#your_most_holy_faith
Jude
- KJT
3
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation,
it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should
earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints...
17
But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of
our Lord Jesus Christ...
20
But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the
Holy Ghost.
Jude wrote "to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved
in Jesus Christ, and called" Jude 1. What lofty descriptions of the
recipients of his epistle!
How
are they sanctified by God?
They
are sanctified or set apart unto holiness when God freely and effectually
called each one of them out of their native state of sin and death to that of
grace and salvation in Jesus Christ, fitting them for eternal glory.
How
are they preserved in Jesus Christ?
They
are preserved in Jesus Christ by God's free and gracious act of accounting
Christ's righteousness unto them and uniting them to Christ, their Redeemer.
Both of these activities make them immutably secure in Christ.
How
are they called?
Many
who are effectually called unto eternal salvation by God are also called out by
the Holy Spirit through the hearing of the gospel. Jude was writing to
believers in Christ, those who have been called out by the gospel.
-
1Thes 1:5a KJT "For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in
power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance..."
-
The Holy Spirit blessed the preaching and hearing of the gospel of Christ to
the CONVERSION (not regeneration!) of God's children to the truth of their
salvation.
To
these saints was the faith once delivered; saints are there first and the faith
was delivered to them. The faith once delivered consists of the words of the
Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The
faith once delivered to the saints of God speaks of the one common salvation -
purposed by God before time, secured by Christ on the cross, applied to each
elect personally by the Holy Spirit at the effectual call, and shall be
consummated at Christ's return at the end of the gospel age.
The
faith once delivered to saints is also described as their MOST HOLY FAITH*. May
the implications of this sink deep down into our hearts. Amen. I fear too many
saints think lightly of the faith delivered to them. Lord, have mercy.
Two
solemn exhortations to these saints:
-
Earnestly CONTEND for the faith once delivered to them...
-
Building up themselves ON the most holy faith once delivered to them.
Why
is the most holy faith delivered to the saints?
It
is that the saints may build up themselves ON it.
This all important activity requires labour and discipline...
May
the Lord assist each one to take heed of both exhortations - they are
inseparable twins. Our MOST HOLY FAITH
deserves nothing less.
-------
*
The superlative DOES NOT imply that there are other faiths of lesser holiness.
The faith delivered to the saint is unique, nothing similar nor comparable.
It
is 独一无二, dú yī wú 'èr.
