective idea referring to worldly things. Calvin rightly commented, “He said before that the only rule for living religiously, is to love God; but as, when we are occupied with the vain love of the world, we turn away all our thoughts and affections another way, this vanity must first be torn away from us, in order that the love of God may reign within us.” Lenski commented, ""Nor the things of the world” points to the individual deceptive treasures, pleasure, honors of the world, its wealth, its power, its wisdom, etc. we are not forbidden to admire, appreciate, use aright the nature things of this earth as much as relatives, friends, fatherland, the beauties and grandeur of nature, home, occupation, and the thousands of useful, attractive, valuable things which God has put around us. But whatever in its connection, tendency, and influence is hostile to God, to Christ and to his kingdom, however alluring or attractive it may otherwise appear, is “a thing of the world” to which we must be hostile since we belong to God, to Christ and to his kingdom."

Having stated the kind of command as the main verb of the whole pericope, the apostle developed the assumption of probability of something was confirmed to what he had forbid doing the worldly things. In the conditional statement, he used the subjunctive mood to convey the thought of probability in which implied there would be some people who would show deliberately as loving the world. The phrase ‘if any man loves the world’ is truly a subordinate clause to ‘love not the world’ in which the statement implies that having commanded to stop loving the worldly things, and yet if any man still loves the worldly things, he declares himself as not having relationship with God. It was the intention of the apostle that if anyone was in that condition should understand that he did not have any relationship with God. People who claim to be Christians will be tested just based on this truth. He might ask himself whether his heart inclines to the fact that he is loving the world or on contrary to it.

There was an exertion to prevent whosoever loving the world. The Lord Jesus Christ deliberately stated, “if ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). The same person who wrote the Gospel of John exerted the same command in his epistle that the true sign of those who love God is by showing their commitment in keeping the commandments of the Lord. Apart from this truth was disobedient to the Lord. Furthermore, Jesus also said the same as the above, “My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me” (John 10:27). True believer in the Lord Jesus Christ has a heart to hear the voice of God – His commandments and to follow what He had commanded. For that reason, the apostle continues to say, ‘the love of the Father is not in him.’ This is the most applicable test till this present age.

The thrust of this passage is to command the believers to pursue holiness and to separate from the world because the world is passing away but the will of God remains for eternity.

The prerequisite of loving the Father against loving the world (v. 15b)

As John developed his arguments of forbidding believers to love the world, he further explained that if anyone still persists to love the world and its lust, John said, ‘the love of the Father is not in him.’ This is a very clear and strong assertion. The genitive ‘the love of the Father” is used only here in the New Testament. The use of genitive here could be understood three ways. Firstly it could be ablative or source which means ‘love that comes from the Father.’ Secondly, it could be subjective genitive which means ‘Father’s love for the person involved.’ Thirdly, it could be objective genitive which means ‘the person’s love for the Father.’ The last could be more appropriate to the context. In other word it is the opposite of the love for the world. As George rightly commented, "Hence, John’s point is this: love for God and love for the world are by their very nature antagonistic to each other and cannot coexist. That is to say, commitment in any deep sense to worldly things inevitably militates against commitments to God. Thus, John’s imperative is clear: right behavior must follow right belief; because only by the former can the latter be confirmed."

Christians were often addressed by the apostles as beloved which conveyed the idea of being loved by God. The constant and consistent love of God continued shown to believers even before they were Christians. For God had shown His love toward sinners while they were yet sinners (cf. 1 Jn. 4:19). And God continues to express His love daily toward those whom He has chosen to be His followers. On the other hand, it is the desire of God He would be loved as He had manifested His love to believers. What an ungrateful life it was when a person had received so much love from the Master of love and yet shown nothing as a token of appreciation and gratefulness. It is a contradictive fact. A person whom God loved and saved definitely would show the desire and love toward Him through the way he worshipped Him and followed His commandment. But if anyone does not love God as he ought to, it declares the reality that that person does not belong to God the Father and is never beloved by God. As Calvin rightly said, “He proves by an argument from what is contrary, how necessary it is to cast away the love of the world, if we wish to please God; and this he afterwards confirms by an argument drawn from what is inconsistent; for what belongs to the world is wholly at variance with God.”

This is the danger of loving the world. For that reason, the apostle commanded believers to separate from the world and its lust. Those who do not separate from the world will be confirmed to the world. Separation from the world is the command to holiness for Christian living.

A Command to holiness for Christian living

INTRODUCTION TO 1 JOHN 2:15-17

Many have said that the letter of John did not demonstrate the features of an epistle as usually used during the first century epistles. Nonetheless the contents of the epistles clearly intended for a local church though John did not mention the name of a particular church. The manner and purpose of the writing was so vivid as to reaffirm the purpose of the gospel. When John wrote his Gospel, the purpose was “that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life” (Jn. 20:31). Whereas in this epistle, the purpose was laid as to “that your joy may be full” (1 Jn. 1:4), and “that ye may know that ye have eternal life” (1 Jn. 5:13). John’s main intention was to encourage the readers to have the confidence of salvation and the full joy that produced by the personal assurance of salvation.

Having laid the foundation, John realized the need of identifying the believers as the beloved and holy ones in the Lord Jesus Christ. John understood the readers were the people whom God chose and separated for Himself with a special purpose. As followers of Christ, believers must follow the standards set by Christ as a regulation to obtain an acceptance before God. The command to have a holy life is absolute (cf. 1 Pt. 1:16). In other words, believers should love holiness and hate wickedness.

John used the term of “kosmo"” as referring to wickedness and unholy things. The issue was that during the writing of this epistle there were people who taught wrong doctrines; they were false teachers and having the spirit of antichrists. The impacts of their teachings had reached out the community of believers and created confusions. It is therefore the thesis of this paper to ascertain the meaning of the command to love not the world as taught in the passage of 1 John 2:15-17. The immediate context of this passage is 1 John 2:12-14.

The Greek text used will be taken from the Textus Receptus, on which the King James Version of the English Bible is based. It is also the author’s belief that this is the most reliable Greek text and a proper understanding of God’s Word is possible only by studying His word from this and not any other version. Where required, references made to the English Bible will be taken from the King James Version. The writer believes that all sixty-six books of the Holy Bible are the verbally and plenarily inspired and preserved Word of God: innerant, infallableand authoritative in all that it asserts.

The historical-grammatical-canonical method of interpretation will be used for this exegesis. This paper will achieve its goal by presenting the historical background, the larger context of the book, the immediate context of the passage under consideration and then, the exegesis proper. It will thus show that there is a command to love not the world in the present day context and hence the epistle of John is applicable even today. There is therefore absolutely no mistake that it is in the Holy Scripture, for God made and makes and will make no mistakes.

Historical Background

Traditionally John the son of Zebedee was accepted as the author of this epistle. He was the last apostle died during the most advanced stage of Gnosticism. The subtle influence of its teaching had reached the community of believers, persuading them to depart from the true teaching of the Bible. Much confusions in the church occurred during the apostle wrote this epistle. This heretic embraced that matter is evil, thus the human body also had to be evil. This heretic rejected the fact that God could dwell in the human body and that Jesus had a human body but the spirit. It was for this reason that John had to declare the truth at the outset of his epistle as being a true eye witness of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 John 1:1-4). The damage was so severe, that though this heretic might not be in the church anymore, yet John continued to ground them with the true teaching in order to convince them on the true and right doctrines.

Tenny rightly summaries the teaching of Gnosticsm which existed in the time of John writing the epistle of John: "First John revealed rather sharply three characteristics of Gnosticsm that had serious implications for Christianity: (1) dualism, (2) illumination, (3) rejection of the incarnation. Dualistically, Gnosticsm held that matter was essentially evil and spirit was essentially good. Thus the human body and spirit had no effective contact with each other. Gnostics held that a redeemed soul in a sinful body was therefore not responsible for the deeds of that body. Such dualism led to anti-spiritual compromise on the part of some who professed Christ. . . . Salvation according to the Gnostics came from knowing theories rather than from faith in a Savior."

