My best efforts will always fall short, but God's grace is greater and more glorious than my best efforts! The faultlessness that I have when I stand before him is based on his grace and mercy. How can I not praise him from a thankful heart and anticipate seeing him face to face in glory? - Phil Ware (Christian author)
The closing two verses of Jude’s short letter is one of the best known and most quoted of the entire epistle. They are one of the greatest benedictions of the entire New Testament. It is the final word on Christian living and on escaping the error of false teaching. The focus is squarely upon God! He is the One “who is able to keep you from stumbling,” and He is the One who will “present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” (v. 24).
Our trust should be in Christ Jesus. We should receive Him as Savior and follow Him as Lord day by day. Indeed, we should deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow him (Luke 9:23). He is to be trusted with our very lives. We should follow Him by faith, by praying in the Holy Spirit, by keeping ourselves in the love of God, by receiving His mercy, by having compassion on those who have gone astray, and attempting to snatch them from the fire.
The King James translation says, Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling. Before we look dig into this verse I think we need to know what falling is not.
Jude 24
24 To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy-
1. What Falling Is Not
What falling is not is loosing you salvation. If you have asked Christ Jesus to become your Lord and Saviour you can not lose your salvation. "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.” (John 10:27-29)
As a Child of God you can't fall from His grace. False teachers, false doctrine, and fears of failure may trip you up for a season, but they can't separate you from God's love. They make make you doubt, or even walk away from God for a time, but God never leaves you. His love for you never diminishes.
I hate to say it, but the problem isn't with God it's with you. The problem is your desire to stay in love with God. If you are feeling lost or feeling like something has changed for the worst in your relationship with God, it is your fault. It's like the husband and wife out for a drive. The wife looks over at the husband and says, “You use to snuggle with me when we went out for a drive.” The husband then replies, “I'm not the one who moved.”
God is not the one who has moved. You are the one who chooses to walk away not God. Look at what Hebrews 13:8 says, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. His love for you never changes, you security as a believer never changes.
2. Stumbling Leads To Falling
If Jude doesn't mean we can fall from God's grace then what does he mean? What is Jude trying to warn us about?
Well, let's look at this word “falling”, according to the Oxford dictionary some of it's meanings are - move downward, typically rapidly and freely without control, from a higher to a lower level; (of a person) lose one's balance and collapse; decrease in number, amount, intensity, or quality. Merriam-Webster adds - to drop down wounded or dead. You can see that falling is not necessarily a good thing.
While the word falling is used in the King James translation, the Greek word used is aptaistos (ap-tah'-ee-stos). The translation for this word is stumbling as I read in the New American Standard Revised translation. Stumbling - to fall into sin or waywardness; to make an error; to come to an obstacle to belief; to trip in walking or running; to walk unsteadily or clumsily. You can see there is a difference between falling and stumbling, but I probably didn't have to tell you that.
I remember as an 8th grader I hit a growth spurt that did not stop until the middle of my freshman year. First my feet began to grow and then the rest of me. Because of this I was clumsy, I would be running down the basketball court and all the sudden just stumble and fall. My feet got tangled up and down I went. First I would stumble and then I would fall. I believe that is what Jude is getting at here. God is able to keep you from falling by keeping you from stumbling.
Now let's go back to why Jude wrote his letter. Remember he wanted to write about “our common salvation,” but instead felt it important to write about the apostates (creepers) who had come into the church and into positions of leadership. Jude didn't want the church to become weak, he didn't want Christ Jesus' followers to become weak.
Jude was afraid that these weak members and weak churches would fall pray to these creepers who were teaching false doctrine, and false philosophies. These creepers were lifting themselves up and not Christ Jesus. Jude had given the early Christians teachings on how to spot creepers, on how and why to avoid them, and what to do to try and save a wayward brother or sister. He had also urge Christians to try and reach the lost before they perished in the fires of hell.
As followers of Christ Jesus what must we do to “keep from stumbling,” Of course the first step is by asking Christ Jesus to become your Lord and Saviour. Have you done that yet, if you haven't you can ask Him right now?
If you could keep from stumbling and falling wouldn't you want to know how? Well here four things that can help in your Christian walk.
3. Walk In The Light.
When the power goes off at night even though I know the layout of the house I still have to put my hands out in front of me so I don't run into a chair or something. If you want to keep from falling – from stumbling – spiritually you have to walk in the light.
