All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
Jude 1:22-23
In another discussion we have spoken of being compassionate but also of rebuking. So as Jude played on, these two verses grabbed my attention.
Jude 1:22-23 KJV
22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
I don't know how you feel about Gills commentaries but he says (short version LOL) compassion for those convicted either of the faith or gone out (backsliders?). And he says the ones we treat with fear are the pharisees and false teachers. I know either way we speak the truth but what I felt in this verse is perhaps another meaning and it's something I've spoken of to others before.
I think God uses "some" who are good with rebuking and maybe sound harsh and "some" who show a more compassionate side, thereby using the talents given to both.
This is just something I felt might be true for quite some time now. Using our individual personalities, God can reach more people as some will respond better to a soft voice and some to a more outspoken one, and perhaps get a mixture of both from people with varying personalities.
Thought we could discuss this aspect of this verse and see what others might get from this particular scripture.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
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The two verses are instructing us on how we are to address people according to where they are. It is not showing two separate people taking two different approaches. To some we can show compassion which relates to a softer side which can be seen as a slow long term approach. The other relates to snatching them from the fire which intimates immediate danger.
Gil also includes this regarding the words "making a difference" which is found in between compassion and snatching:
"Making a difference; between one and another; using some more tenderly, others more severely, as the nature and circumstances of their case appear to be. The Syriac version renders the whole, 'when they repent, have compassion on them'".
Lord Bless,
LT
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Permalink Reply by Seek on
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Yet what about being taken in context with Romans 12:6-8:
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
It seems to me that we are all useful in our own gifts. Some of us better at empathy and building up and others better at teaching the harsher realities of God's Word. And I feel that if people could cherish those differences, we'd realize how each part of the body functions as a whole.
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The problem is that Jude is not in context with Romans 12, but rather in harmony. They are two different teachings being taught to specific people regarding specific situations. Romans is distinguishing gifts, whereas Jude is distinguishing how to respond to different people.
Lord Bless,
LT
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The People's New Testament Commentary gives a succinct view:
Jude 1:20-23
Building up yourselves. Instead of separating from the faith.
Praying in the Holy Spirit. See notes on Eph_6:18.
Keep yourselves in the love of God. By holy lives and prayer.
On some have mercy, who are in doubt. See the Revision. The thought is to be very gentle and pitiful to those disturbed by doubt.
And some save, snatching them out of the fire. By snatching away from sin by the most vigorous effort. By stern preaching.
Some have mercy with fear. Mercifully point out the danger.
Hating even the garment, etc. All the while abhorring their sins.
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Then say two people pray on a situation and both come to different responses? Who decides which one heard from God and which didn't? That happens. And it's not to say both responses aren't covered in scripture but are two different approaches to the same desired solution.
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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I agree that feeling led and actually being led are different. It can be difficult for me to know with certainty if I'm saying something I want to say or something God wants me to say.
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Well its not just whether or not one is or isn't led. What if both are?
I've heard sermons from different sources using the same scripture to point out something completely different. Not opposing views but views on two different things. And both have made very good points and both lined up with other scripture. They just focused on the same scripture for a different revelation.
One recent for me was two teachings on the woman at the well. One being on the perspective of the woman and another on the perspective of Christ. We could even go with what the disciples thought of it or the people in town.
Why do Matthew, Mark, Luke and John have a few different takes on things.
Each one speaks of who went to the tomb. One says Mary Magdalen, another Mary Magdalen and the other Mary, another lists a third. Are some wrong or just had a different perspective on things? They each wrote what they saw that stood out to them and these were all disciples.
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Remember that in Scripture there is only one true interpretation ... God's (Exactly what He meant) and there may be many applications to that one central truth.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Just as the straight line analogy in your blog though, maybe God has a broader range of interpretation than we can understand?
I'm not speaking of opposing viewpoints like one saying it's OK to be gay and another that it's not for instance. But two varying uses of scripture to reach the same end.
Such as what prompted my question here. If someone uses a more compassionate approach and another more of a rebuking one, aren't both still concerned with what they're trying to accomplish but going at it differently to achieve the same end that would glorify God?
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What you describe falls under applying the Scripture and not the actual interpretation.
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