Thursday – Letters

Reading – Jude

Highlight Verses:

“But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love.”
‭‭Jude‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

What is translated “Jude” here is actually the same name as Judas. It is shortened in translation to remove confusion.

Judas was a common name at the time of Jesus. There was Judas Iscariot, the traitor. Then there was another one of the twelve named Judas also known as Thaddeus.

This Jude was neither of these. This was the half-brother of Jesus, though modesty kept him from claiming this. He only mentioned being brother to another half-brother of Jesus – James.

What he does claim with authority is knowledge of true faith versus a selfish, sinful imitation of faith.

He warns us all of the danger of these claims. This imitation of the faith would say that the mercy of Christ gives us the freedom to run wild into all sorts of carnal behavior.

The reality is that the mercy of Christ protects us from sin, both from the eternal penalties and the dissipation that comes from surrendering to sin.

Of course, none of us is perfectly sinless in this life. But through the Holy Spirit, we have the power to overthrow the grip that sin has on our lives.

True faith exercises that power.

Have you met someone who claims their faith gives them the “freedom” to do whatever pleases them?
How do you respond to them?