Now you can't walk in just any light, you have to make sure you walking in the light that is Christ Jesus - This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7).
In John 8:12 Christ Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." Where is the light of life? First of all it is found in Christ Jesus and only Christ Jesus. Next, if you know Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour, His light is always there for you. If you don't know Christ Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you will not be able to share in His light. But here is the great news, the greatest news actually; Christ Jesus' light is available to you. If you will admit your a sinner and ask for forgiveness, believe Christ Jesus is the Son of God and ask Him to come into your life, you will find the light that is Christ Jesus.
Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path. (Psalms 119:105).
So that you don't stumble you need the Light of Christ Jesus with you all the time. The Psalmist uses lamp and light to describe God's Word. In the Word of God you have all the light you need to keep from stumbling.
And don't miss this John 1:1 says that ~ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. God's Word provides the light you need, and the Word is Christ Jesus. So once more you see that Christ Jesus is the light you need to keep from stumbling.
Adam Clark in his commentary says, “God's word is a candle which may be held in the hand to give us light in every dark place and chamber; and it is general light shining upon all His works, and upon all our ways.” Do you have the right light to keep you from stumbling?
Another step to take -
4. Make Sure You Are Aware Of The Obstacles
Let's face it there are all kinds of obstacles we can run into or trip over. I don't know how many times I have run into the book box at the end of our bed. I know it's there but at night I can't see it and during the day my mind is else where and bamm my foot hits it.
When it comes to your spiritual life one way to be aware of obstacles is to heed the warning signs. Think about all the warning labels and signs there are in the world. Bridge May Ice Before Road, Combustible Chemicals - No Smoking and the list goes on. There seems to be a warning or caution sign for just about everything, so much so that people stop paying attention to them.
Scripture is full of warnings to keep you from falling or stumbling. Numbers 32:23 ~ be sure your sins will find you out. Romans 6:23 ~ For the wages of sin is death; 1 Corinthians 6:18 ~ Flee fornication; 1 Corinthians 10:14 ~ Flee idolatry, this is a few of the warnings found in the Bible. The warning signs are there, you just need to heed them.
Beware your own two feet. The truth is that some times the obstacles you trip over are of your own making. You start out walking in the light and then something in the shadows gets your attention and before you know it you are off the path of light and heading deep into the shadows. You have to watch which way your feet are pointed.
Also remember what is an obstacle for another person may not be an obstacle for you. So before you start thinking to highly of yourself remember Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. ~ Proverbs 16:18. What are the obstacles you need to be aware of?
Walk in the light, beware of obstacles and -
5. Have Something Close By To Steady You.
On our vacation a couple of years ago we stopped to see the Runestone in Heavene OK. While there I saw a neat walking stick and bought it. It turned out to be a great investment, at Robbers Cave I needed it to lean on as we went up a steep trail. That walking stick was a support for me.
If you want to make sure you don't stumble spiritually, there are some supports you will need. You will need prayer, and you will need God's Word. Your church family is also a great source of support. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing (1 Thessalonians 5:11), and Hebrews 3:13 ~ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.
The last thing on my list -
6. Don't Get In A Hurry
I can't count the amount of times that I stumbled or misstep because I was in a hurry. Sometimes you just have to slow down and be patient in order not to stumble. Psalms 27:14 ~ Wait for the LORD; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the LORD.
Don't get in a hurry, because as sure as you do, you will stumble. Don't compromise your walk with the Lord because you are in a hurry. Don't sacrifice Godly standers to get – a to get a better grade, to get a better job, to get a promotion, to get...you get the picture. Don't get in a hurry, I know it sound cliché, but God's timing really is best.
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,” Yes, God is able to keep you from stumbling. This morning I have showed you some way that God can keep you from stumbling. Make sure you are walking in the light of Christ Jesus, make sure you are aware of obstacles that can trip you up. Make sure you have something to steady you as you follow the path God has set out for you. And don't get in a hurry, I know you have heard it said time and time again but it bares repeating, as Christians were are marathon runners not sprinters.
Of course the first step in making sure you don't stumble is to start a personal relationship with Christ Jesus.
Thank you for dropping by and may our Lord and Saviour bless you and your family,
Biblesurfer
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