JUDE 24-25    A DODGY PAST BUT A GLORIOUS FUTURE  

As Christians we are in great danger of falling and being unfaithful.

Our great safety does not lie in our personal strength whether physical, mental or spiritual. It lies in the Divine ability and God's faithfulness. It is by God’s grace we are kept from stumbling into sin so as to dishonour our Lord. He is the One who can keep us from falling.

Jude has finished admonishing the Christians to whom he is writing. Now he says, “Let us adore him who can keep us from falling”.

We need to be kept from falling; There is a Chance of Falling: The Certainty of Falling: the Calamity of Falling.

We need to be kept from falling, in the sense of preservation from a number of errors that all humans are prone to fall into.

We listen to false teachers teaching false doctrine.

We listen to our own heart when it encourages doing wrong. These things still pose a problem for the Christian. Things such as a lack of love, lack of discernment, unbelief, or finding an excuse, or fanaticism, or conceit.

Some had openly sinned. It can happen to the best of us. It humbles us to realise how low the best of us may fall.

Most of us have not always done all the good that we could have, or should have, done, either through ignorance, idleness or thoughtlessness.

Backsliding is the old word that probably explains all of the above.

If we are to avoid a fall from grace, Jude recognises that none but the Lord can keep us from falling.

There is no place that can guarantee our security: the church, the communion-table and even the closet where we have our quiet time can all be invaded by temptation.

No rules and regulations will secure us from stumbling. Stereotyped habits may only conceal deadly sins.

No experience can eradicate evil, or protect us from it. Over the years many experiences have been promoted with the promise that they would eradicate indwelling sin. These experiences all have one thing in common. They are all man based. They teach that there is a secret to be learned and there are things which we must do.

 The Lord can do it. He is “able to keep,” and He is “the only wise God, our Saviour.” His wisdom is part of His ability.

He teaches us so that we do not fall into sin by ignorance.

John 14:26                                                                                                                                                      But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

1 Cor 2:13-16                                                                                                                                                  13 These things we also speak, not in words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For "who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?"* But we have the mind of Christ.

1 John 2:26-27

26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. 27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will  abide in Him.

He warns us by pointing out to us the things which caused others to fall, or by inward admonition by the promptings of conscience, or, again, by the Word of God.                              Providence, affliction, illness etc, may make it physically impossible to sin.

God may give us a fear of certain sins which makes us dread them as a burnt child dreads the fire.

 His Holy Spirit must renew in us desires after Holiness.                                

 The Lord will do it. He is “The only God our Saviour. 

 1        He is able to keep you from stumbling.

2                      He is able to present you faultless.

Jude assures us that we shall present our praise to God through Jesus, who is Himself our Lord.

We shall praise Him by recognising His glory, majesty, dominion and power.

Ascribing these to Him as to the past, for He is “before all time.”

Ascribing these to Him “now” because He is ever present.

Ascribing these to Him in eternity “for ever”.

And let us add to the adoration of all His saints our own fervent “Amen.”

He is able to present all the saints because He is able to keep them from stumbling and they are "kept by the power of god, through faith unto salvation."

The saints are, at death, presented before the lord in never-ending glory.

All the saints shall be introduced to their god in heaven, in a glorious state, holy and without blemish. They shall be presented "faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy."

The place, in which the saints find final rest, is heaven.

The character of the saints in heaven is faultless. We shall never fully understand the extent of the evil consequent upon the transgression of the first covenant, until we are completely delivered from its effects in glory.