It was this teaching in view when John wrote his epistle. John exhorted the readers to follow the doctrines they had received and believed, but to reject all facets of Gnostics’ teachings. Thus in order to bring the readers back to the right conviction, it was necessary for them to be reminded to love God (1:5-2:2) and His commandments (2:3-11). On the other hand they were also commanded to test the spirit (4:1-6) and to watch for deceivers (2 Jn. 7-11). The apostle had this desire greatly and urgently but compassionate, appealing them personally to separate from the world (2:15-17).

The Context of the Book

The correct teaching is hard to impart and the wrong teaching is hard to dismiss. This could be true to the readers. Though the convinced groups of Gnosticsm had left the community and established their own community (2:19), and yet the false teaching had damaged so much and was hard to remove from them. In fact the group still continued to keep in touch the readers community, and “trying to entice them to join the new group” (2:26). Barker rightly observed that the false teachers’ denial: "They denied that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God (2:22; 5:1, 5). They denied that the Christ had come in the flesh (4:2; 2 Jn. 7). They denied authority of Jesus’ commands (2:4). They denied their own sinfulness (1:8, 10). They denied salvation through the work of Christ (2:2). They denied the absolute demand that believers love one another (2:9). They denied righteous conduct as a requirement of fellowship with God (1:6; 2:29; 3:6, 10). They denied the responsibility to live as Jesus had lived (2:4, 6; 3:7). They denied the nature of the company of believers as a community of fellowship with the Father, with his Son, and with one another (1:3; 2:11). They denied the authority of the writer of Epistles as the proclaimer of the message that had been from the beginning (1:5; 3 John 10). They denied that the members of the community who did not follow them were in the truth (2:20-21)."

Having described the beliefs of the false teachers, the apostle responded as to encourage the true believers in Christ Jesus. He desired to develop their understanding on the Scripture as the basis of their beliefs. Perhaps there were members of the community who still inclined to the teachings of those false teachers. Therefore, in the first chapter, he reminded the readers on the account of the life of Jesus Christ while he was on earth and John himself was an eye witness (1:1-4), and commanded them to have fellowship with God (1:5-10). In chapter two, he reminded to love God’s commandment (2:1-11) and to love not world (2:12-17) and to be aware of antichrist (2:18-29). Chapter three was an encouragement to do right things (3:1-10), love the brethren (3:11-18) and having confident (3:19-24). Chapter four was the command to test every spirit (4:1-1-6) and to continue abiding in God (4:7-12). Last chapter was about asking God (5:13-17) and knowing the Word of God (5:18-21). The main discussion of this paper would be chapter two as a command for Christians to love not or to separate from the world.

The Immediate Context

The apostle just mentioned the purpose of writing this epistle and appealing to the readers to have a right fellowship with God (1 John 1). The first part of chapter two, he stated that believers must love God’s commandment for God’s Word has power to lead and direct believers to holiness. Sin does not have power against those believers who love God and keep His commandments (2:1-11). But if any believer falls into sins, believers can obtain genuine forgiveness when confession offered to God (1:9) and the Lord Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sins and our advocate with the Father (2:1-2). The second part was the command to separate from the world because of its sinful lust that is on contrary to holiness (2:15-17). However John had much to say concerning the sinfulness of the world and its system power that leads to destruction. In fact John acknowledges that the antichrist will use the world and its lust as a means to draw people away from God but doing the things he desires.

It is absolutely necessary for believers to separate themselves from the world for the world is passing away together with its worldly lust (2:17). Barker rightly said, "This warning was addressed to the community against the seduction of the world (2:15), against the present antichrist (2:18), and against false spirits and false prophets (3:22; 4:1-2). Reminders to the members of their anointing (2:20) as being sufficient to enable them to remain in God (4:13) are provided as well as promises that belong to them as the children of God (3:1). Jesus Christ as the epitome and example of love to the community becomes a critical theme (3:16-18) just as the proclamation that God himself is love (4:16), that love derives from him, and that the Christian life is lived in him (4:12-13) are also critical themes. Again and again the letter returns to the primary confession that Jesus is the Christ, the one who has come in the flesh and has overcome the world. He is the true God and eternal life (5:20)."

Falling from grace or Perseverance of the saints

“Once save is forever saved.” This is the very short statement to summaries the discussion of perseverance of the saints and yet it depicts the sovereignty of the Almighty God. However many people have failed to understand this statement. In fact those who do not embrace the teachings of Calvinism have made this statement as a mockery to say that after having known that Christians forever be saved, there will be need of preaching the gospel or doing the will of God. This happens because a little knowledge of Calvinism they comprehend.

The Arminians definitely disagrees to the statement “Once save is forever saved”. To them, salvation is obtained because of the efforts or contribution of man and therefore to maintain salvation it requires the human effort as well. Failure to do so, the salvation can be lost because the salvation is based on the faithfulness of man to uphold his faith. In any case he neglects his faith, he may lose his salvation. Khoo rightly commented, “There is therefore no assurance of salvation for the Aminian. He must always be on his toes. There is no such thing as a backslidden Christian. A person who becomes cold towards his walk with God loses salvation. He needs to reconfess Christ and be saved again.” In other words, man’s response is a determining factor in the assurance of salvation.

The Calvinism on the other hand says, “all those were chosen by God, redeemed by Christ and given faith by the Spirit are eternally saved.” The Scripture truly gives many supports on this truth. As John wrote, “And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day” (Jn. 6:39). In another occasion Jesus said, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (Jn. 10:28-29). Paul also wrote, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:6). “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Rom. 8:35). If the salvation is based on the ability of man to uphold it, then no one will receive eternal life for man knows that he does not always succeed to tackle the many temptations he faces. True believer does not mean having a life of sinless perfection. It is not an easy road for Christian to live in this world. As a result there will be a time of up and down in the spiritual life. If salvation is not based on the faithful of God, no one will ever enter heaven.

The Bible uses the term “justification” to depict the condition of man who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ. A person whom God justified is not a sinless perfective believer but rather a sinner whom God pardons his sins because of his faith in Christ Jesus. The righteousness of Christ is imputed unto sinner who believes. God sees such sinners as if he never sins, and he is like clothed by the righteousness of Christ. Whenever God sees that sinner, he sees the righteousness of Christ on him which clothed by Christ’s righteousness. Steel rightly said, “True believers do fall into temptations, and they do commit grievous sins, but these sins do not cause them to lose their salvation or separate them from Christ.” Therefore the assurance of salvation is not based on the ability of man to preserve his faith but solely upon the faithfulness of God.

CONCLUSION

The five points of Arminianism are (1) Free Will/ Human Ability, (2) Conditional Election, (3) Universal Redemption/ General Atonement, (4) The Holy Spirit can be effectually Resisted and (5) Falling from Grace. These five points are without supports from the Word of God. It is the human logical understanding. Those who hold to this view will not be able to harmonize his interpretation of the word of God but rather will make the Bible contradict itself.

Whereas the five points of Calvinism that formulated by Synod of Dort in 1619 are (1) Total Depravity, (2) Unconditional Election, (3) Limited Atonement, (4) Irresistible Grace, and (5) Perseverance of the Saints. These five points are truly rooted and summarized from the Word of God. Though it might not be easy to understand yet the Bible teaches about them as the truth that believers should know and teach in the churches.

