Keep yourselves in the love of God, keep the faith

STUDY: # 1096 CHURCH IN THE HOUSES DATE: MAY 27, 2020

TOPIC: "Keep yourselves in the love of God, keep the faith" Jude 1:17-23 "... KEEP yourselves in the love of God ..." "... building yourselves up in YOUR MOST HOLY FAITH ..." The important thing is to CONSISTENTLY KEEP THE FAITH ALONG THE PATH OF OUR LIVES! Let us be very careful and keep our faith! We must hold on to WHAT WE BELIEVE IN OUR LORD! Jesus does not wither away in time, or with the ages, nor in eternity! He is the same forever! Let us maintain what we have believed in. Let us take care of our believes’ permanence; being of a firm duration, consistent, stable. We preserve our faith. It must not change. It does not have a certain statute of time, it cannot vary. And like the faith that does not change in our lives; this is how we should be as people. We should always behave the same! Your attitude towards God should be permanent in determination. Because you stay the same as time goes by; you’re always willing, with a permanent voluntary disposition. Let's not change!

I. (Vs.18,19) (“… there will be scoffers… who cause divisions…”) There were pastors who did not bring good to their lives.

A. There is always a danger of apostasy (this is to abandon your believe in Jesus.)

1. Jude wants the brothers to remain in a strong spiritual condition!

2. That the brothers are not carried from here to there by cunning men (Ephesians 4:14,15). Let us follow the truth in love. Let us grow in everything about the one who is the head, that is, Christ!

3. Be very careful! False brothers can come to steal our passion, dedication, faith, purity and search, and bring freedom to the flesh, which will separate us from God.

4. Take care of your mind and take care of your flesh, which rises up against your spiritual life.

5. (Vs.18,19) At the end of time scoffers will arise "... following their own ungodly passions." They are the false brothers.

6. Brother, beware of who you follow!

7. Beware of such people. These scoffers present three outstanding features (Vs.19). (a) THEY CAUSE DIVISIONS, taking disciples with them. Because of their advancement and depth in apostasy, according to their wickedness; they’ll divide people into various categories. (b) THEY ARE SENSUAL, which means that they think and act as natural men, according to their instincts. (c) THEY DO NOT HAVE THE SPIRIT, since they have never been born from above. Therefore, they are "totally incapable" of "understanding" the "things of God."

8. (Vs.20) Your life should be close to the Lord, and about living in an uninterrupted communion with Him!

9. Jude gives us four steps to follow: (Vs.20) BUILDING YOURSELVES UP IN YOUR MOST “HOLY FAITH" - the Christian FAITH builds us up when we study and obey the Bible. By being constant in this, it will take us on the path of justice, and will allow us to see the dangers along the way. If you do not know the Word, I assure you that you have fallen from the path of faith! (b) PRAYING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT- To be led by the Spirit in accordance with the will of God. (c) (Vs.21) KEEP YOURSELF IN THE LOVE OF GOD- The love of God is always shining on us. But if sin comes between us and the Lord, then we will no longer enjoy practicing His love. We can keep ourselves in His love, first of all, by leading a life of holiness and godliness. If sin gets in the way, then we must "confess" and abandon that sin immediately! The secret is not to let anything come between us and God! (d) PRESERVING A LONGING

FOR MERCY of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. - Here, the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ refers to His imminent return to take His people to heaven. During days of darkness and apostasy we must keep the light of the blessed hope "BURNING in our hearts." IF WE ARE LUKEWARM, there is no hope at all!

10. (Vs.22) There are victims of apostasy, those are the ones who doubt! We must seek to convince them! Return them to true faith!

11. (Vs. 23) There are those who are on the edge of the cliff, ready to jump into the flames of apostasy!

12. We must save them with an energetic, strong warning and instruction, to HATE EVEN THE CLOTHES THAT THEIR FLESH CONTAMINATES!

13. So when dealing with people who have been contaminated, we must be careful to avoid everything that could prove to be a temptation in our lives! (Vs.22) We can convince them! Amen.