Jude 21-23

Introduction:

In light of the increasing falling away of "Christians" from sound doctrine, how do God's people protect themselves? It would be easy to complain about all the "bad people" out there who do church wrong. It is very easy to argue about all their positions and how apostate they are. That is a very broad road and an easy one to travel. However, the narrow road is the one that maintains that relationship with God in purity and a sincere heart.

1 Timothy 1:5 (NASB95)

5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

Beloved, you are not necessarily called to an "apostate hunting ministry." We must identify those who have fallen away in order to be aware of their influence. However, we cannot spend valuable time to that unnecessarily. We must take the offensive and maintain our own sincere faith. We must establish ourselves in truth and walk in it. If we do not, we will become like them forgetting where we came from.

In Jude 20-21, we have a very wonderful text. It is fitting considering all that Jude has been saying. In light of the apostasy, here is how to keep yourselves pure. This text teaches us how to maintain ourselves from being polluted by the error of the apostate teacher.

Subordinate commands:

While building up.

While praying.

While waiting anxiously.

Emphasis: keep yourself unspotted from the effects of the apostates by protecting yourselves. Maintain the love of God, i.e. that place of unity with God for which Christ called you. Sin and error disrupts that union (as God is truth). Therefore, it is necessary, so that you will "walk with God", to maintain your protection from error by building up in the faith, praying by the Holy Spirit, and waiting anxiously for the return of Jesus Christ for His church.

Main command/instruction: "Keep yourselves in the love of God"See v.1

1 Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ:

This is very interesting. Jude has in mind, apparently, the love of God and the safety of Jesus Christ. Yet, in the love of God, in which believers stand and exist, and in the power of God being kept for Jesus Christ, there is still the oft-forgotten reality that we are still to strive. Being loved of God, we must remain there. Being kept for Christ, we must remain there. How? By:While being built up further (upon a foundation).While praying in the Holy Spirit, i.e. while walking in the Spirit.While awaiting diligently for the return of Jesus Christ for His church resulting in entrance into eternal life. We maintain ourselves in the love of God, kept for Jesus Christ, by these things. They are instrumental (Schreiner)."v.21 keep yourselves in the love of God" (1 John 5:18 - We know that no one who is born of God sins; but He who was born of God keeps him, and the evil one does not touch him.)Main verb: keep yourself. This is the idea/reality of maintaining. Maintain the "kept" position of v.1. We are kept for Jesus Christ. We are also to keep ourselves for Jesus Christ. The first one does not depend upon the second. We are not kept by God by our keeping ourselves. We are kept by God. But, we have a striving responsibility to maintain that kept position and increase in it. This must have the greater perspective of protection. Protect yourself from the influence of the false teachers. Maintain that pure and undefiled position of devotion to Jesus Christ, for whom we are kept. The two truths are presented in v.1Love of God - The ones being loved.1 John 4:7-5:3God's love demands that we love the one born of God.The one who abides in love abides in God.We love because He first loved us.1 John 5:3 This is the "love of God", that we keep His commandments.True love of God (God's quality of love) is evident by the fact that we keep His commandments. John 14:151 John 2:3In order to maintain that love that God has already expressed to us, we are to maintain an allegiance to His commandments. This is over and against the error of the apostate.This is over and against that dear saint who is caught-up in the error of an apostate. Kept - being preserved/protected/maintenance of position. The idea of kept here is preservation.

(a) spiritually, of persons guard, preserve, protect (JN 17.11); (b) as maintaining the essence of the Christian life keep (2T 4.7); (c) with reference to doctrine, commandments, precepts observe, obey (MT 19.17)

Timothy Friberg, Barbara Friberg and Neva F. Miller, vol. 4, Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament, Baker's Greek New Testament Library (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2000), 379.

How?Thus, in order to maintain the position in which a Christian exists, he/she must preserve themselves.

