Jude 17-25

17: But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
18: that they were saying to you, "In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts."
19: These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit.
20: But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
21: keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.
22: And have mercy on some, who are doubting;
23: save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

24: Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
25: to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

 ***** 

Jude now contrasts true believers from those he's just warned about, telling his readers how they are to behave in comparison. He reminds them of what the Lord's apostles had said. They gave a warning that in the last time there would be mockers following after their own ungodly lusts (2 Peter 3:2-3). Jude quotes from Peter, who also said that they would say, "All continues just as it was from the beginning of creation," (2 Peter 3:4). They not going to grasp that the Lord really is going to return. There is no concept of consequence within their thinking. Some may appear to agree outwardly to certain things, but their fruit will show what's really in their heart. They cause division. They are not filled with the Holy Spirit. They are carnally minded, driven by fleshly impulses as he's already discussed.

In contrast, Jude says to build yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. Praying in the Spirit builds up your faith. (See Acts 2:4, 38-39, Romans 8:26-27, Ephesians 5:18-20 1 Corinthians 14:39-40) He says to keep yourselves in the love of God, anxiously waiting for the mercy of the Lord. 

So we see these three things:

  • Faith: as we build ourselves up through our prayers in the Spirit,
  • Love: as we keep ourselves in His love,
  • Hope: as we anxiously await the return of the Lord Jesus, and His mercy to eternal life. 

We are to continue in all three (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Not leaving them with the impression that there is no hope for the lost, Jude says to have mercy on some, who are doubting. To save some, snatching them from the fire. And to save others by having mercy with fear; meaning to watch yourself so you don't get caught up in their sin, hating even the polluted "fleshly" garments they wear.

So, we see varying descriptions of those we are to have mercy on in an attempt to bring them to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We have mercy on the doubting, mercy on those we snatch out of hell's fire, and even mercy on those with "polluted" garments, knowing that we must be on guard against that sin ourselves. 

There may be differing degrees of a person's unbelief, however, all need the mercy of the Lord to come to a saving knowledge of Christ and experience Him as Lord. We must show mercy, yet not arrogantly, not ever thinking we are incapable of falling. Paul said that anyone who thinks he stands, should take heed lest he fall (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Jude closes by saying that the Lord is able to keep us from stumbling, so we can stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy. As we remain in faith, hope, and love, we will remain in Him and stand with Him blameless in the end. Jude ends with words of praise, "To the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority before all time and now and forever, Amen." 

Amen!

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