First of all we are to build. We are to build on the most holy faith, living our lives in such a way that it is pleasing to the Lord. And we are to build on the foundation of the Scriptures.
Second, we learned we are to pray in the Holy Spirit. Once again this is a lifestyle change. Sadly many choose not to live this way, some of them are even Christians. Praying in the Holy Spirit it is a choice. It is a conscious decision to acknowledge the Holy Spirit as God.
Today we are going to look at the third action statement – Keep yourselves in the Love of God.
A certain medieval monk announced he would be preaching next Sunday evening on "The Love of God." As the shadows fell and the light ceased to come in through the cathedral windows, the congregation gathered. In the darkness of the altar, the monk lighted a candle and carried it to the crucifix. First of all, he illumined the crown of thorns, next, the two wounded hands, then the marks of the spear wound. In the hush that fell, he blew out the candle and left the chancel. There was nothing else to say.
Jude 21
21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
1. Two observations about the love of God
The love of God is inescapable. This is the love you read about in John 3:16 and Romans 5:8. It is impossible to be any place on this earth or the universe for that matter, and not know the love of God. It is this love that provides salvation full and free. When you finally understand this, then you will understand that the love of God is another proof of your eternal security.
If it is impossible to be separated from the love of God and yet we read “keep yourself in the love of God,” then Jude must be speaking about your ability to leave the love of God. That is to say that God will never quit loving you, but you can quit loving God. "Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:11-12).
How does this happen? It happens because you let your sin you get away of your love of God. Why? Because you have shown love to that “what-ever” more than love for God. Not only can individuals loose their love of God, so can whole churches. They do this when they put the things of man ahead of the love for God. They do this when traditions or programs or whatever become more important than their love for God.
Jude realized that it was possible individuals and churches to lose their love for God. Not just possible, but even probable that you would find yourself leaving the love of God at some time or another, for some reason. Let me make something clear, I am not talking about losing your salvation. You are saved eternally. No, what I am talking about is leaving your first love - "To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:...But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” (Revelation 2:1, 4).
How do we keep from leaving our first love? By keeping yourselves in the love of God.
2. Keeping Yourselves In The Love Of God
If you are to be a builder, if you are to be a prayer warrior, you must also be a lover. But not a lover in the way the world teaches, the love you have must flow from God Himself. Paul teaches us clearly about the relationship of love and building in his letter to the Ephesians, “But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—-from whom… causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:15, 16). Paul also declared, “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies [builds up]” (1 Corinthians 8:1).
Your love for God must be a sincere love, and not just in word only, like those who say they love Him, but in their hearts they don't really love Him. Yours must be a strong love, an intense love for God. You must love Him, with all that is within you, Psalm 103:1 ~ Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Matthew Henry in his commentary says it this way, “It must be a singular and great love, we must love him more than any thing else; this way the stream of our affections must entirely run. The heart must be united to love God, in opposition to a divided heart. All our love is too little to bestow upon him, and therefore all the powers of the soul must be engaged for him, and carried out toward him. This is the first and great commandment; for obedience to this is the spring of obedience to all the rest; which is then only acceptable, when it flows from love.” (from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)
Keeping oneself in God's love does not suggest that our salvation depends on our own effort, but rather the we live in faith and obedience to God. Repeatedly in his Gospel and in his first epistle, John reminds us that if we love God, we keep His commandments (John 15:10; 1 John 3:24). So keeping yourself in God's love includes keeping God's commandments from the heart (Romans 6:17). Keeping those commandments finds its ultimate expression in love of fellow Christians. When you search your heart, what does it say about your love of God?
We have looked at keeping in the love of God. So how could you leave the love of God? How, after all He has done for you could you find yourself not loving God? If you are saved you were saved from Hell. You were saved from the chains of sin and death. God loves you enough to rescue you. You loved God at one time enough to accept His free gift of life.
