‘But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.’
Jude 1:20-23 NLT
Jude encourages believers to be faithful. This is not an esoteric kind of faithfulness. It has legs and boldness in its scope and application. He admonishes believers to lean into the power of God in all of its facets rather than that of their own understanding. Jude encourages accessing God’s wisdom rather than our own. He has us lean on the promise and sturdiness of God’s character rather than the finiteness of human character. He advises that believers dive into the rich blessings of inheritance from our saving relationship with Jesus. All of these encouragements are meant to edify the whole body of Christ and to strengthen the solidarity of the whole. This message is of importance when taken in the context of a church without social media apps to connect it, streaming to extend it, and vehicles and paved roads to deploy it. Instead, according to Jude, the simple act of every person looking out for the best interests of his brother is what will keep us safe in God’s love.
JOSH McGARY. COM 