Resistible grace or Irresistible grace

The matter of calling of sinners unto salvation is the mystery of God. Two people heard the preaching of the gospel, one believed and the other rejected. The same thing can happen in the Christian family. Two children of the family were nurtured and taught with the same truth, the gospel; one was convicted to believe in Christ but the other chose to reject the truth. The question is raised, why did one person believe and the other not? Were they hearing the same massage? If yes, then what cause one person to believe in Christ Jesus and the other not? The answer to this question is irresistible grace.

In regard to the calling of sinners unto salvation, the Arminians argue that the Holy Spirit cannot convict sinners of their sins. The Holy Spirit can do His own best in persuading and prompting the sinners to hear and receive the gospel but ultimately the sinner himself is the one can decide whether he wants to believe or to reject. “The Holy Spirit cannot regenerate sinners until he believe.” If the person finally rejected the message of the gospel, then the Holy Spirit can not do anything about it.

The Calvinism says that “in addition to the outward general call to salvation which is made to everyone who hears the gospel, the Holy Spirit extends to the elect a special inward call that inevitably brings them to salvation.” When the gospel is preached the Holy Spirit works to convince sinners of their own sins. This is the internal call. The sinners may reject the external call but if the Holy Spirit is working in His heart, soon or later, he cannot help but to submit to the power of the Holy Spirit and confess that Jesus Christ is His Lord and Saviour. Man by nature cannot choose God but rather hates God and His commandment. Only through the working of the Holy Spirit in the heart of sinner, the hardening heart of sinner can melt before God by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ. The same person perhaps has rejected the gospel message many times but at last the Holy Spirit “graciously causes the elect sinner to cooperate, to believe, to repent, to come freely and willingly to Christ.” The Bible clearly said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day” (Jn. 6:44). Paul also wrote, “Far as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:14).

Universal atonement or Limited atonement

The issue on this topic is for whose benefit does Christ die? Who did Christ appease with God when He died on the cross? Who did Christ substitute on the cross? These are few questions that frequently asked when discussed the above topic. The Arminians would confidently utter that Christ died on the cross was for the benefit of all sinners and Christ appeased with God all sinners and He was the substitution of all sinners. The Arminians argue that Christ died not only for a group of people but for all sinners including Esau and Judas Iscariot. When Christ died He atoned for everyone and though Christ offered forgiveness to all sinners, yet not everyone is willing to accept that offer. The Scriptural supports often quoted by the Arminians are such as 1 Jn 2:2 “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world”; “this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world” (Jn. 4:42); etc. The universal redemption was in view when these verses read by the Arminians.

Calvinism on the other hand argues that Christ’s redeeming work was intended to save the elect only though the forgiveness and eternal life were offered to all sinners, yet this work of Christ is only to secure the salvation of those whom God chose before the foundation of the world. When Christ offered Himself to die on the cross, it was efficient only for the elect. As Khoo rightly commented, “Christ both procured and secured the salvation of the elect. He had in mind His chosen ones when He died on the cross. His atoning work on the cross was specifically and specially for them.” Steel said it in this way, “Christ’s redeeming work was definite in design and accomplishment – that it was intended to render complete satisfaction for certain specified sinners and that it actually secured salvation for these individuals and for no one else.” Christ was a substitutionary atonement of the elect people only. The work of redemption was designed in order to bring to pass the purpose of God’s election.

Having seen the comparison of the two views, the question is raised, if the atoning work of Christ was designed only for the elect, why does the Bible say that Christ died for the world? To this, Augustine said that “Christ’s death was Sufficient for all, efficient for the elect.” God desires that everyone would come to the knowledge and faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. As Peter wrote, “The Lord is not lack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Pet. 2:9). The same desire is expressed in the writing of apostle John that God is truly love the world, when he wrote, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16). It is because Christ died sufficiently for the World that the gospel is preached and offered not only to elect but to anyone. The effect of Christ’s atoning work was limited only for those whom God elected. Khoo rightly concludes,

In discussing the third point of Calvinism, namely, limited atonement, we are addressing the intent, not the extent of the atonement. It needs to be reiterated that a correct understanding of Calvin’s doctrine of the atonement requires one to accept that the atonement of Christ is “sufficient for all, efficient for the elect.

Conditional Election or Unconditional Election

To speak about predestination is something that many people think that man is under the control of luck and man cannot do any thing for it. This is the wrong concept of predestination because in their view God is unfair and cruel who predestined some to be saved and others to be lost in hell. Whatever people’s view may be, predestination is taught in the Bible. Man cannot question God for the things God has said in His Word but in humility submit himself before Him, taking His Word as it is written.

The failure of Arminianism to understand the doctrine of Predestination has resulted in a different understanding on how God elected some people to be saved before the foundation of the world. To the Arminianism, God’s choice for certain individuals unto salvation was based upon the foreseeing that they would be responding to His call through the preaching of the Gospel. Because of the human ability to contribute to his own salvation, God chose certain individual based on the condition what man would do. God chose certain individual because He knew that that person would respond to the preaching of the gospel and choose Christ of his own free will. If God had chosen certain individual unto salvation, to the Arminianism means that man does not have any freedom and responsibility. The doctrine of election is misunderstood. Steel rightly commented that, “Election is not salvation but is unto salvation.”

On the other hand, the Calvinism states that God chose certain individual to be saved before the foundation of the world was based on His own sovereign will. This view is the opposite of the Arminianism because God chose particular sinner not because He foresaw that person to respond to the preaching of the gospel. Those whom God chose He gives faith and repentance and brings them through the power of the Holy Spirit to a willing acceptance of Christ. God was the One who chose sinners for salvation and not the other way around. Man does not contribute any virtuous quality for this salvation but rather solely the gift of God. If all men have become totally depraved and if any man selected unto salvation from among them, truly it is not the work of man but absolutely the sovereign work of God. Steel rightly said, “God would have chosen to save all men (for He had the power and authority to do so) or He could have chosen to save none (for He was under no obligation to show mercy to any) – but He did neither. Instead He chose to save some and to exclude others.”

God did show this truth through the example of Jacob and Esau. God chose Jacob and not Esau. Paul said, “For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth” (Rom. 9:11). Paul also said, “For by grace are ye saved though faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will” (Eph. 1:4-5). In another occasion Paul also wrote, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy” (Rom. 9:15-16).

Human ability or Total depravity

On the matter of man’s condition after the fall, Arminians sees that the sinful of man is not totally depraved, though it is admitted that man is sinful before God. The Arminians sees that man has still some merits in himself in which if he uses it, he can still please God even to the extent to save himself from the eternal punishment because man still has the ability to choose what is best for him. In other words, within the nature of man there is still value which is not corrupted by the fall. For this reason, man still has a free will or an ability to choose good or evil in spiritual matters. Because man has an ability to choose what is good, therefore when man chooses God the Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, this becomes man’s contribution unto his salvation.

On the contrary the Calvinism looks at man as totally depraved, inability to choose what is good. The very nature of man is corrupted and there is nothing in man that pleases God. Whatever man does, and thinks is always against the will of God. This does not mean that man can not choose to do good things in their lives, community, environment and plan but whatever good things that man chooses it is according to human standard of selfish merits because “man’s nature is corrupt, perverse, and sinful throughout. . . . The corruption extends to every part of man, his body, soul; sin has affected all (the totality) of man’s faculties – his mind, his will etc.” Often man does something good with selfish motives (cf. Jer. 17:9). By nature man cannot do anything good spiritually according to the standard of God’s perfect merits. The apostle Paul quoted Psalms 14 and 53 when he wrote, “there is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable: there is none that doeth good, no, not one. . . . there is no fear of God before their eyes” (Rom. 3:10-18).

