UBF Daily Bread

PERSEVERE IN LOVE AND MERCY

Passage: Jude 1:17~25

Key verse: 21

A Call to Persevere

¹⁷But, dear friends, remember what the apostles^(A) of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.^(B) ¹⁸They said to you, “In the last times^(C) there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”^(D) ¹⁹These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.^(E)

²⁰But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up^(F) in your most holy faith^(G) and praying in the Holy Spirit,^(H) ²¹keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait^(I) for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.^(J)

²²Be merciful to those who doubt; ²³save others by snatching them from the fire;^(K) to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.^[a]^(L)

Doxology

²⁴To him who is able^(M) to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence^(N) without fault^(O) and with great joy— ²⁵to the only God^(P) our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore!^(Q) Amen.^(R)

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Footnotes

Jude 1:23 The Greek manuscripts of these verses vary at several points.

Jude speaks to the believers as friends. His charge comes to them as close friends, not one lording over others. He directs them to remember Jesus’ own warning against false teachers who would come in the last days. They would be marked by their lack of morality and their ungodly character. We must be alert not to follow the bad influence of worldly Christians. We live in a time of amorality, super materialism, and unabashed greed. We should not be influenced by so-called Christian leaders who endorse such a lifestyle.

Again, he refers to them as dear friends, and encourages them to build themselves up in the most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit, so that they can guard ourselves spiritually. It is so hard to be filled with God’s love and practice his mercy. But when we live the most holy faith and pray for the Holy Spirit to help us, we can be truly merciful to those who are wavering in their faith and save them from the fires of hell.

Lastly, Jude praises Jesus who sustains and presents us to the Father without fault and in great joy. Let’s persevere with this hope, faith and love.

Prayer: Father, thank you for Jesus who is able to keep us to the end when we seek you in the most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, and practicing God’s love and mercy.

One Word: Persevering in God’s love and mercy