So what has changed? God has not changed. You need to know that the Word of God warns us there are things that will distract and even take the place of our love in God. Here are just five of them.
3. Leaving The Love of God
The Love of This Present World – “for Demas (day-mas') having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica;” (2 Timothy 4:10). We know that Demas had been traveling with Paul. He is mentioned in Philemon and Colossians. When Paul writes the term “loved this present world,” he uses the agape form of love that is meant for God only.
Albert Barnes in his commentary says that this verse gives the impression that Demas did not want the fame and fortune of this world. Instead he was not willing to stay with Paul and possibly be martyred. He left Paul in order to save his life. Demas had such a love for this world that he did not care to go to the other. He chose this world with all its cares and troubles over what Christ Jesus has to offer. He thought by placing his love for this world he was choosing a life of ease.
Maybe he was right, it's tough to live for God. It's tough to stay in the Bible, it's tough to try and do the right thing. So maybe it is easier to live in the world, like the world than to live for God. But the rewards of the Christian life far out way the rewards of the world. If you are a Christian then you need to take a stand for Christ Jesus no matter how tough!
Love of Material Things – Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:15-17).
John is pretty clear, if you love the things of this world, then the love of the Father isn't in you. What this means is that you can't have the love of the world and the love of the Father in you at the same time. Why? Because they are incompatible. It's like saying I love my wife and I love my girlfriend – it can't be because besides being wrong, they are incompatible.
This does not mean you can't enjoy life. But folks you can't lust after the things of this world even though there is a lot to lust after. You can't lust after the world and love God with all your mind, body, strength, and soul. You just can't!
Love of Pleasure – For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, (2 Timothy 3:2-4).
This goes back to what Jude wrote about in verse 4 and 19. These are those who chase after vain amusement. People who live for pleasure with no regard for God. Churches can easily fall into this trap when they put more emphasis on a church bazaar than on prayer breakfast. When more energy is expended on sports than teaching the Word of God. When Saturday Night activities cause you to miss the preaching of God's Word on Sunday morning. Sadly, for many the love of pleasure will push aside the love of God.
Love of Preeminence – I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes (dee-ot-ref-ace'), who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. (3 John 9). Diotrephes was a leader in a church who would not accept the authority of John because he had become self-important. One person who has a love for self and only self can destroy a church. Diotrephes was a great example of this. He had no interest in the good of the church, only what was good for him. Diotrephes did not have the love of God, but instead the love of pride.
Love of Money - For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6:10). When I was a teenager I had a plaque that a friend had given me for Christmas that said. “Lack of Money Is the root of all evil.” It was meant to be funny, but I think there was wisdom in that saying too.
1 Timothy 6:10 is an often misquoted verse by many – “money is the root of all evil.” That is not true. Money is a useful tool that God has given to us. But when you let money consume you then you have crossed into the “love of money” zone.
Three things happen to those who love money:
1 – They will covet it. They will have an unquenchable desire for it. And they will do anything to get it – gamble, work long hours, make back room deals etc.
2 – They will walk away from their faith. The things of God will be pushed aside.
3 – They will fall into temptations and snares, ruin and destruction – 1 Timothy 6:9
Yes you can leave your first love. Paul gives a solemn warning in 1 Corinthians 16:22 ~ If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema (an-ath'-em-ah), Maran-atha (mar'-an ath'-ah). Anathema means: ban, excommunicated or accused. Maran-atha means: approaching divine judgment. If you do not love Christ Jesus you stand accused and face divine judgment. Sound scary? It should. Many who speak the name of Christ Jesus have no true love for Him in their hearts, they have not truly surrendered their lives to Him. They are not saved even though they may think they are, they are Christian in name only. Don't let this be you this morning. Christ Jesus said, “Abide in my love” (John 15:9), and then said, “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love” (John 15:10). That is the truth which Jude is teaching. Keep yourself in the love of God, always.
May the Lord bless and keep you and yours always,
Biblesurfer
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