278 - Keep Yourself in Love

"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garments spotted by the flesh" (Jude 20-23, KJV). This means we are not only to keep ourselves in the love of God; but we are to help keep others in the love of God. As the body of Christ, we are united in love, so we are to keep the body of Christ in the love of God. In the verses quoted above, Jude addresses the statement to "beloved." When you see "beloved" used in the Scriptures, it's being addressed to Christians. Then Jude says, "building up yourselves," and this indicates there is something we need to do. It has been said that God has already done everything He is going to do. He has given us Jesus and made us a new creation. After we are born again in Christ, we must keep ourselves built up [edified] in the most holy faith.

These Scriptures, verses 20 through 23 has seven (7) commands that a Christian needs to do. #1, ". . . building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost," #2, "Keep yourselves in the love of God," #3, ". . . looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life," #4, ". . . have compassion" on some, #5, ". . . making a difference," #6, ". . . others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, and #7, ". . . hating even the garments spotted by the flesh." The first is to build up ourselves in the most holy faith. You may have noticed that within Christianity there is a lot of putting people down, and it's very easy to be put down through gossip. But, Jude instructs us to build up ourselves  and others in the faith.

Jude precedes the above verses with this warning. "These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These are they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit" (Jude 16-19, KJV). Things were the same then as they are now. We're told by Jude in verse 3, ". . . that you should earnestly contend for the faith. . .", because there are those who will teach you falsely to have you deny the faith that saved you. Join me as we study this episode on how we can build ourselves up in the faith and keep ourselves in the love of God, so those who come with such evil intentions will have no affect and can be overcome. Selah!

Let me hear from you - Charles

https://www.aboundinglove.org/

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