Jude Concludes His letter with some practical advice

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 Jude 20-25

   The last section of Jude closes with a benediction for his followers that follow Christ.  20-23 is a  practical section about how to made value judments about people around us.  Outwardly this seems contradictory of Jesus' famous words in Matthew 7 " Judge not lest ye be judged" , but it actually fills these words out.  We are obviously making judgments every day.  Jesus is saying watch out how we judge.

Jude's comments about discerning others actions and words follow positive thoughts in vs. 20 " But ye beloved building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,  keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."

But we are to discern between people who are in great need of our compassion and those  who we " save with fear, pulling them out of the fire" vs 23  So it is how we judge that Jesus is talking about in Matthew 7.   Jude, his brother, certainly says we should weigh personalities and actions in our actions that are evangelistic in reaching people that need mercy and eternal life.

Some are "doubting" ...that is literally they go back and forth.  On these have great compassion.  Put yourself in their shoes so to speak .  We are all going through something and all need God's mercy unto eternal life.

But there are others who are needing " a direct frontal approach" ( Michael Green) because they are in the fire so to speak and we need to pull them out.  But even here do it in God's compassion. 

The Doxology at the end reminds us that God is with us in the work of His kingdom and trying to assist ourselves and others. " Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."


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