"In Your Dreams!"

Scripture Passage

Jude 1:1-25; Revelation 1-2:29

Scripture Focus

…these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings. (Jude 1:8 NLT)

Observation

In Jude 1:3, Jude declares that his original intention was to write “about the salvation we all share.” “But now I find,” he says, “that I must write about something else…because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives” (Jude 1:3-4 NLT). “These people,” he writes in verse 8, “claim authority from their dreams” (Jude 1:8 NLT).

Look—there have always been people who take the grace of God too lightly…who act as if God’s grace gives license to live any way we choose. And they’ve always been wrong about that. Jesus extends incredible grace to the woman caught in adultery, but with what admonition? “Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:11 NIV). Paul addressed the same issue in his letter to the Romans—“What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?” (Romans 6:1-2 NIV) This fundamental truth is repeated again today in Jude. Let there be no doubt about it—the grace of God is no wishy-washy, “anything goes” forgiveness. It is a forgiveness so great, so generous, so rooted in the holiness of God that it rightly demands the response of a righteous, God-honoring life.

What’s captured my attention today is the source of authority for these who abuse the grace of God—it is “their dreams.” I can’t resist saying this: Is it okay to live however you wish once you’ve experienced the grace of God? “In your dreams!”

And building on what we’ve considered the last few days, and on the wonderful truth of the Christmas season, I remind you that we live under a different authority—a greater authority—the authority of the One True God who, in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, took on flesh and blood and dwelt among us. Our authority—and our example—is not the false and fleeting impression of a subconscious experience. It is, rather, the living, breathing reality of an incarnate Savior!

“Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen” (Jude 1:24-25 NLT).

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