This week I have found myself surprised by an unlikely letter: Jude. A very short book found towards the end of the New Testament of the Bible, this is one I have overlooked for many years.
In the past, I tried to read this letter and honestly found it all sounding strange to me– false teachers, angels, the devil, Moses, Enoch, God’s judgment, as well as a type of people who sound pretty unpleasant? But this week I learned that my lack of understanding the first part of Jude was keeping me from discovering the incredible treasure found in the last five verses.
The more I read it now, the more relevant I find it for my own life, and for men. As I have been reflecting on the importance of becoming a man who stays when it hurts, when life is a struggle, when relationships are hard, and when I am tempted to run, the more significant this book becomes.
Jude talks about a type of staying that is powerful and keeps a man rooted and faithful when he feels like leaving. And (good news for me!) he breaks it down simply. Here are four components of “staying faithful” that I am learning about in Jude.
4 Components of Staying Faithful
Building up in faith.
What does this mean? To me this looks like growing in trust (in our relationship with Jesus and God), in our understanding of His Word and Scripture, in our obedience, staying rooted in the gospel, established in a strong community, and growing spiritually.
Prayer that is led by the Spirit.
What does this mean? To me this looks like prayer that is empowered and directed by the Holy Spirit, aligned with God’s will, knowing deeply what we need even when we ourselves don’t. Prayer that draws us into closer fellowship with Christ and aligns our hearts with God’s desires and purposes.
Living in hope.
What does this mean? To me this looks like expectantly and eagerly looking forward to Jesus and his mercy. We have already been extended grace and mercy if we are in Christ! Our hope can remain confident in his mercy as we approach the day we will stand before God.
Showing mercy to others.
What does this mean? To me, Jude points to moving towards others who might be struggling. Rather than becoming divisive, critical, or self-focused, faithful men become men who move towards others in compassion and mercy, in the understanding of the mercy that has been extended towards us.
All together, these present a beautiful picture of remaining in God’s love: staying steadfast, walking in, abiding in, and becoming men who are rooted, secure, dependent, growing, and living with hope in Christ.
Now, take this and contrast it with the description of the people in the first 19 verses of the chapter. Their lives are not marked by faithfulness and obedience. They lack mercy. They don’t move toward others who may be hurting or struggling; instead, they divide. The outcome of this type of heart is a divisive, arrogant, critical, self-centered kind of life with the sole purpose of pleasing oneself.
But in Christ, we become a different kind of man. We become men who are secure in God’s love. He will keep us! This is promised in verse 24.
“Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault.”
Our response to this is to remain in God’s love by continually growing in faith and community with others, praying in the Spirit, living with hope, eagerly awaiting Christ’s mercy, and extending mercy to others. In knowing Jesus Christ and God’s love comes a man whose heart is transformed by love, rooted in trust, confident in hope, and expressed in compassion and mercy.
A man who stays faithful.
Moving Forward
Do you want to stay faithful when it feels easy to drift? Read Jude and learn from him. He paints a beautiful picture of the transformation that occurs in a heart when a man understands this and stays with God.
Everything here is rooted in a real relationship with Jesus Christ. If you don’t know Jesus today, I encourage you to start there and take a step towards getting to know him.
Jude’s kind of man is humble, convicted, discerning, prayerful, faithful, obedient, hopeful, growing, and merciful, because of what he has received, experienced, and understood. What kind of man are you becoming today?
-Alex Gerber
gerberxc@gmail.com
Author’s Note: everything written here is from my own perspective. I acknowledge I’m not a theologian– I am just a regular guy learning how to read and study the bible. My understanding is shaped by the understanding that everything I have and can do has been given to me by God, and it is only because of His mercy and grace that I can even write this today. I’ve done nothing on my own to achieve where I am in relationship with Him. I want every guy to know what I have experienced. If you are curious, reach out!