"while building yourselves up further (upon a foundation):The OT prophesied of the time when God would become the temple. We see this in a myriad of ways:Isaiah 8:14; 22:18; Psalm 118:22 all indicate a time when a rock will be rejected by the builders (Israel) and will then be used of God to become the precious/valuable cornerstone for the whole building of God. Although this stone will be thought of as useless to the Jews, the builders of the kingdom, to the Father He is precious, useful, and critical for the building of the sanctuary of God on earth. This is magnificent truth (Psalm 118:22). How could this be? The reality that Jesus Christ is the chief cornerstone of the entire building means that all things revolve around and are built upon Him. The foundation is taken-off from the cornerstone. The apostles are the foundation (Eph. 2:20). Further, they will be the foundation stones in the Heavenly Jerusalem as well (Rev. 21:22). A cornerstone is that stone around which the entire building is set. It squares it up, maintains height, and level/plumb. Without it, the building is hopeless and will not stand.

So, what do we understand? The Temple on earth was a pattern of the Heavenly Temple. Thus, the heavenly Temple is coming and God and the Lamb are the Temple. We are also the Temple because God resides in us by the Holy Spirit through faith. Therefore, we build up one another to become a dwelling place of God, although we already are one. Even corporately, we are the dwelling place of God. The tool by which we are built is the truth of the faith. Get that wrong, we do not build the Temple, but a building that will collapse (see Matthew 7:24f.). As Peter says, we grow up to salvation (1 Peter 2:1-2). NOTE: this is a work to do. This striving is a must for those who are building a building. Long, arduous hours of labor and toil (see Proverbs 2:1-15; this is the essence of what is being said here).

While praying in the Holy Spirit, i.e. while walking in the Spirit."Eph.5:18; What does the Spirit of God do?He is a Helper: this is One who assists us with the inabilities htat we have for righteousness. He is called "another" Helper. This assumes that Jesus is a Helper as well. A Helper for what? For assisting us in the acquisition of righteousness before the Father.

(John 7:39; 14:26; 15:26; 16:7; Rom 8:26; 1 John 2:1)

John 14:16 ("another") - He will abide with us forever.John 14:26 - will teach/remind the apostles of Jesus' teaching.John 15:26 - He will testify about Jesus Christ.John 16:7 - He will be sent from the Father at the request of Jesus Christ. He is a Teacher: Jeremiah 31:31-34John 14:261 John 2:25-29; the Spirit of God abides in the believer. He, thus, teaches that believer all things. He does this by means of the Scripture. This produces righteousness before Christ at His coming (1 John 3:1f.). This is how we know we are in Him (Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit). This is very important to comprehend. We are in Christ by the operation and work of the Holy Spirit. This is the result of the NC. 1 Cor. 12:13 indicates that we are placed into Jesus Christ, just as we once were "in Adam." That is, we came from Adam by birth and nature. However, as Christians, we are from Christ, of the same nature. All this by the work of the Spirit. He is an intercessor:Romans 8:26-27.Eph.2:18

📷 The foundation of all of this is the NC in Jeremiah 31 & Ezekiel 36. This is evident in Joel 2/Acts 2. This promise of coming was long-awaited. This coming is the evidence of God's work in history to move forward to the coming kingdom. This is the process of building His temple/tabernacle/household/family. The work is done by the Holy Spirit just as the original creation was also a work of the Holy Spirit.

So, what is this? The early church would have no problem understanding this. They knew their inability. They knew their weakness. They were familiar with the work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, they would have, having had the teaching about the Spirit from John etc… (apostles), understood that their prayers (which they are to do regularly) are to be from the posture and position of dependence and weakness, not self-righteousness. We should not let our prayers be heard for applause from men (Mt.6:5-13).

"While awaiting diligently for the return of Jesus Christ for His church resulting in entrance into eternal life."What is this? This is the return of Jesus Christ. The result of this return is eternal life. Is this the Rapture or Second Coming, or both?Rapture:

John 14:3; 17:24; 2 Cor 5:8; Phil 1:23; 1 Thess 4:17.

The church was given a promise, specifically through the apostles. They were told that Jesus would come back for them and take them to be with Him forever. John 12:26John 14:3.Thus, they would follow Him and go where He goes. Second Coming:Acts 1:11?Mat. 16:27f.; 19:29; 25:46Both events culminate in eternal life. The result of Jesus' return is that of eternal life. We gain living eternally, i.e. free from sin, death, and the curse, when Jesus comes back. However, if He returns in a "snatching away" before the Second Coming, then we understand that that is the eternal life being referred to here. We are eagerly looking for Christ's return to get us.

Conclusion