The question is raised, what has happened to human kind that man cannot choose anything good except for his own selfish purpose and glory? The answer is found in the first book of the Bible. When God created Adam and Eve, they were perfect and sinless and having a free will to choose good or evil, yet they were not having eternal life. Being the first parents of human being, Adam and Eve, were the representative of all human being. In order for them to have eternal life, they were placed under a test in the Garden of Eden. The test was that God placed two special trees in the Garden of Eden, the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge and (Gen. 2:8). And the Lord commanded, “Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17). Adam had a free will to choose to follow God’s commandment or to disobey God. The Bible said that Adam chose to disobey God by partaking of the forbidden fruit (Gen. 3:1-7). This was the beginning of the corruption of human nature because from this time onwards man became sinful and separated from God. Man is totally depraved and whatever man does is sinful before God. Sinfulness has become the very nature and character of man because of the fall of Adam. Sin was passed from Adam to his children and from his children to the next generation and so on.

Because of the corruption of human nature, man cannot do anything good in order to save his own life because “the natural man is enslaved to sin; he is a child of Satan, rebellious toward God, blind to truth, corrupt, and unable to save himself or to prepare himself for salvation.” The desire of natural man is to do evil and to please his own lusty flesh and ambitions. Man does not have a free will anymore. By nature man is enslaved to do evil. For that reason in order for man to obtain salvation, man needs the grace of God. As Paul said, “For by grace are ye saved through faith: and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8). In another occasion Paul also said, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Tit. 3:5). This was the basis of Calvinism to say that “Faith is not something man contributes to salvation but is itself a part of God’s gift of salvation – it is God’s gift to the sinner, not the sinner’s gift to God.” But the Arminianism on the other hand said, “The lost sinner needs the Spirit’s assistance, but he does not have to be regenerated by the Spirit before he can believe, for faith is the sinner’s gift to God; it is man’s contribution to salvation.” This first point of Calvinism is the most important point of the five points because the rest of the points are subordinate to this point.

Calvinism versus Arminianism: Introduction

Calvinism and Arminianism are two theological systems which contradict each other. Despite of their contradiction these two systems are basically embraced by the reformed churches or theologians, though in the last century the teaching of Arminianism is also adopted by the charismatic churches. These two different systems have lasted for more than 300 years and the differences apparently cannot be resolved. The differences of the two systems above can be compared to the debate of Baptist and Presbyterian churches or theologians in the area of mode of baptism. The issue of Arminianism and Calvinism has caused many people especially outside of these two camps to speak and present the two systems as unbiblical and placing their own view as followers of the Word of God, whereas the two camps presented as if two theological systems which do not have biblical supports. The reason for discrediting Arminianism and Calvinism as unbiblical because both Armenians and Calvinism are frequent presented only the content of the article without any reference or footnote to the Word of God. It is an attempt of this paper to discuss the background and to present the right understanding of the Word of God and to see the two systems in the light of the Word of God.

Background

John Calvin was one of the reformers in 16th century. At the age of 25 he started work on his first edition of the Institutes of the Christian Religion in 1534 and was published in 1536. Through this book and together with his polemical and pastoral works, Calvin had greatly influenced the protestant churches. Although Calvin had his contemporary in different countries, yet Calvin was the most pre-eminent. Because of the fame of John Calvin and his teaching, soon was attached to the Reformed churches. The whole body of doctrine of Calvin became called Calvinism.

Although Calvin was originated from Geneva, the publications of his ideas had spread to many parts of the European countries such Scotland, Netherlands, Germany, France, Romania and Poland. The spreading of Calvinism was largely by the Calvinist communions who sent missionaries to various countries around the globe.

The rise of Arminianism system of theology began when James (Jacobus) Arminus (1560-1609) who studied four years under Theodore Beza, in the University of Geneva. Though Arminus studied under the successor of John Calvin, he was against the doctrine of Calvinism. Nonetheless he was not the one formulated the theological system of Arminianism but it was done by his disciples shortly after he died. His disciples named the five points of Arminianism after the name of Arminius. As a response to the controversy of Arminianism system of theology, the National Synod of Holland held the synod meeting to resolve the matter at the Synod of Dort on November 13, 1618, until May 9, 1619. As a result, the five point of Arminianism were rejected and the five point of Calvinism adopted. It is clear that Calvin did not formulate the Five Point of Calvinism though these teachings were in his writings. Calvin did not only write five points of theology but rather many points of theology. He was the most outstanding writer during the reformation in which its impact is still intact till today.

Partial Rapture

Definition

Christians who uphold the partial rapture view believe that only saints who are worthy will be raptured before the wrath of God is poured out; those who have not been faithful will remain on the earth to endure the Tribulation. Like pretribulationists, they teach that one will occur at the beginning of the Tribulation to take away the spiritually mature saints. Then at various times during the seven years of the Tribulation other raptures will occur to remove saints who were unprepared at the beginning of the Tribulation but who have shown themselves worthy in the meantime. There is even to be a rapture at the close of the Millenium.

Biblical Supports

The last group of dispensational premillennialists is called themselves as the Partial Rapture advocates. This view covers all the previous four views of rapture. The main emphasis of this belief is that they believe that only those are watching and waiting for the Lord’s return are worthy to escape the terrors of the Great Tribulation judgments (Matthew 24:41-42; Luke 21:36). As Luke 21:36 says, “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” To them this statement is the standard for rapture. The various period of rapture is needed for the church because various degree of people who are watching and waiting for the Lord’s return. In other words those who are worthy Christians will be raptured first just as those who hold to the Pretribulation Rapture view. And those who are not worthy, they will be tested and go through much tribulation, but they will be raptured when they are worthy before the Lord. To them, the rapture will take place at various times even at the end of the millennium kingdom. However the above passages seem to be misapplied. The reason is because these passages are not applied to the church, the Bride of Christ but to the nation of Israel which will be in the Great Tribulation period.

The next argument of this view is that they believe that Christ will return only for “them that look for him” (Hebrews 9:28). However, a careful study of the Scripture shows that this phrase is simply a synonym for the church (Philippians 3:20; Titus 2:13). The church is supposed to be watchful and waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not referring to a group of people who live during the Great Tribulation. The Lord Jesus Christ has commanded that the Christians or the Church must watch for His coming.

Finally, it is argued that 1 Corinthians 15:23 states that believers will be resurrected “every man in his own order.” As 1 Corinthians 15:23 says, “But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.” To them this verse teaches that not all Christians will be raptured simultaneously because each one has his own order. However this conclusion seems to misinterpret the context of the verse. The main subject in view here is not the Rapture but the entire resurrection program of God in which different persons will be raised at different times, such as the resurrection of the church saints at the Rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:6), Tribulation saints after the Tribulation (Revelation 20:4), etc. Besides, at the Rapture the bodies of all believers will be changed in an instant (1 Corinthians 15:51) – not just the bodies of those who are presently in fellowship with the Lord.

CONCLUSION

The doctrine of the rapture is one of the characteristics of dispensational premillenium eschatology. This is one of the distinctions of premillenium view in comparison to amillennium or postmillenium view. Despite of the unity of dispensational premillennium in theology yet they are different in their understanding of the time of the rapture. The divergence has caused them to be divided into five groups. The first group called them as the pretriublation rapture advocate, the second as midtribulation rapture, the third as posttriublation rapture, the fourth as pre-wrath rapture and lastly as the partial rapture advocates.

The difference among these premillennium advocates is their interpretation on the passage pertaining to the rapture. It is clear that its differentiation is due to the hermeneutics matter. However according to the plain understanding of the passage, the rapture or the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent. No one knows the time of His coming. The church is commanded to be ready and watchful and waiting for that day. Thus it is the responsibility of the church, the Christians to be ready at any time without observing any sign of His coming.

The church as promised by the Lord Jesus Christ will not taste the hour of temptation (Revelation 3:10) but rather the church will be kept form that temptation, the wrath of God during the Great Tribulation. It is only with this understanding in view that we can have hope and joy for the coming of the Lord Jesus.

