Jude 1:21

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. In Jude 1:20, Jude combines the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: faith, hope, and love. KEEP YOURSELVES - not in your own strength, but "in the love of God;" i:e., God's love to you and all believers: the only guarantee for their being kept safe. Man needs to watch; but cannot keep himself, unless God in His love keep him. LOOKING FOR - in hope. THE MERCY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST - to be fully manifested at His coming. Mercy is usually attributed to the Father: here to the Son; so entirely one are they....

21._Keep yourselves in the love of God. _He has made love as it were the guardian and the ruler of our life; not that he might set it in opposition to the grace of God, but that it is the right course of our calling, when we make progress in love. But as many things entice us to apostasy, so that it is difficult to keep us faithful to God to the end, he calls the attention of the faithful to the last day. For the hope of that alone ought to sustain us, so that we may at no time despond; otherwise we must necessarily fail every moment. But it ought to be noticed that he would not have us to hope for eternal life, except through the mercy of Christ: for he will in such a manner be our judge, as to have no other rule in judging us than that gratuitous benefit of redemption obtained by himself....

17-23 Sensual men separate from Christ, and his church, and join themselves to the devil, the world, and the flesh, by ungodly and sinful practices. That is infinitely worse than to separate from any branch of the visible church on account of opinions, or modes and circumstances of outward government or worship. Sensual men have not the spirit of holiness, which whoever has not, does not belong to Christ. The grace of faith is most holy, as it works by love, purifies the heart, and overcomes the world, by which it is distinguished from a false and dead faith. Our prayers are most likely to prevail, when we pray in the Holy Ghost, under his guidance and influence, according to the rule of his word, with faith, fervency, and earnestness; this is praying in the Holy Ghost. And a believing expectation of eternal life will arm us against the snares of sin: lively faith in this blessed hope w...

Verse Jude 1:21. _KEEP YOURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD_] By building up yourselves on your most holy faith, and praying in the Holy Ghost; for without this we shall soon lose the love of God. _LOOKING FOR THE MERCY OF OUR LORD_] For although they were to build _themselves_ up, and to _pray_ in the Holy Ghost, and keep _themselves_ in the love of God, yet this _building, praying_, and _keeping_, cannot _merit_ heaven; for, after all their diligence, earnestness, self-denial, watching, obedience, c., they must look for the MERCY _of the Lord Jesus Christ, to bring them to_ ETERNAL LIFE....

KEEP YOURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD - Still adverting to their own agency. On the duty here enjoined, see the notes at John 15:9. The phrase “the love of God” may mean either God’s love to us, or our love to him. The latter appears, however, to be the sense here, because it is not a subject which could be enjoined, that we should keep up “God’s love to us.” That is a point over which we can have no control, except so far as it may be the result of our obedience; but we may be commanded to love him, and to “keep” ourselves in that love. LOOKING FOR THE MERCY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST - Particularly when he shall come to receive his people to himself. See the Titus 2:13 note;...

KEEP YOURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD,.... By which may be meant either the grace and favour of God, that love with which God loves his people; and then the exhortation to the saints to keep themselves in it is, to set it always before them, to keep it constantly in view, to exercise faith on it, firmly believing their interest in it; as also to meditate on it, give themselves up wholly to the contemplation of it, and employ their thoughts constantly about it, which is the foundation of all grace here, and glory hereafter; or to preserve themselves by it, for so the words may be rendered, "preserve yourselves by the love of God"; against Satan's temptations, the snares of the world, and the lusts of the flesh; whenever Satan solicits to sin, and any snare is laid to draw into it, and the flesh attempts to be predominant, saints should betake themselves to the love of God, as to a strong hol...

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. THE INTRODUCTION Jude 1:1 Jude in his brief introduction speaks of the Christian believers, whom he addresses, as called ones, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ. The latter statement may also be translated “kept for Jesus Christ.” What was true of the believers in Jude's day is true of all believers. Especially comforting is the fact, that, no matter how dark the days may be, however strong the current of evil, those who are “the beloved of God called saints” will be preserved in Jesus Christ and kept for Him as the members of His body, till He comes. He keeps His own. It is the blessed assurance that the believer's keeping rests in His own hands. In the Revelation we see in the glory vision that Christ holds seven stars in His right hand, which is the symbol of the hand of His power with which He keeps His own. Then there is th

These false brethren make divisions among you, but do you build up yourselves by means of your most holy faith. As regards them, show mercy towards those who are in doubt; save others, snatching them from the fire which is consuming them; show mercy to others, yet fear lest you be contaminated by them. JUDE 1:19. SEPARATIONS: _ cf._ the warning against those who cause divisions in Romans 16:17; the divisions were probably social (_cf._ Jude 1:16, respect of persons), such as are referred to in 1 Corinthians 11 and James 2:1. Jude 1:22 f. on some have me

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN (Jude 1:1-2)...

THE LOVE OF GOD. God's love to you, i.e. the assurance of it, basedon His Word. LOOKING FOR. Greek. _prosdechomai._ See Acts 23:21. LIFE. App-170....