Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:
23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Unlike the ungodly men who seek to elevate themselves and cut down the Truth, true saints need to encourage one another to grow closer to the Lord and stronger in Him. That is the opposite of what the ungodly men desire. The New Evangelical camp is not about drawing closer to God. They have rejected the God of the Bible. They have an imaginary god who bows to their whims. He is not holy. He is not just. He does not love anyone but himself.
True saints have a holy faith, a gift from God. It is pure and it is focused on knowing the true God more and more. True saints pray with wisdom. They are guided in their prayers by the indwelling Holy Spirit. He is in us to help us in all things.
True saints are adopted into the family of God. A true saint can never lose their salvation. However, the true saint needs to keep him or herself in the love of God. The true saints need to choose every day if they want to be holy as they should be or if they want to be carnal, in need of chastening. The good news is that God will never allow a true saint to remain in a place of carnality.
Galatians 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.
4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
5 For every man shall bear his own burden.
6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
True saints care about one another. True saints want to see fellow saints growing in the Lord. They take a genuine interest in one another and when one is weak and struggling, others come alongside to encourage that brother or sister to get back on track. Lost people can write others off and forget about them. They only want people around them that they can use to build themselves up.
In verse 21 we read that true saints are looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. There is a completely different motivation for true saints than for those who are lost. That is what motivates true saints to be in church on the Lord’s day. They want to grow and they want to be in the fellowship of other saints. They also appreciate Bible study with other true saints. They appreciate God’s order of things. God knows what He is doing. We do not need to second guess Him.
In verse 22 we see that true saints need discernment. We need to show compassion to the beloved. We need a genuine care for one another. We want to be together. We want to grow together. We want to make a difference in other saints’ lives.
In verse 23 we see that true saints can succumb to the lies of the ungodly men who have crept in. There are true saints who get discouraged. They start to dabble in the lies of the ungodly. They begin to think there is merit in what they say. It shocks me to see some who have attended an Independent Baptist church leave and attend some New Evangelical social club. Obviously something went wrong in that relationship. There may be good reason to leave a particular Independent Baptist church. There is no reason to leave the love of God.
The true saint cares for other saints and wants to try to help them avoid the fire of God’s wrath. A true child of God cannot lose their salvation. However, as we read in Revelation 1, Jesus’ eyes are as a flame of fire. In chapters 2-3 He examined seven churches. He saw the problems and addressed them. He did not shrug His shoulders and suggest that it would all work out. Intervention was needed and He intervened.
True saints are not proud. They understand the weakness of the flesh. They hate the sin that a brother or a sister gets into. They do not want to see that person continue in that path. They want to see them back on the narrow way in a more solid manner. That can happen and it is beautiful when it does happen. The evidence of salvation will be that healing of the spirit that takes place when true humility rules.
Today is the Lord’s day. It is the right day to be in the house of a true local church. Come with a heart that is ready to receive a blessing from the Lord. If you are attending a true local church you will not be disappointed. The preaching will be just what your soul needs. It may not be what your mind wanted to hear, but it will be what your soul needs, and when you accept that, your mind will be changed. If you are in our area, we would welcome you into our midst.
Pastor Bartel