Prewrath Rapture

Definition

The Pre-Wrath Rapture View asserts that the Rapture will occur 18 months before the end of the Tribulation so that Church will be on earth during most of the Tribulation. This view is similar to the midtribulationism in that both views do not see the church being raptured before the Tribulation begins. However, it differs from this view in that it does not place the rapture exactly in the middle of the week but rather three quarter of the tribulation period.

Biblical Supports

The fourth group of dispensational premillennialists called themselves as those who believe in Pre-Wrath Rapture. They distinguish themselves from the pretribulationists, midtribulationists and posttribulationists. They believe that the “hour of temptation” in Revelation 3:10 from which the church at Philadelphia is to be kept is not referring to the Great Tribulation but rather to the “Day of the Lord.” Zeller said, “The Pre-Wrath view is a pre-wrath, pre-"Day of the Lord" view because it teaches that the Rapture will take place immediately prior to the Day of the Lord which is the time when God pours out His wrath upon the earth.” The understanding of this view is almost the same with the posttribulationists. The difference lies on the time of rapture. To the posttribulationists, the rapture will take place at the end of the seven years of Great Tribulation whereas the pre-wrath rapture believes that the rapture will take place at the day of the Lord, about 18 months before the end of the Great Tribulation (Rev. 6:17).

It is important to take note that the Great Tribulation and the judgment aspect of the Day of the Lord (Rev. 6:17) relate to Israel and the time of judgement. The church is promised to be delivered from the wrath (Rom. 8:1 cf. 1 Thess. 1:19; 5:9). With the absent of the restrainer from the world, it is hard to conceive how the church will go through the various temptation for three quarter period during the Great Tribulation. Revelation 6:17 says, “For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” Truly the church also cannot stand for this wrath.

It is commonly used Matthew 24-25 (the Olivet Discourse) to support their teaching that the church will go through the Great Tribulation. The emphasis especially given to Matthew 24:21 that saying, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” However they fail to differentiate the church and the Israel here. The context of this passage is referring to a future of Israel’s trouble called the Great Tribulation. The church is not Israel and Israel is not the church. God must fulfil His promises to Israel during the Great Tribulation and the millennium kingdom. Thus the Pre-Wrath view confuses Israel and the church. Moreover this view also denies the teaching of the imminency of the second coming of the Lord. As Zeller rightly commented, "The Pre-Wrath view CONFUSES, yea, TOTALLY REJECTS the doctrine of the imminent return of Christ (the doctrine that Jesus Christ may come for His Church at any time). Instead of looking for the Saviour from heaven (Phil. 3:20), we should be looking for the signing of the treaty (Daniel 9:27). Instead of looking for that blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of our great God (Titus 2:13), we should be looking for the coming of Antichrist. Instead of looking for the Bridegroom (John 14:3), we should be looking for the man of sin. Instead of rejoicing in the fact that "we shall not all sleep" (1 Cor. 15:51) we should be bracing ourselves to face the persecutions of Antichrist resulting in physical death for believers. Instead of the Lord being at hand (Phil. 4:5), He is at least four or five years away. Instead of rejoicing in the fact that His coming is drawing nigh (James 5:8), we should be sobered at the thought that the 70th week of Daniel is drawing nigh. Instead of looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ (Jude 21), we should be looking for the greatest time of tribulation that this world has ever known (Matt. 24:21). Instead of waiting expectantly for His Son from heaven (1 Thess. 1:10) we should be waiting for the abomination of desolation."

The Pre-Wrath view denies that the seal of judgments in Revelation 6 in the Great Tribulation are not God’s wrath. For them the wrath of God only begin with the following trumpet judgment which introduced by cataclysmic disturbances. But the context and the detail of Revelation 6 cannot be denied as the wrath of God. The reason is because the severance of the execution of 25% of the earth’s population (Rev. 6:8) and the levelling of the earth’s mountains (Rev. 6:14) prove as the wrath of God. Revelation 6:16-17 says that it is the wrath of God and the wrath of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Posttribulation Rapture

Definition

Posttribulationists assert that the Rapture will occur at the close of the Tribulation so that the Church will be on earth during the entire Tribulation. “The church of Christ will not be removed from the earth until the advent of Christ at the very end of the present age: the Rapture and the Appearing take place at the same crisis; hence Christians of that generation will be exposed to the final affliction under Antichrist.”

Biblical Supports

The third group of dispensational Premillennialists is those who believe on the post-tribulation rapture. The understanding of this belief is different from those who hold to pretribulation and midtribulation rapture. It is interesting to note that the posttriublation rapture also uses the same passage as pretribulation and midtribulation rapture to support their belief. Again they are different in their interpretation of the text. One of the most common used by the advocates of these three views is Revelation 3:10 “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” The main emphasis for the posttribulationists is the clause “I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation.” The word “from” in the sentence is the work ejk in Greek which is usually understand “from” or “out of.” However the posttribulationists argue that this word can means “through.” Thus when this word used in the sentence of Revelation 3: 10 the meaning is totally different, “I also will keep thee through the hour of temptation.” A careful study given to the entire book of Revelation shows that during the Great Tribulation there will be many believers killed and martyred because of their faith (Revelation 6:9-11; 20:4). This shows that the believers are not keep through the Great Tribulation.

Based on the above presupposition, the posttribulationists develop the understanding that the church will go through the seven years of Great Tribulation but the Lord will keep them through. They believe that the Rapture and the Second Coming (Revelation) are referring to the same single event. However the main problem with this view is that it does not differentiate between the Rapture and the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ together with His saints to usher the beginning of the millennium kingdom.

They fail to understand that though the word the Lord’s coming “parousia” characterise both the rapture and the second coming. The word itself does not give any description whether the rapture and the second coming will be one event or separate events. In other words the vocabulary which is being used does not prove either pretribulation or posttribulation. However to the posttribulationists, the rapture and the second coming of Christ are considered as one event. The separation of believers and the unbelievers only occurs for a short while; it is only when the believers are caught up to the air to meet Jesus and immediately come back together to this earth. The next event is followed by a judgment to separate the sheep (believers) from the goats (unbelievers). Thus the posttribulationists would find it hard to harmonise their belief to what the Lord Jesus said in John 14:1-3 in which Jesus promised that when He comes He would bring us, believers to His Father’s house in heaven.

If the rapture would occur at the end of the Great Tribulation, then it is correct to conclude that the rapture and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ would not be imminent. The reason is because the chronological order of events during the Great Tribulation as written in the Bible would be identified by those who live at that time. The promise of Jesus Christ that He would come as a thief in the night would not be fit to the teaching of the posttribulationists (Matthew 24:36-39, 42-44, 50; 25:13; Mark 13:32-37; Luke 12:40).

When the Bible lists all the various kinds of events during the Great Tribulation, it is hard to understand that the church will survive during that time (Revelation 4-19). The posttribulationists argue that the wrath of God upon the earth will be cut short “for the sake of the elect” (Matthew 24:22). But this verse does not show any proof concerning the entire church of the Lord Jesus Christ. What this verse says is concerning those new believers who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ during the Great Tribulation but the Church has been already raptured to heaven.

Just like the midtribulationists, the posttribulationists also believe that the rapture will take place only if, firstly the apostasy of the church has taken place; secondly, the revelation of the man of lawlessness, the Antichrist comes; and thirdly the removal of the restraint against lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 3:8). This fact is often used to attack those who hold to pretribulation rapture view, but the pretribulatinists understand that the rapture does not begin at the Day of the Lord but rather rapture at the beginning of the Antichrist’s covenant with Israel. By that time the Antichrist will reveal himself and his true nature to those who are in this world, and they will follow him because at a sudden he can make peace in the region of Middle East. But the covenant treaty with Israel can only last for a short time for in the middle of the seven years of Great Tribulation he will break the treaty with Israel.

