CHRISTIAN SALVATION PART 1

KEEP YOURSELVES IN THE LOVE OF GOD

In the the Epistle of Jude we find a very prudent statement.

Jud 1:21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Jude implores the read to "keep themselves" in the "love of God." The opposite, of course, would be "not keeping ourselves" in the "love of God"

Obviously the "keeping ourselves" is something that we must do, it is not something that another does for us.

Jude connects the "keeping ourselves" to "looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Compare that sentiment to the sentiment of Paul in Romans 2 where he speaks how God is going to render to each person according to their deeds...

Rom 2:6  Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
Rom 2:7  To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
Rom 2:8  But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
Rom 2:9  Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
Rom 2:10  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
Rom 2:11  For there is no respect of persons with God.

So with Paul we have "eternal life" to those  who "patiently continue in well doing." So we know that "well doing" is connected to "remaining in the love of God." Now take a look at this...

2Th 3:3  But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.
2Th 3:4  And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.
2Th 3:5  And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

So here we have the Lord faithfully establishing us by directing our hearts into the love of God, something in which we are to keep ourselves. By keeping ourselves, we patiently continue in well doing as we patiently wait upon Christ.

What are we waiting upon Christ for? The answer is His mercy in granting us eternal life, a hope yet to be reaped.

Tit 1:2  In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Tit 1:3  But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

Eternal life is for those whom truly love God, those whom endure temptation and yet remain faithful. Very much like a human marriage, faithfulness, fidelity and love.

Jas 1:12  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Those whom love God obviously "keep themselves" in the love of God, that love being "manifest righteousness" shed abroad into the heart by the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost given to all those whom obey God.

Rom 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Act 5:32  And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

Is not the New Covenant a covenant of the love of God written upon our minds and in our hearts?

Heb 10:16  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

...which leads us right back to the mercy of God...

Heb 10:17  And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Jud 1:21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

Dear reader, can you see how genuine salvation is a manifest state of having been saved FROM sin, to have been delivered from evil itself, to have been established in the love of God, something in which we keep ourselves in remaining yielded to God's influence whereby we love both God and our neighbour with all our mind, soul and body.

So let's all examine ourselves in all honesty and with due diligence. Are we keeping ourselves in the love of God, have we even entered into it to begin with?

Please consider.

Scott.