Today, Saturday December 11
Drinking the Living Water
Jude 1:24-25 “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.”
Today is our final day studying the Book of Jude. I trust that you have enjoyed and benefited from it as much as I have! Remember Jude wrote this epistle to warn the believers about the apostates, those false teachers who were already in the church teaching false doctrines especially about Jesus. They were wolves in sheep’s clothing. They were deceitful liars who were hypocrites. They were taking advantage of the young immature believers for their own advantage. Jude gives a pretty harsh word and description of them as he exposes them for what they are.
Jude also pronounces condemnation and judgment upon these false teachers who were perverting the grace of God. He reminded the church that, just like God judged the nation of Israel in the wilderness for forty years, cast the rebellious angels out of heaven and put them in eternal chains of gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day, and sent fire and destroy Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, God would for sure bring judgment upon these “ungodly” people too. (v. 14)
It doesn’t take much imagination to make an application of these people in our culture and society today! If we are not careful we can get so discouraged by all the deceitful liars that seem to surround us today. It appears that they are getting by with their lies, but we need to remember that God will get the last laugh (Psalm 2).
Jude’s answer is for us to be strong and not be stumbling over them and their false teaching by remembering God’s Word (v. 17)! By building ourselves up in the most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit (20)! By keeping ourselves in the love of God and waiting for His mercy (v. 21). And by surrendering our lives to Jesus Christ and keeping our focus on Him (v. 24-25).
What a magnificent doxology Jude finishes his letter with! Knowing the purpose Jude had in mind when he wrote this letter, this doxology takes on even greater significance. Jude was reminding his readers of the greatness of Jesus Christ. If only they could catch that, they would never be led astray by false teachers.
Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4 if she would drink of the water that He gave her that she would never thirst again. “Jesus said to her, Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14). If we would daily drink of God’s Word and meditate on it and take in the greatness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we will lose our appetite, our thirst for the things of this world!
We don't have to stumble. If we will remember the Word, build our Christian life in faith, hope, and love, exercise spiritual discernment, and commit ourselves to Christ, then He will keep us from stumbling. But be alert! The enemy is subtle and the dangers are great.
Always remember that the only wise God your Savior will keep us safe and one day present us joyfully in glory!
God bless!
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