JUDE: PROTECTION FROM APOSTACY

VII. Trusting God To Keep Us In The Truth

(Jude 24-25)

I. Introduction

A. Paul predicted that people in general would go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived as the world drifted further and further into apostasy, cf. 2 Timothy 3:13; 4:3-4. Rising deception naturally coincides with a drop in trust wrought by the effects of people who have been painfully deceived, and a lack in trust in society tends to break down human institutions, the bedrock of society itself.

B. The Epistle of Jude addresses the problem of apostasy (Jude 3b), and Jude 24-25 instructs us on God's ability and desire to keep us in the truth, encouraging us to trust Him to that end (as follows):

II. Trusting God To Keep Us In The Truth, Jude 24-25.

A. After providing directions in Jude 17-23 on avoiding apostacy, Jude closed his short epistle with "a most elevated doxology" to answer the question, "'But who will deliver us from the apostates and the apostasy into which they lead the unsuspecting?'" (Bible Know. Com., N. T., p. 924) This question needs to be answered since even believers in Christ can be deceived and misled by persuasive apostates.

B. That doxology reveals how very capable and motivated God is to guard us believers from apostasy, Jude 24:

1. God is currently able to address our needs as believers regarding our vulnerability to apostasy, Jude 24a: The present participle dunameno from the verb dunamai, "be able" (U. B. S. Grk. N. T., 1966, p. 835; The Analyt. Grk. Lex. (Zon.), 1972, p. 108; Arndt & Gingrich, A Grk.-Eng. Lex. of the N. T., p. 206) reveals that God is currently being able to achieve the goal of protecting us from apostasy.

2. God is able to "watch, guard, defend" (phulasso, Ibid., p. 876) us believers from apostasy, Jude 24b.

3. God's ability to "guard" us believers from apostasy is so great that He can keep us "without [even] stumbling" (aptaistos, Ibid., p. 102) so that apostasy cannot even slightly trip us up in our faith! (Jude 24c)

4. God's ability and motivation to deliver us believers from apostasy is so great that He intends to make us one day "stand" (histemi, Ibid., U. B. S. Grk. N. T.; Ibid., The Analyt. Grk. Lex., p. 376; Ibid., Arndt & Gingrich, p. 382-383) "in the presence of" (katenopion, Ibid., p. 422) His heavenly glory "faultless" (amomos, Ibid., p. 47) with "full of exultation" (agalliasis, Ibid., p. 3), Jude 24d.

5. This completely exultant joy would be experienced both by God and by glorified believers who have overcome apostasy, Hebrews 12:2; 1 Peter 1:8. (Ibid., Bible Know. Com., N. T.)

C. Jude thus responded with great praise to this wonderfully gracious God, Jude 25 [Note: the KJV at this verse does not reflect the best manuscripts, so we follow the NIV and ESV instead, Ibid., U. B. S. Grk. N. T.; Nestle, ed., Novum Testamentum Graece, 1973, p. 612; Kilpatrick, ed., He Kaine Diatheke, 1972, p. 733]:

1. Jude praised Him as the only God ["wise" is not in the text], that there is no other God, Ju. 25a; Isa. 46:9.

2. Jude praised Him as being our Savior ["through Jesus Christ our Lord" is added in the text], Jude 25b.

3. Jude praised Him as being worthy of glory (doxa, Ibid., U. B. S. Grk. N. T.; Ibid., Arndt & Gingrich, p. 202-203), and in the context, worthy of the glory of His grace in saving His people from sin and apostasy.

4. Jude praised Him as being worthy of His "majesty" (megalosune, Ibid., p. 498) in ruling the universe as such a God Who was worthy of praise for His great grace to His people.

5. Jude praised Him as being worthy of "sovereignty" (kratos, Ibid., p. 450) in controlling the universe as such a God Who was worthy of praise for His great grace to His people.

6. Jude praised Him as being worthy of "authority" (exousia, Ibid., p. 277-278) to direct His people in grace.

7. Jude praised Him for having all these honors rightly granted to Him [before the existence of every age (pro pantos tou aionos = "before every age") is added in the text], and now (kai nun = "and now") and unto all the ages of eternity to come (kai eis pantas tou aionas = "and unto all of the ages") for the greatness of His grace unto His people in keeping them from apostasy. (Jude 25 ESV; Ibid., U. B. S. Grk. N. T.)

Lesson: God is infinitely able and motivated to guard us believers from apostasy so that we not even have to stumble into error, and leave us being able to stand in His heavenly presence one day faultless and full of exultation both for Himself and for us. Such a God is worthy of all honor and praise for all of the ages.

Application: (1) If God is both infinitely willing and able to preserve us as spiritual conquerors over error and sin, may we trust Him to direct us to gain victory over the apostasy we face. (2) Jude's doxology covers all eternity, past, present and future, so victory over apostasy is available for us in our era today, so may we trust God for it!