Called, Beloved & Kept

A call to contend for the faith.

The book of Jude opens with a beautiful, threefold description of every believer's past, present and future in Jesus Christ: 

"To those who are called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ" 

(Jude 1, ESV)

THE CALL

From before time, we have each been called by God. In this current moment, we are each cherished and beloved in God the Father. Finally, our future is secure because God is faithfully keeping us for Jesus Christ. What a promise! What good news! And yet Jude writes to the church with an urgent message to fight for this very calling.

THE FIGHT

Jude declares the intent of his letter to be a call, a rally to "contend for the faith" (Jude 3, ESV) as he charges: "keep yourselves in the love of God" (Jude 21, ESV).  This calling, this identity and this hope is something for which we ought to fight.  The Greek indicates that this is a faith to "contend earnestly for" and "to struggle for"[1].  As a motivation and a warning, Jude reminds the church of stark examples of those who have lost the struggle and have left the faith (Jude 5-16).  But he ends with a reminder that we do not fight alone, nor is our struggle without hope.

THE HOPE

In fact, he finishes his letter with a well-known and glorious reminder of how God is the one who oversees the work, guarantees its outcome, and deserves every ounce of the glory: 

"To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory 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" (Jude 24-25, ESV)

Notice how Jude, again, paints a three-dimensional picture of the past, present and future of our lot in the Lord.  This “glory, majesty, dominion and authority” have always been Christ's, are his now, and will always be his.

Let the call of Jude reach your heart today. Then, turn to your household and remind each member to contend for this glorious hope we have in Christ.  And, beloved, do not give up!

Joel Howard