Midtribulation Rapture

Definition

Midtribulationists teach that the Rapture will occur after three and a half years of the seven year Tribulation have passed. This is to say that the rapture will take place in the middle of the Great Tribulation period.” The midtribulationalists advocates that the church is in need of purging and therefore must participate in at least part of the Tribulation period. The latter half of the Tribulation is seen as much more severe than the first half.

Biblical Supports

The second group of dispensational premillennialists who differ from the pretribulation rapture view is the mid-tribulationists. Although the main divergence with pretribulationists is basically on the understanding of the immanency of Christ’s return, yet the midtribulationists seldom denies that the Rapture is not imminent. In reality those midtribulationists believe that the Rapture is surely not imminent at all because there will be signs that can be seen during the first three and a half of Great Tribulation.

The Midtribulationists commonly state that the Great Tribulation is divided into two parts. The first three and a half years is called “peace” and the last three and a half years is called “tribulation.” Based on this explanation, the Midtribulationists argue that only the second part of the seven years of Great Tribulation is considered as tribulation (Matthew 24:21; Revelation 11:2; 12:6). For this reason they believe that the church will be still on this earth during the first three and a half years of the Great Tribulation. Thus the rapture will only take place in the middle of the seven years Tribulation period. In other words, the church will not go through the tribulation. A passage such as Revelation 3:10 is also one proof text used to support the view that the church will not face the wrath or the judgment of God. The reason is because the midtribulationists also believe that the following events after the rapture will be the wrath and judgment of God toward the unbelieving people on this earth.

However the midtribulationists’ understanding of the rapture is based on the great emphasis given in the Scriptures about the middle of the seven years period (Daniel 7:25; 9:27; 12:7, 11, Revelation 11:2), then they conclude that the Rapture will take place at this time. A careful study of these passages will conclude that the emphasis given here is not about the rapture of the church but rather the breaking of the covenant with Israel by the Antichrist. This covenant treaty is the mark of the beginning of the seven years of Great Tribulation.

Another great argument of the midtribulationalists is that they believe that the last trump of 1 Corinthians 15:52 is the same as the seventh trumpet of Revelation 11:15 which is sounded at the middle of the tribulation. Pentecost said that these two trumpet cannot be the same at least nine reasons. However the most significant reason perhaps is that while the former is a trumpet issuing blessing, life and glory, the latter issues judgment upon the enemies of God.

Furthermore the midtribulationalists also believe that the resurrection of the two witnesses in the middle of the Tribulation pictures the Rapture of the Church (Revelation 11). To them, the witnesses are symbolic of a “larger company of witnesses” and represent two groups: the dead and the living at the Rapture. The cloud represents the parousia – the Lord’s presence, the great voice is the shout of 1 Thessalonians 4:16, and the trumpet is the trumpet of the same verse. Thus the midtribulational view makes identifications in different passages which are difficult to show as referring to the same thing.

Midtribulationnalists give another support from the Bible to justify their belief. The 144,000 are on earth early in the Tribulation (Revelation 7:1-8) but in heaven later (Revelation 14:1-5), so they should be identified as raptured saints who were taken during the Tribulation. They fail to understand that the 144,000 are explicitly stated as from the twelve tribes of Israel and thus are Jews, not the church – especially since they are contrasted with the Gentile multitude (Revelation 7:9-12).

Lastly, the Midtribulationalists believe that The Day of Wrath is mentioned as at hand in Revelation 11:18, therefore, the preceding seals and trumpets were not events of wrath. Thus since wrath follows the seventh trumpet, the Rapture must take place immediately preceding this wrath (since believers escape it). A careful study shows that Revelation 6:16-17 refers to the seal as wrath (and the seals precede the trumpets). The trumpet judgments occur during the time of God’s wrath.

Therefore midtribulationists conclude that the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is not imminent because firstly, it is based on their understanding on the Scripture that Christ could not have returned in the lifetime of Peter (John 21:18, 19; I Peter 1:13). Secondly, it is because the great commission given by the Lord Jesus Christ in Mark 16:15 has not completed and by that time the missionary program has not completed yet as well. Thirdly, the apostasy as predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3 has not yet overtaken the church. Fourthly, it seems the day we live in does not show as the last days.

Pretribulation Rapture

Definition

The Pretribulation Rapture teaches that the Rapture of the Church will take place before the seven years of Great Tribulation. The result of a pretribulation rapture is that no Christians will exist on the earth at the beginning of the Tribulation.

Biblical Supports

The dispensational premillennialists have no doubt that the Rapture of church will surely take place. A passage such as 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 gives the description of things that will happen at the time of the Rapture. Whereas 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 gives a brief hint that the rapture will occur at the last trump. However the above passages are not sufficient proofs to ascertain the time of the Rapture. Interestingly the five groups of dispensational premillennialists believe that the above passages are truly proof texts for the doctrine of the Rapture of the church. But they differ in the time of the rapture because the above passages do not solve their divergence. The question still remains, when will the rapture take place?

The Pretribulation Rapture is based on its doctrine on what the apostle John wrote to the church of Philadelphia in Revelation 3:10, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.” This verse indicates the Great Tribulation in view. The plain reading of this verse shows that the church will be kept from the hour of temptation or the time of the Tribulation period. However this verse does not say that the church will be kept from trials for trials are part of the life of the church during the church age. But the Apostle John makes clear the purpose of this temptation that it is to try those who dwell upon the earth (Revelation 3:10b).

Based on this promise, the Pretribulation Rapture believes that the church will not face this kind of temptation. Thus before this great tribulation occurs the church will be caught up to heaven to meet the Christ on the air. Those who were dead will be resurrected and those who are still alive during that great event will be changed in the twinkling of an eye (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). The church as the bride of Christ will have the marriage supper in heaven in the house of God the father and the church will be in heaven for seven years. This is the time of the receiving of reward from the Lord Jesus Christ for those who serve Him faithful according to the spiritual gifts that have been given to each person as Paul said, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

The Great Tribulation period is also the day of God’s wrath for the earth, the wicked people. This is clearly seen as Apostle John wrote in Revelation 11:18 says, “And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.” However the Scriptures state that the church will never come under God’s wrath (John 5:24; Romans 5:9, 8:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9). The church will be saved from the wrath of God. The church will not go thorough the Great Tribulation period but rather the church will be raptured before the Great Tribulation takes place.

One of the characteristic of the Great Tribulation period is begun with the absent of the Holy Spirit’s work of restraining evil. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8 says “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” It will be hard to conceive of that time period when the Sprit’s restraining work is taken from the world while the church is still present. This is only reasonable if the church is already caught up from this earth and for the first time at the beginning of the Great Tribulation the world will be 100 % unbelievers.

It is commonly understood that Revelation 4-19 are events that will take place during the Great Tribulation Period. It is important to take note that there is no mention of the Church in these chapters. This proves that the church is already raptured to heaven and the church is in heaven which is called “tabernacle of God” (Revelation 13:6), and which is also called as the Bride (Revelation 19:1,7-8) that is ready to return to the earth at Christ’s Second Coming to commence His millennium kingdom.

Another argument of the Pretribulation Rapture that absolutely biblical is that the Rapture is imminent, which means it can happen at any moment. Christians are not to wait for signs of Christ’s return but for His coming itself. The demand for every true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is that everyone must be ready for His coming. The immanency of Christ’s return or rapture is proved from the following arguments. Firstly, Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.” The word “to wait” is written in present tense as if this great event could occur at any time. Secondly, in 1 Corinthians 15:52 Paul explains that our mortal bodies will all be changed “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet . . . .” This shows that this event will be unexpected and happen at any time is supported by the apostle’s concluding exhortation to “be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Thirdly, at Christ’s second coming in the clouds (Revelation 19:11-21), his angels will gather all believers living on earth (Matt 24:30-31). Fourthly, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, . . . that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. . . . Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess 4:13-18). This clearly indicates that Paul fully expected to be alive at Christ’s coming since he included himself (“we which are alive and remain”) among those that would be alive at the time of the Rapture.

