The Christian’s Keeping

April 10, 2011

Lesson: Jude 17–25

Key Verse: Jude 24–25

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Introduction

The Christian has something the wicked do not have, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, of whom the universal Church testifies, that “the third person of the Holy Trinity, of one and the same essence, majesty, and glory with the Father and the Son; and therefore is the true and eternal God, as the Holy Scriptures teach us” (Belgic Confession). Along with the Father and the Son, the Spirit is able to keep us. The Holy Spirit “is true and coeternal God with the Father and the Son; …He is also given me, to make me a true faith, partaker of Christ and all His benefits, that He may comfort me and abide with me for ever” (Heidelberg Confession). God’s Scriptures “manifest that the Son and the Holy Ghost are God equal with the Father, ascribing unto them such names, attributes, works, and worship, as are proper to God only” (Westminster Larger Catechism). Thus we understand that God “is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy” (Jude 24).

In the midst of sorrows, tribulations, and persecutions, the Christian knows that there is nothing that can separate them from the love of Christ. The Scriptures confirm that victory we have in Christ Jesus: “For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:36–39). This is the spirit of the Epistle of Jude, written before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70). Persecution and apostasy has been building up. The Christian congregations are receiving epistles, letters from Paul, Peter, and others, including, “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ,” who wrote to those who are “sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called” (Jude 1). The hope of these congregations is set upon the truth that they belong to God who has called them into His marvelous light, and will certainly be preserved in that Light, Christ Jesus.

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Kept in the Love of God—Jude 17–23

The congregations not only face the persecutions from without, they must also deal with those who act ungodly within the fellowship: These are murmurers, complainers, walking in their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage” (16). Their advantage meaning that by their actions, they personally profit in one way or another.

Jude encourages the congregations, “But beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostle of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.” It is no surprise for the Christian that they would be tempted by those who would mock their faith, and would act from the lust of their flesh and not from the love of God. Their hearts and their actions are of their father the deceiver because they do not have the Holy Spirit. They walk according to their ungodly lusts, separating themselves from that which is righteous and good.

Christians, being so warned, receive this admonition, “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life.” Note that we are called “beloved”—as those who are thought of as well by the Lord, as precious in His sight. In this special relationship with our Father in heaven, through Christ, we are able to build ourselves up in our most holy, most moral, a divine faith. This is our faith in Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior, which produces fruit in our lives to the glory of God. This building process is nurtured in the Word of God, in our prayers which reveal our fellowship with God, by which we are kept in the love of God. As we study God’s Word, pray in the power or authority of the Holy Spirit, we look for, and anticipate an answer from our Father, which is nothing less than the tender mercies of our Savior operating in our lives “unto eternal life.”

The congregations are told that they not only will be building their faith, but that they will make a difference. How do we make a difference? We make a difference by our compassion toward one another; by our living in Christ whereby the gospel is shown through word and deed, that some will be saved “with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” Matthew Henry gives us this understanding: We must watch over one another, must faithfully, yet prudently, reprove each other, and set a good example to all about us. This must be done with compassion, making a difference. How is that? We must distinguish between the weak and the willful. Of some we must have compassion, treat them with all tenderness, restore them in the spirit of meekness, not being needlessly harsh and severe in our censures of them and their actions, nor proud and haughty in our conduct towards them; not implacable, nor averse to reconciliation with them, or admitting them to the friendship they formerly had with us, when they give evident or even strongly hopeful tokens of a sincere repentance: if God has forgiven them, why should not we?

Discussion: How are we to grow in our faith?

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Kept by God—Jude 24–25

Jude shows us the wonder of being kept in the love of God by way of a doxology, a celebration of the glory of God in Christ Jesus: “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” Not only does our Lord keep us from falling, or failing, but He does so that He, as our Advocate and Mediator, may present us as “faultless” (without blame) before the glory of the heavenly triune majesty. Paul, writing to the faithful saints at Colosse, that Christ “having made peace through the blood of the cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight” (Col. 1:20–22). Since Christ paid the penalty for our transgressions before the Father, being judged as a sinner on our behalf, Christ would not hesitate to keep us in His righteousness before such a glorious majesty.

Our celebration should be nothing less than glorifying the triune Creator and Savior, and therefore enjoying Him forever: “To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” We know victory and joy in our Lord for He is Sovereign, having full dominion and authority over all things. For He is the Creator and Sustainer of both material and authorities: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Rom. 11:33–36). Thus we both live and praise Him, day by day, year by year, with joy, in the presence of our most gracious and merciful Lord and Savior.

Discussion: Why are able to praise our Lord and give Him thankful hearts?

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Lessons are based on the International Sunday School Lessons for Christian Teaching, copyright © 2011 by the Committee on the Uniform Series.