Was Jude a Liar?

Below are some of the many and varied responses to my prior blog “Who’s in Error?”

 

I agree with your description, and that “their faith” was delivered 100% in the first century, so if it wasn’t, and we’re still waiting for that to be fulfilled, then Jude is a liar. (Joseph)

 

I would say the two positions are at odds. “There are yet some things…..” does not agree with Jude 3. We must Rightly divide the word of truth. . . . my beliefs MUST conform to scripture, and I MUST NOT conform the scripture to my beliefs. It is kind of embarrassing when you have to try to explain to people simple grammatical terminology that was learned in grade school. (Mark)

 

I do not see all of the promises made in Isaiah as being fulfilled. Not in the sense that they have failed just that they require time and could not even begin to be fulfilled until Jesus laid the foundation for them.  (Bonnie)

 

I have no problem with the faith of Jesus being once and for all delivered AND for there to be future fulfillment. I don’t see why this would be made an issue? (Jan)

 

So I will not be resurrected? or I have already been resurrected (pls don’t mess with my resurrection….. lol) (Peter)

 

If I am understanding your argument correctly, then there was nothing yet to be fulfilled when Jude wrote his epistle, which is obviously incorrect? (Blog comment posted on PRI’s website)

 

Great comment. But Jude was using a proleptic style of writing here. You may not be familiar with this. So let me briefly explain. Proleptic means something is so close that it is spoken of as being present.  In Jude’s case here it’s less than a handful of years away. For some other examples of speaking/writing proleptically, see John 17:4; 2 Tim. 4:7; also possibly: 1 Pet. 4:7; 1 John 2:18. I hope this clarification helps. (My response, also posted)

 

FOR MORE RESPONSES, see below.

 

John, I think most of us are “partial” preterists and do not believe we are “fully” delivered until we get an immortal body and are free from all spiritual conflict. Many Reformed, Pentecostal and all forms of Protestants (excluding full preterists) understand redemption in this way. it is not just futurists. (Joe)

 

John, why would future fulfillment of some prophecies – like the physical return and receiving a glorified body – mean that the faith delivered to the saint once and for all is not present? (Joe)

 

Clearly, Jesus and His apprentices thought, taught, and wrote scripture that He would “come” soon, ie, within their generation. If He did not come back then, we have a problem with what they thought, taught, and wrote. If He did come back then, we have a problem with our belief system. choose your poison. (Bob)

 

If Jesus did not complete all things how then can His Church be complete in Him? If there are things yet to be fulfilled, then a futurist’s “second coming” of Christ is really a “second” work of Christ. This is why a believer’s view of eschatology has much to do with how they see the position and power of Jesus’ Church. (Thomas)

 

I so long to see the day of resurrection…. and eternity! These are still in the future. (Peter)

 

I often get that response. I usually just ask, “Like what?” Here of late, I have been staying out of most religious debates. It is a complete waste of time to debate with people that are not open to the truth. (Tom)

 

“. . . yet some things…” partial preterists. This is the “Oh, I’m not ready to go that far” crowd who see the time statements and yet can’t trash their “What about the End of the World?” error. Caught in the middle again, they are. (Bud)

 

John, you fail to distinguish between “positional truth,” (our position in Christ) and “experiential truth” (our conscious awareness of it and our experience of it). That is why the Bible speaks of various aspects of the “salvation experience” as past, present and future events. (Richard)

 

I need clarification in this statement. (Mary)

 

I think I would have responded. Please list the things you think are going to be fulfilled in our future. Jude 3, it seems to me, does not preclude that there just might be more that was going to be fulfilled in the future. I don’t believe that there is anything undone that pertains to our salvation. I think the only thing left on God’s prophetic calendar (Daniel 2:44) is His Kingdom filling the whole world. That was the work, the Kingdom Christ came to set-up. It was set-up once, but its fulfillment is not a onetime event, but an ongoing process and work that will continue on far into the future (Elder Mike)

 

What do you think?