Read Jude

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up 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.” (Jude 20–21)

The epistle of Jude is an eerie warning of how false teachers will successfully make a name for themselves within Christ’s church — leaders who turn after the lusts of their own flesh and hold their position for the sake of greed, gain and glory. They speak words like the chaff, which is here one moment, and blown away the next. Rather than establishing the saints, they establish themselves. Rather than preaching the Word of God, they preach to tickle the ears. They are naturally talented, but not supernaturally gifted. To the public they speak virtuously, but in private they speak venomously.

Church, we must be careful. We live in an age where these lines are blurred like never before. The convenience of sharing knowledge through technology has allowed many false teachers to succeed, and has stumbled many children of God with erroneous doctrines. Truly, it is just as the Lord told the prophet Daniel, that in the last days knowledge sharing shall explode.

““But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.”” (Daniel 12:4)

Notwithstanding, the exhortation from Jude found in our verses remains the same for all saints of all ages. If we will but simply submit ourselves to these spiritual disciplines, I trust it will guard us from such persons who seek to destroy our faith. There are four disciplines we must draw our attention to.

First, Jude tells us, that we must build up our faith! To build implies growth, strengthening and fortification. As our faith builds it becomes more impervious to the attacks of false teachers and false teachings. But how can we build without Christ as our foundation? (see Colossians 2:6-7) And how can we grow without Christ's Word as our brick and mortar?

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

Secondly, Jude commands us to pray in the Holy Spirit. Is there any other form of prayer acceptable? Certainly not! To pray in the Spirit is to be guided and directed by the Spirit as we pray. As He leads us, so we pray. When we do not know how to pray, we trust in His intercession for us (see Romans 8:26-27).

“…praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—” (Ephesians 6:18)

Third, we are charged by the apostle to keep ourselves in the love of God. Oh, the love of God! If there be any area in our lives that our enemy Satan seeks to attack and cause us to stumble, it is in the love of God. We must, therefore, we remind ourselves daily of this great love with which God loves us. God’s love keeps us humble, and it allows us to love others as we are called to.

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” (1 John 3:1)

Finally, we are directed to always be looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. This is Jude’s eloquent way of telling us to anticipate the imminent coming of Christ! Our gaze should always be upon the finish line, not the troubles of today. Our blessed hope is for Christ to return, to rapture us into His presence, and then forevermore be enraptured in His glory.

“looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,” (Titus 2:13)

Beloved, I encourage you to seek to do these things daily. Build up your faith in God’s Word. Be led by the Spirit in your prayers. Remind yourself of God’s great love. And always be looking for Christ’s sudden return! For in this, we will be guarded from false teachers and their doctrines in a world where they are spreading like a rapid cancer to turn people away from our wonderful Savior.

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” (1 Peter 5:8–9)

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