Humanity: What Separates & WHO KEEPS US?
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
(The Letter of Jude 24-25 NASB)
and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy,
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.”
This morning, I found myself reading familiar verses found within Jude’s brief letter written to other Christ-followers. The Bible tells us—
- Jude was born to Joseph & Mary.
- Jude Thaddeus was a brother of James.
- Jude was a half-brother of Jesus.
- Jude was not a disciple of Christ.
- Jude was not (at first) a believer in Jesus as the Messiah.
Then Jesus was crucified & was buried.
THEN ALMIGHTY GOD RESURRECTED JESUS, HIS ONLY SON, BACK TO LIFE!
What is it that separates Believers from the Unbelievers?
BELIEF IN JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD!
It was after the death, burial & resurrection of Jesus, that Jesus’ half-brother Jude believed & became a bond-servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.
As I read this familiar Scripture, I found myself noticing certain characteristics of Jude, my brother-in-Christ & your brother-in-Christ, if you are a Believer too.
- Jude became a follower, a servant to Jesus Christ.
- Jude was saved & became a Christian.
- Jude then became an active member of the church in Jerusalem.
- Jude served His Lord, going on-mission during his earthly life: from Jerusalem to Syria to North Africa.
- Jude obediently served his Lord for more than thirty years.
- Jude suffered martyrdom with Simon the Zealot. &
- Whenever history portrays his image, it notes an axe, symbolizing the way Jude was killed BECAUSE of his FAITH.
Last night during church, our pastor led us to turn to many passages. As I turned in my Bible, I noticed something unique about my study of the Holy Scriptures—I have leaned heavily upon certain passages, touching the verses with both my yellow highlighter and blue pen. However, when turning to other Scripture, I find them untouched, almost as if unread by me throughout the past year. I am convicted to read more of the Word of God, to study and to apply His Holy Word to my life in this year: August 2024 to August 2025,.
If you know me well, then you also know how I began the practice of gifting myself with a brand-new Bible each August. This practice began on my 50th birthday, & my newest birthday gift (a turquoise-colored Bible) lays on my home desk, waiting for the passage of time, anticipating August 20th to arrive.
This morning, as I re-read Jude’s letter, I was struck with a particular thought. Beyond the small-talk that we engage in throughout our day, we must show real concern for another’s spiritual walk, for we must all guard our hearts in Christ Jesus from the temptation to sin.
The apostle Paul, in his letter to the believers living in Rome, addressed—What separates Believers from Unbelievers?
“Now if we have died with Christ,
(The Letter of Paul to the Romans 6: 8-14 & 22-23 NASB)
we believe we shall also live with Him,
knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again;
death no longer is master over Him.
For the death that He died,
He died to sin once for all;
but the life that He lives,
He lives to God.
[Paul is not claiming that Jesus sinned.
As the Perfect Sacrifice, Jesus died on the cross to pay humanity’s sin-debt,
so that we (who Believe in HIM) can receive the forgiveness for our sins.]
Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin,
but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,
and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin
as instruments of unrighteousness;
but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members
as instruments of righteousness to God.
For sin shall not be master over you,
for you are not under law but under grace.
. . .
But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God,
you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification,
and the outcome, eternal life.
For the wages of sin is death,
but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
WHO is it then that keeps us secure forevermore?
When we believed in Jesus as our Savior, we received Mercy & Grace from God. Therefore, we must daily be reading His Word, sharing the mystery of the Good News with others, and offering hospitality, as Jesus commands. To those watching our lives to see if our faith is real, we must show them how we depend upon the Lord, even when we are weak. Yes, if we are to be growing, maturing in our Christianity, we must Seek God & Strive to produce spiritual fruit.
- We must Love as Jesus loves.
- We must be Joyful in our daily walk.
- We must seek Peace with others.
- We must be Patient, even when we are tested and tried.
- We must be Kind to those we encounter.
- We must reveal the Goodness of God to those we meet.
- We must be Faithful until the day God brings us home to heaven.
- We must react with Gentleness although our natural, sinful-self screams otherwise.
- We must be Self-Controlled, relying upon the Holy Spirit to guide our every moment.
Today, I am encouraged as I study God’s Word (specifically re-reading the letter of Jude), how we are to guard our hearts from the temptation to sin, for we have been bought with a cost, by the blood of Christ Jesus.
Today, I am reminded as I study my Bible, how we, who have been redeemed, have been entrusted with so much. We cannot keep the Gospel message to ourselves.
For KING & COUNTRY puts to melody what we are to be busy doing. Listen & Be Reminded.
“What Are We Waiting For?”
“And He said to them,
(The Gospel According to Mark 16: 15 NASB)
[Jesus spoke these words to His disciples]
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”