Dr Paul Allen

Serapion Sindonites was devout monk from the fourth century who memorised the Scriptures, practised great spiritual discipline, and—surprisingly—never wore clothes apart from a loincloth. According to his hagiographer, towards the end of his life, Serapion meets a pious virgin who lives in solitude. He asks her whether she is alive in Christ and thus dead to the world. She confirms this is the case, claiming that anyone who lives a life of solitude, like her, is dead to the flesh. To prove this, Serapion asks something astonishing of her: “Follow my example and take off all your clothes, put them on your shoulders, and go through the middle of the city with me leading the way in this fashion.” Horrified, she responds, “I should scandalize many by the unseemliness of the thing, and they would be able to say, ‘She is mad and possessed by a demon.’” He replied, “What does it concern you if they should say? … For you are dead to them” (Palladius,  Lausiac History , XXXVII.13-15). In a ...

“For there are certain men crept in unawares . . . ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” ( Jude 1:4 ) The special word chosen by the Holy Spirit is most helpful in understanding this warning. The Greek term translated “crept in unawares” is pareisduno, a uniquely compounded word meaning to “sink down in alongside.” What could be more descriptive? These kinds of sneaky people have been written about before, Jude says, and are prime examples of those who transpose the grace of God into uncontrolled lust. Paul uses a similar word in his letter to Timothy to warn him about the ungodly men of the last days who “creep into houses” and undermine the lifestyles of “silly women” ( 2 Timothy 3:6-7 ). The imagery implies the subtlety and cleverness of these “ungodly men,” but there is a horrible consequence of this replacement of God’s grace with “lasciviousness.” Jude lists the terrible judgment on the peopl...