The Letter of Jude is one of the shortest books in the New Testament, occupying barely a page in most Bibles and able to be read in less than five minutes. Yet it carries a significant message.
Jude has become aware that false teaching is spreading through the church. He observes spiritual arrogance and theological compromise. He is concerned that the Christians he loves are losing their capacity to remain faithful. He writes to encourage his friends to pursue faithfulness to Jesus, to the humility and simplicity of the way Jesus taught, and to the teaching of the original apostles who first followed Jesus.
His question is one that every generation confronts: what kind of faith survives when we face existential challenges, or highly attractive alternatives to our beliefs and way of life, or temptation to forsake radical discipleship and embrace the zeitgeist or the status quo?
We might call what Jude is recommending “bulletproof” faith. The term “bulletproof” is a metaphor borrowed from body armour: something that withstands impacts intended to cause serious damage. When applied to people, it usually refers to a capacity to function effectively despite pressures, setbacks, criticism, uncertainty, or adversity.
But if “bulletproof” faith means never doubting, never struggling, or never feeling uncertain, then it bears little resemblance to the faith described in the Bible.
Scripture is full of people who wrestle with uncertainty. Job questions God. David pours out his fears and frustrations. Jeremiah accuses God of abandoning him. Thomas doubts the resurrection. Even Jesus cries out from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
While it is clear about the basics, the biblical tradition is surprisingly comfortable with vulnerability and uncertainty. Faith is not the absence of awkward or difficult questions. It is not emotional invulnerability. It is not possessing complete certainty about everything. Faith is what prompts us to take the decision to continue trusting God amid uncertainty.
It may be best to understand “bulletproof” faith as faith that survives trauma, faith that remains standing after doubt has done its work. That seems much closer to Jude’s pastoral concern.
The letter opens with an unexpected admission. Jude tells his readers that he had intended to write about “the salvation we share” (v. 3a), but circumstances compel him to urge his readers to “contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (v. 3b).
Faith is not passive. It is not something that can simply be inherited and ignored. To grow to maturity, as intended, faith requires attention, commitment and hard work. There are moments when we need to draw a line in the sand, and resist poisonous ideas, habits, and cultural pressures that undermine our deepest Christian convictions. Every generation faces this challenge in one way or another. Our generation battles challenges to our faith on multiple fronts.
For some, the pressure comes from materialism, whispering compellingly that possessions determine our value. For others, it comes from politics, and pressure to devote our lives to this or that ideology – or simply because of the power we are convinced it will bring. For many, it comes from the endless noise and distraction of digital life, where outrage is rewarded and reflection on what is really important is increasingly difficult.
The challenge is not only external but internal. It affects our inner life. Each of us possesses a remarkable capacity for self-deception. This is why Jude’s most famous warning is so relevant. He criticises those who “come in by stealth … turning the grace of our God into sensuality and denying Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord” (v. 4).
This may sound like an obscure or ancient (and therefore irrelevant) theological dispute, but it touches one of the most enduring temptations of the life of faith. The temptation is to turn grace into licence. The New Testament consistently rejects this distortion.
The grace of God is not divine licence to do as we please. It offers transformative power to rise above our weaknesses and transcend our human nature. It seeks to reshape us into who and what we are capable of becoming through the power and wisdom of God.
Whenever leaders excuse harmful behaviour without genuine repentance, whenever someone appeals to spiritual authority to evade accountability, whenever they repeatedly invoke God’s forgiveness while showing little interest in moral growth, Jude’s warning comes into play.
Yet the opposite danger is equally real. History shows that Christians sometimes respond to moral compromise by embracing harsh legalism. They replace grace with rule-keeping, and compassion with judgement. Jude offers neither permissiveness nor legalism. He calls Christians to hold together both grace and holiness, mercy and responsibility, forgiveness and transformation.
Employing vivid imagery, Jude describes false teachers as “dangerous reefs,” “selfish shepherds,” “waterless clouds,” “fruitless trees,” and “wandering stars” (vv. 12f). The reefs are invisible until it’s too late; the shepherds have no interest in the welfare of their sheep; the clouds promise rain but never come good; the trees occupy valuable space but produce no fruit; the stars appear to offer guidance but ultimately lead travellers astray.
Appearances can be deceptive. Not everything that is impressive is ultimately trustworthy. We live in an age dominated by influencers, personalities, brands, and carefully curated images. Every day we encounter voices competing for our attention and allegiance. Some promise prosperity. Others promise certainty. Still others promise belonging, status, or secret knowledge.
The challenge for Christians is discerning which voices are the wise voices, the ones worth listening to and worth following. Jude encourages us to look beyond charisma, beyond the surface of things, and ask deeper questions. Does this teaching produce humility? Does it cultivate love? Does it encourage truthfulness? Does it lead people toward Christ? Or does it merely inflame our fears, our pride, our resentment, and the things that divide us?
Discernment is one of the most important Christian virtues for our age. Yet Jude’s letter is not fundamentally a document of warning. At its heart lies a message of hope.
Near the end of the epistle, the tone shifts dramatically. Instead of focusing on dangers, Jude describes the habits that sustain spiritual resilience:
But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting expectantly for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life (vv. 20-21).
Like a tree, faith grows when it is nourished. Those who never engage deeply with Scripture, worship, reflection, prayer and community often find their convictions unable to withstand serious challenges.
In an anxious and distracted culture, prayer (see v. 20b) reminds us that we are not self-sufficient. It encourages trust, patience, insight and perspective.
Equally important is Jude’s command to remain in the love of God (v. 21a). Religion is often fuelled by fear, anger, ego or anxiety. Jude reminds us that the Christian life is sustained by love. It is the atmosphere that enables faith to survive in a hostile environment.
But Jude is not finished: he goes on to urge his readers to show mercy to those who waver or doubt (v. 22). Strong faith does not mock uncertainty or condemn honest questions. Doubt is often an essential part of spiritual growth. They remember their own struggles and extend patience to others. The strongest believers are often the most compassionate because they know how difficult faith can be.
The letter concludes with a beautiful doxology (vv. 24-25). Here, Jude reveals to us the deepest secret of resilient faith. The ultimate foundation of Christian perseverance is the faithfulness of God. I’ll have more to say about this next week when we look more closely at these last two verses.
The Christian life requires effort. God calls us to contend, pray, discern and persevere. And beneath it all is the sustaining grace of God. We continue because God continues. We endure because God endures. We remain faithful because God is faithful.
Ultimately, “bulletproof” faith may not be the best metaphor for what I’m trying to express. Bullets imply violence, hardness, and overwhelming power. The faith Jude describes possesses an entirely different quality. It is resilient rather than rigid; strong rather than harsh; hopeful rather than triumphant. It passes through seasons of doubt without surrendering to despair. It encounters suffering without abandoning love. It acknowledges mystery without losing trust.
Such faith may not be invulnerable, but it does endure. And in a world marked by uncertainty, confusion and exponential change, that may be just the kind of faith you and I need.
Rev Dr Rod Benson is General Secretary of the NSW Ecumenical Council and a minister of the Uniting Church in Australia serving at North Rocks Community Church in Sydney.
Sermon 856 copyright © 2026 Rod Benson. Preached at North Rocks Community Church, Sydney, Australia, on Sunday 31 May 2026. Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Christian Standard Bible (Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020).
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