Fifth, “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. . . . Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. . . . and edify one another, even as also ye do” (1 Thess 5:3-11). This maintains that the day of the Lord (which begins after the Rapture and continues through the Millennium) was imminent so that it would take people by surprise. Paul exhorted the Thessalonians to fight “sleep” (spiritual lethargy) to prepare for Christ’s unexpected arrival. Sixth, when Jesus told the disciples, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3). He actually used the present tense (“I am coming”) with a sense of the immediate future without any intervening signs.

The Time of the Great Tribulation

INTRODUCTION

The word “Rapture” is not found in the Holy Scripture. It actually comes from the Latin translation of rapturo, which means “to be caught up.” The idea of rapture is traced from the situation in the church of Thessalonica. The Thessalonians were in grief because of their members had died. They were worry of their future. This problem was raised as a result of Paul’s teaching to the Thessalonians. Paul had shared with them that believers who are alive will be taken with Christ at His return. However they did not know the status of their dead loved one at Christ’s return. To answer this question Paul had given the Thessalonians the fact of those who were dead in Christ and of those who are alive at His return. Christ will reunite the dead and alive believers at the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

A careful study of the above passage shows that when the rapture occurs, those who had died in the Lord Jesus Christ will be raised up from the dead, and they will precede to meet Christ than those who are still alive at the time of the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:15). Those who hold to Dispensational premillennium view of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ believe that the rapture will take place before the setting of His millennium kingdom on this earth.

The doctrine of the rapture is part of the doctrine of Dispensational Premillennium. However the question is asked, when will the rapture or the snatching up of the believers occur? So far as the dispensational premillennium is concerned, there are five views about the rapture. First, the Pretribulation Rapture that teaches the rapture will take place before the seven years of Great Tribulation. Second, the Midtribulation Rapture that teaches the rapture will occur in the middle of the seven years of Great Tribulation. Thirdly, the Posttribulation Rapture that teaches the rapture will take place at the end of the seven years of Great Tribulation. Fourthly, Pre-Wrath Rapture that teaches the rapture will take place just before the wrath of God occurs during the Great Tribulation. And lastly, the Partial Rapture that believes the rapture will occur several times, beginning before the Great Tribulation as Premillennialists believe till the end of the Great Tribulation even at the end of millennium kingdom.

The writer’s thesis on this paper is to present a brief study on the above five views of rapture and show how each view differ from one another in each rendering the biblical passage pertaining to the time of the rapture. Because the writer’s theological persuasion is the Pretribulation Rapture, therefore this will be used as a standard view to comment the other views. This is to say that the writer will give a greater emphasis on the Pretribulation Rapture view, though it is not undermining the rest of the view.

THE TIME OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION

The premillennialists believe that the Lord has given to Daniel the future plan for Israel during the time Israel was still in the captivity (cf. Daniel 9:24-27). It is commonly understood that the Lord has given seventy weeks period for Israel in order to “to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy” (Daniel 9:24). This is the prophecy concerning the salvation of Israel and their final acceptance of their King and Messiah at the end of the seventy week period. The question is asked, when did this seventy week begin? Scholars of prophecy have debated on this issue. Some said it was the time of the king Artaxerxes gave a decree to Nehemiah to rebuild the city of Jerusalem in 444/5 BC. And others said it was the time of the king Artaxerxes gave a decree to Ezra to rebuild the city of Jerusalem in 457/8 BC.

Based on Daniel 9:25 is clear that from the beginning of rebuilding of the Jerusalem unto the cutting off the Messiah would be sixty nine weeks period. This would be in total 483 years. Thus those who take the rebuilding of Jerusalem in 444/5 BC, they would conclude that the death of Jesus Christ would be at AD 33. Those who believe the rebuilding of Jerusalem in 457/8 BC, would say that the death of Jesus Christ would be at AD 30.

However the most important fact that the period of the church was not mentioned in prophecy of Daniel. The Lord Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry spoke in Matthew 16:18 “upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” It is understood that the period of the church was begun at the day of Pentecost. Thus the focus on this period is the church and not the Jews. The Jews or Israel were put aside for a time because they had killed their Saviour, the Messiah.

Although God has put Israel aside, this does not mean that God has totally cast out the Jews. God still has a plan for Israel to fulfil His promises as He had given to Abraham and the patriarchs. God put Israel a side in order to focus on the Church, the Gentiles. Paul said, the church is the grafted branch of the wild olive tree (Romans 11:13-24). The period after the death of Jesus Christ is called the period of the church or of the Gentiles. During this period the Lord has set a number of Gentiles to be saved. No one knows the total number of the saved Gentiles but Paul said it “the fullness of the Gentiles” (Romans 11:25). Only when the fullness of the Gentiles is fulfilled then the end of the church period will be accomplished.

When will be the end of Church period? The end of the church period will be marked by the snatching of the church of this earth. Paul said to the Corinthians, “Behold, I show you a mystery, We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). To the Thessalonians Paul said, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). The fulfilment of these two passages will be the end of the church era.

When the time of the church has been accomplished the seventieth week of Daniel will begin. This period will begin with the making of the covenant treaty with the Israel by the leader of Federal State of Europe which is the Antichrist. This period is the period for the salvation of Israel “so all Israel shall be saved” (Rom 11:26). However this is also called the Great Tribulation period where the Antichrist will rule over the whole world. Daniel said, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate” (Dan 9:27). This Great Tribulation will last for seven years and then shall be followed by the millennium kingdom period where the church will rule together with Christ.

Sunday, 15 June 2008

Introductory Commentary to the Epistle of Jude

The Epistle of Jude is one of the shortest books in the New Testament. It has only 25 verses in the English Bible and consists of 458 words in the original text. Though this epistle is brief it is very powerful in its utterance. This is the only epistle which talks about the characteristics of ungodly men, especially in the last days, just before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. The excellent remarks given by Lawlor rightly support that the epistle of Jude, "is the only book in the entire canon of Holy Scripture which is entirely devoted to the dreadful apostasy that will prevail throughout Christendom prior to the return of Christ from heaven, and to the character and conduct of the apostates themselves."

Apparently this is the reason the epistle of Jude is placed just before the book of Revelation in the canonical list of the Holy Scriptures. This is to express the coming judgement of Christ to those who are apostates and do not believe in Him. Hiebert added, "The vigorous little Epistle of Jude is without a parallel in the New Testament for its vehement denunciation of libertines and apostates. While displaying affectionate concern for true believers, it burns with fiery indignation and vivid pronouncements of judgement upon religious sensualists. Standing, as it does in our English Bibles, just before the Book of Revelation, it forms a fitting introduction to the concluding book of the New Testament."

Therefore Jude wrote his epistle as a warning to the Christians, to be more vigilant towards the characteristics and behaviour of the apostates who are in the church today.

Authorship

There are many debates among scholars on the authorship of the epistle of Jude. Most of the commentators agree to the author being Jude, one of the brothers of James and the half brother of the Lord Jesus. This position seems to be the most common among many of the commentators. However this identification is not absolutely certain, for the epistle itself does not say exactly who the author was, from among the five Judes found in the Bible.

It is therefore important to study more closely and examine who the author of this epistle was. The following is a description of each Jude found in the Bible.

