Jude 1:17-25: a reflection

17But you, beloved, remember the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18They said to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts.” 19These are those who cause divisions and are sensual, not having the Spirit. 20But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. 21Keep yourselves in God’s love, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. 22On some have compassion, making a distinction, 23and some save, snatching them out of the fire with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh. 24Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy, 25to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

Jude closes his letter with a glorious assurance of God's keeping power: that God is able to keep us from stumbling and to present us faultless before his glory with great joy. Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, Jude writes, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy, to God our Savior be glory and majesty. After urging his readers to build themselves up in faith and keep themselves in God's love, Jude points finally not to their own strength but to God's: it is God who is able to keep them from stumbling, and God who will present them faultless before his glory. Our final security rests not in our own ability to hold on, but in God's power to keep us. This shows the assurance that God is able to keep us from stumbling and present us faultless. God is able to keep us from stumbling. Our security rests on God's power to keep us, not our own. God will present us faultless before his glory with joy. God's keeping, not our own strength, is our final security.

Notice where Jude finally rests our assurance: not on our own strength, but on God's keeping power. Throughout his letter, Jude has urged his readers to be watchful, to build themselves up in faith, to keep themselves in God's love. But he ends by pointing beyond their own efforts to God: it is God who is able to keep them from stumbling, and God who will present them faultless, without blame, before the presence of his glory, and do so with great joy. This is a wonderful assurance. We can be anxious about whether we will hold on, whether we will stumble and fall away, whether we will make it to the end; and our own strength is not enough to guarantee it. But Jude points us to God, who is able to keep us from stumbling, whose power holds us, and who will bring us faultless into his presence at the last. Our final security rests not on our own ability to hold onto God, which is uncertain, but on God's power to hold onto us, which is sure. And the goal is glorious: to be presented faultless before God's glory, and with great joy, both his and ours. We can rest, then, not on our own strength, but on God's keeping power, which will bring us safely and faultlessly into his presence. Rest your assurance on God's keeping power, not your own strength. God is able to keep you from stumbling and hold you to the end. God will present you faultless before his glory with joy. Our security is God's power to keep us, which is sure.

That is worth resting in, for God is able to keep us from stumbling and will present us faultless before his glory with joy, so that our final security rests on his keeping power, not our own strength. We can be anxious about whether we will hold on to the end, relying on our own uncertain strength; but Jude points us to God, who is able to keep us from stumbling and will present us faultless with great joy. God's keeping is sure. When you are anxious about whether you will make it, rest not on your own strength but on God's power to keep you, which is sure. Rest your final assurance on God's keeping power rather than your own strength, for God is able to keep us from stumbling and will present us faultless before the presence of his glory with great joy, as Jude closed his letter, after urging his readers to build themselves up in faith and keep themselves in God's love, by pointing finally not to their own strength but to God's, that he is able to keep them from stumbling and will present them faultless before his glory; for our final security rests not on our own ability to hold on, which is uncertain, but on God's power to keep us, which is sure, and though we can be anxious about whether we will hold on, stumble, or make it to the end, our own strength is not enough to guarantee it, but Jude points us to God, who is able to keep us from stumbling, whose power holds us, and who will bring us faultless and without blame into his presence at the last, and with great joy, so that we can rest not on our own strength but on God's keeping power, which will bring us safely and faultlessly into his presence, resting our assurance on him rather than ourselves.

Lord, Jude closes his letter with a glorious assurance of your keeping power: that you are able to keep us from stumbling and to present us faultless before your glory with great joy. Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, Jude writes, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy, to God our Savior be glory and majesty. After urging his readers to build themselves up in faith and keep themselves in God's love, Jude points finally not to their own strength but to yours: it is you who are able to keep them from stumbling, and you who will present them faultless before your glory. My final security rests not in my own ability to hold on, but in your power to keep me. Show me where Jude finally rests my assurance: not on my own strength, but on your keeping power. Throughout his letter, Jude has urged his readers to be watchful, to build themselves up in faith, to keep themselves in your love. But he ends by pointing beyond their own efforts to you: it is you who are able to keep them from stumbling, and you who will present them faultless, without blame, before your glory, with great joy. This is a wonderful assurance. I can be anxious about whether I will hold on, whether I will stumble and fall away, whether I will make it to the end; and my own strength is not enough to guarantee it. But Jude points me to you, who are able to keep me from stumbling, whose power holds me, and who will bring me faultless into your presence at the last. My final security rests not on my own ability to hold onto you, which is uncertain, but on your power to hold onto me, which is sure. Take that to my heart, for you are able to keep me from stumbling and will present me faultless before your glory with joy. When I am anxious about whether I will make it, help me rest not on my own strength but on your keeping power, Lord, which is sure, and which will bring me safely and faultlessly into your presence.