Jude 1:20-23

A BELIEVER WHO GUARDS HIMSELF BY BUILDING UP A GROWING FAITH

Jude 1:20-23

Text

20.

But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

21.

keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22.

And on some have mercy, who are in doubt;

23.

and some save, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Queries

88.

Who is responsible for having faith according to verse twenty?

89.

What does the word building infer as to the speed of attaining a full strength Christian life?

90.

Who is the object of faith in verse twenty, i.e. belief in whom?

91.

What does the Holy Spirit have to do with our prayers? (See Romans 8:26-27).

92.

Notice also who is responsible for keeping ourselves in the love of God in verse twenty one. In this sense, who protects us from outside interference with the love of God? (See Romans 8:37-39).

93.

By mercy out of the love of God we will receive eternal life in only one way in Jude 1:21. What is that way?

94.

The some of verse twenty-three refers to what people?

95.

Who is in doubt, and what do they doubt?

96.

What is the fire out of which we snatch some?

97.

Notice that hate is involved with the Christian where there is such apostasy. What does the Christian hate?

Paraphrases

A. 20.

Finally, beloved brethren, see to it that you grow in trusting the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, praying to God as a Spirit-filled person.

21.

See to it that you do not walk out on the love of God, but that you keep your eye upon the eternal life offered through the mercy of Jesus Christ.

22.

Have pity on some of these wayward brethren, for when they separate themselves from you they really doubt that this is the right thing to do.

23.

Some of these souls can be saved from eternal damnation; but walk in fear, brethren, for the things they do are rotten and against God, and the Christian should hate every expression of sin.

B.*20.

But you, dear friends, must build up your lives ever more strongly upon the foundation of our holy faith, learning to pray in the power and strength of the Holy Spirit.

21.

Stay always within the boundaries where God's love can reach and bless you. Wait patiently for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in His mercy is going to give you.

22.

Try to help those who argue against you. Be merciful to those who doubt.

23.

Save some by snatching them as from the very flames of hell itself. And as for others, help them to find the Lord by being kind to them, but fear the possibility of being pulled along into their sins. Hate every trace of their sin while being merciful to the them as sinners.

Summary

Beloved, see to it that you grow in Christ while you walk carefully among these apostates, though some of them may be brought back to Jesus.

Comment

With a final appeal, Jude turns to the sincere brethren. Out of a deep love he has written to them, and now with a burning heart he urges them to build up their faith. Some may read this, as other scriptures they so read, that there is virtue in faith itself. Not so. Most all men believe something, yet most men are on the broad road that leads to destruction. The most holy faith certainly places the faith in the proper scriptural object: Jesus Christ. The heart of the gospel and the object of our faith is many places set forth as Christ. There is no need that a reminder be made of this at every mention of the word faith. We do not build our lives on confidence; but on Christ, in whom we have confidence.

Praying in the Holy Spirit is an unusual expression. To determine the meaning we should let other scriptures do the interpreting. Nowhere are we instructed, or do we have the example, to pray to the Holy Spirit. This, then, is not the meaning. Nor do we have any teaching nor example that would indicate that the Holy Spirit completely submerges us and overwhelms our will to enable us to pray. Likewise the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not linked with our ability to pray.

What can the expression mean? Romans 8:26-27 says And in like manner the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity: for we know not how to pray as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered; and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And so we do have specific instruction as to the part the Holy Spirit has in our prayers. Because we are saved, and have the first-fruits of the Spirit, and have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, then the Spirit intercedes on our behalf, interpreting our very will, before God. This is especially beneficial when we are unable to frame our heart's desires with the proper words.

It may be said that we are to pray to God as Spirit filled Christians; and not as these libertines who follow sensuousness and have not the Spirit. Hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which He gave us. (1 John 3:24) We know the Spirit of God because of the confession made with the lips and with the life. (1 John 4:2-6). John also adds that this is the boldness which we have toward him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: and we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him. (1 John 5:14-15).

We might also note a linking of the God, the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit in this section. We pray in the Holy Spirit, we keep ourselves in the love of God, and we look for mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. All have a part in our being kept for heaven, and all fulfill their parts with unexcelled flawlessness.

There is a fourth party to our being kept, however. This party is ourselves. Our decision to stay with Him and to remain in His fold is not so flawless. And so we have the careful admonition to build up yourselves, to keep yourselves, and to look for the mercy. These are all admonitions that demand our active participation. We can by default or by choice neglect the object of our faith and so drift away from Him, (Hebrews 2:1). We can choose to go out from among the brethren. We can choose the way of apostasy, as Jude has so carefully warned. Even here he urges, with a burning heart, that we work with these apostates with fear; for a danger is involved!

Finally, we are admonished to hate. Sin is the mortal enemy. The wages of sin is death. Sin caused the death of Christ, and of every man. Sin made these apostates what they are, and can overthrow the Christian if he will not keep himself in Christ.
The particular sin of these apostates is the love of the flesh. Their danger is in the spread of lust to the saint. So it is the saint should hate the fleshly lusts, and even more, hate even the garment spotted by the flesh. The lust of the flesh is a possibility within every man and woman who is yet alive on this earth. The Christian is no exception, for he still resides in a body of flesh. Therefore have mercy with fear, says Jude.
If only the saints of God could realize the terrible result of sin, they would then hate every aspect of sin. The world is not just spotted with sin, it is engulfed in the crimson tide. In the most protected situation, such as the Christian home, or the church of Jesus Christ, there are still spots of sin. These spots must be seen in their true light, and hated, and resisted.