First, Jude or Judas of Damascus referred to in Acts 9:11. He was the owner of the house where Saul of Tarsus was staying after he had heard the call of Jesus. Ananias was asked by God to come to this house to confirm the faith of Saul of Tarsus. Second, Judas Barsabas. After the decision was made at the Council of Jerusalem, he was sent to Antioch together with Paul and Silas when they heard that God had opened the door of the gospel to the Gentiles (Act 15:13-22, 27, 32). Third, Judas Iscariot. He was one of the apostles of Jesus Christ who later became an apostate and a traitor. Fourth, Jude the brother of James and one of the Lord’s brothers (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3). Fifth, another apostle who was named Judas, not Iscariot (John 14:22). He was the very quiet apostle. In the New Testament it was recorded only once that he spoke to Jesus Christ.

Based on the above list which Jude was the author of this epistle? To many scholars there are only two possibilities from the names mentioned above. Either Jude, one of the brothers of Jesus Christ or the apostle, Jude not Iscariot. Many commentators have preferred to take Jude the brother of Jesus as the author. The reason being that in the Holy Scriptures are many records where he was mentioned in comparison with Jude the apostle. Second, the absent of the appellation “apostle” in the salutation. Instead of using the title apostle of Jesus Christ, he used the term “servant” of Jesus Christ. Third, the author of this epistle regarded the apostles as apart from himself (Jude 17-18). Finally, the author mentioned “the contention about the body of Moses, and the prophecy of Enoch, which are no where to be found in the scripture.”

However this writer prefers to take Jude the apostle as the author of this epistle for the following reasons. First, the absence of the appellation “apostle” is not an absolute reason to say that he was not an apostle. The phrase “servant of Jesus Christ” was a very common appellation used by the prophets of God in the community of the Jews. In the New Testament, this title was still valid among the Jews who were serving the Lord. John Calvin commented, "He calls himself the servant of Christ, not as the name applies to all the godly, but with respect to his apostleship; for they were deemed peculiarly the servants of Christ, who had some public office committed to themselves…. And, no doubt, he who declares himself to be the servant of God, includes both these things, that is, that God is the bestower of the office which he exercises, and that he faithfully performs what has been committed to him."

Second, the author also introduced himself as “the brother of James.” This writer believes that the author was referring to James the son of Alpheus who was also one of the twelve and not to James the brother of Jesus Christ. Besides Judas Iscariot, there was another Jude who was one of the twelve. He was the son of Mary the wife of Cleophas, also known as Alphaeus. Alphaeus himself has another son whose name was also James. Both James and Jude were the apostles of Jesus Christ. Therefore it is genuinely written by the apostle of Jude, one of the sons of Alphaeus.

Finally, many commentators used verses 17-18 to support the position that it was not Jude the apostle because the author distinguished himself from the apostles of Jesus Christ. However, these verses cannot be used as absolute evidence that it was not Jude the apostle at all. According to Barnes, Jude has his special reason for referring to other apostles: Jude meant also to include himself among the apostles, or Jude was speaking of the apostles collectively. Furthermore, the description that he gave in verses 4-16 mostly happened in the past, and it was predicted that in the future, similar false characters will come: false teachers, false prophets, even false Christs. It was without doubt that the message of the apostles is to follow what Jesus Christ had preached. Therefore Jude here too, reminded and commanded his readers to obey what the apostles had taught them. Before Jude came and served them there have been apostles who came to them and taught them the true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jude might not have known how many apostles had already come to them. For this reason, Jude did not mention any names. However Jude believed what the other apostles had taught are from the same source as his, namely by the inspiration of God. So Jude was confirming what his readers have already heard. It was with humility that he did not want to point to himself as an apostle but he pointed to other apostles. Clearly, the author of this epistle was Jude the apostle, and not one of the brothers of Jesus Christ.

Authenticity

If we accept that the apostle Jude authored this epistle, there is no doubt about its authenticity. We believe God has chosen his apostles to write His words that all believers might have the Holy Scripture as the most perfect of all to be the guide in faith, practice and conduct of all Christians. On the other hand some scholars considered this epistle as a disputed letter because Jude 9 was a quotation from the Assumption of Moses and Jude 14-15 were taken from the book of Enoch and both these books are apocryphal books. To this, Hiebert answered that “the use of a quotation from an uninspired source need not imply that he approved of the whole book.” Therefore despite these critics, it is necessary to consider the external and internal evidence of the authenticity of this epistle.

One external evidence is that most scholars accept its authenticity and there are few scholars who reject it. One of these was Jerome (340-420). He rejected its authenticity “because of the testimony from the apocryphal book of Enoch." However Didymus (d. 394) strongly defended the authenticity of this epistle. The ancient scholars did not have any problem with this book, but rather they referred to it quite often. Tertullian of Carthage (150-222), Clement of Alexandria (155-215), and Origen (185-253) did not doubt the authenticity of the epistle of Jude. In the Muratorian Canon (c. 170) the epistle of Jude was accepted as part of the Holy Scriptures. The reformers (e.g. John Calvin) also accepted this epistle as the Word of God.

There is little internal evidence to support its authenticity and there are no historical records as to where and when the author wrote his epistle. The only internal evidence seen here was the author was that the servant of Jesus Christ. Although he seemed to distinguish himself from the apostles, it was because he took a humble position.

Place and Date

The zeal to preach the gospel to all nations was in the heart of every apostle as they were commanded to be witnesses for Christ “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). The apostles were called to be evangelists to preach the gospel from place to place. Being an evangelist, Jude would definitely have travelled a lot during his ministry. In relation to the writing of this epistle, there is no evidence of place of writing. However there were suggestions that Jude could have written from Alexandria in Egypt or from Palestine, especially Jerusalem.

Regarding the date of his writing the text itself does not provide any certain evidence. Considering the fact that John the last apostle lived till almost the end of first century having written the book of Revelation, there is no doubt therefore that this epistle of Jude must have been written before John wrote the book of Revelation (before A.D 100).

Some scholars have suggested that the date of writing might have been after the destruction of Jerusalem. On the other hand, there are those who hold that it was before the destruction of Jerusalem. Based on the text, Jude apparently wrote it before the destruction of Jerusalem. This is because Jude did not make any reference to this city in his epistle implying that the temple and city were still standing. Due to the importance of the temple and the city of Jerusalem, Jude definitely would have mentioned their destruction if they have taken place but he did not. Thus a possible date of its composition is about A.D 66-68. The exact date however is uncertain.

Occasion

The occasion for the writing of Jude was related to the apostates who revealed their true selves through their own character. Jude pointed out that the apostates were among his readers. The apostates were worshipping together with them and were present at the feast of charity (v. 12). Jude then said that they were “the certain men crept in unawares” (v. 4). Furthermore he identified them as “the ungodly men” (v. 4); “filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities” (v. 8); “murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts” (v. 16). They are the false teachers and “without spirit” (v. 9).

Based on this description Jude was constrained to write to his readers that they might contend earnestly for the faith (v. 3) and build themselves up in the most holy faith (v. 20). Jude knew the danger of these apostates, thus Jude described to his readers the character of these apostates that his readers might know who these apostates were and that they might not follow their ways. At the same time, Jude assured his readers that the Lord Jesus “is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” (v. 24).

Purpose

Jude clearly placed the purpose of his writing in verses 3 and 4. Jude’s first purpose was to write about the common salvation to his readers. However he was constrained by the Holy Spirit to change to another purpose which was to exhort his readers “to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (v. 3). The reason was because “there are certain men crept in unawares” (v. 4) in the midst of his readers. Thus being the apostle Jude gave a strong denunciation of the apostates indicating that the apostates were the ungodly men. The Lord had ordained them to be judged. In addition, towards, the end of his writing he encouraged his readers to build themselves up in the “most holy faith” (v. 20). This was followed by his exhortation that his readers should show mercy to those who doubt (v. 22).

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