Bible Commentaries
Jude 1

Verse 1

Jude 1:1 “to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called” Comments - This description of the believer in Jude 1:1 is in line with the theme of the epistle of Jude, which is need for the Church to keep a sound faith in the midst of false teachers.

When we as parents give birth to children, they are “called” by our name. The parents then begin to raise them in the fear of God, a process which is equivalent to the Christian’s life of sanctification. If children misbehave, the parents do not throw them out of the house and disown them. Rather, they protect them, or “preserve” them; they counsel them; they discipline them; they love them as their own children; they patiently nurture them because they have an unbreakable bond, a relationship that cannot be broken. Parents will not disown their own children. I a similar way, we have been called by God’s name through Jesus Christ. We now are in the process of sanctification and preserved unto Jesus’ coming, never to be disowned.

Verse 2

Jude 1:2 Comments - In a similar way that the early apostles were instructed by Jesus to let their peace come upon the home of their host (Matthew 10:13), so did Paul the apostle opening every one of his thirteen New Testament epistles with a blessing of God’s peace and grace upon his readers. Peter did so in his two Epistles, John did so in his second and third epistles. Now Jude does the same in his short epistle. Matthew 10:13 shows that you can bless a house by speaking God's peace upon it.

Matthew 10:13, “And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.”

This practice of speaking blessings upon God’s children may have its roots in the Priestly blessing of Numbers 6:22-27, where God instructed Moses to have the priests speak a blessing upon the children of Israel. We see in Ruth 2:4 that this blessing became a part of the Jewish culture when greeting people. Boaz blessed his workers in the field and his reapers replied with a blessing.

Ruth 2:4, “And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.”

We also see this practiced by the king in 2 Samuel 15:20 where David says, “mercy and truth be with thee.”

2 Samuel 15:20, “Whereas thou camest but yesterday, should I this day make thee go up and down with us? seeing I go whither I may, return thou, and take back thy brethren: mercy and truth be with thee.”

So, this word of blessing was a part of the Hebrew and Jewish culture. This provides us the background as to why Paul was speaking a blessing upon the church at Rome, especially that God would grant them more of His grace and abiding peace that they would have otherwise not known.

So, this word of blessing was a part of the Hebrew and Jewish culture. This provides us the background as to why Jude was speaking a blessing upon his recipients, especially that God would grant them more of His grace and abiding peace that they would have otherwise not known. In faith, we too, can receive this same blessing into our lives. Jude actually pronounces and invokes a blessing of divine grace and peace upon his readers with these words, “Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied..” I do not believe this blessing is unconditional, but rather conditional. In other words, it is based upon the response of his hearers. The more they obey these divine truths laid forth in this epistle, the more God’s grace and peace is multiplied in their lives. We recall how the children of Israel entered the Promised Land, with six tribes standing upon Mount Gerizim to bless the people and six tribes upon Mount Ebal to curse the disobedient (Deuteronomy 27:11-26). Thus, the blessings and curses of Deuteronomy 28:1-68 were placed upon the land. All who obeyed the Law received these blessings, and all who disobeyed received this list of curses. In the same way Jude invokes a blessing into the body of Christ for all who will hearken unto the divine truths of this epistle.

We see this obligation of the recipients in Beck’s translation of 2 Peter 1:2, “As you know God and our Lord Jesus, may you enjoy more and more of His love and peace. ”

Jude 1:2 Comments - Every believer’s sanctification is a long and enduring process that requires God pouring out his mercy, peace and love upon His children. We reciprocate with the same by offering mercy, peace and love towards one another as we grow in faith.

Verses 3-4

Jude 1:3 “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you” Comments - Jude 1:3 reflects the “compulsion” that the author felt in writing this short epistle. In the same way Luke’s opening statement in his Gospel reveals its divine inspiration when he says, “It seemed good to me also,” (Luke 1:3) indicating that he felt led by the Holy Spirit to write his Gospel. Luke had no divine visitation telling him to write it, no dream or vision. He simply felt in his heart that this was the right thing for him to do. Jude had a similar leading to write the epistle of Jude. Another example is when Paul said, “I am convinced in the Lord” (Philippians 2:24). Paul was led to visit Rome by the Holy Spirit when he says that he “longed to see them” (Romans 1:11), which suggests an inner work of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 23:6 Paul “perceived” that part of the Sanhedrin council were Sadducees and part Pharisees, and switched his message of defense. In Acts 27:10 Paul says, “Sirs, I perceive that this voyage will be with hurt.”

Jude 1:3 “and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith” - Comments - In 1989 I was allowed to teach a Bible lesson at a Bible study that my brother had begun in Brown Trail Apartments. The message that I taught was how to believe and stand on God's Word, and not just to have head knowledge of the Scriptures. Attending this particular Bible study was an associate pastor of the Southern Baptist church that was sponsoring this Bible study. Also attending was a young Baptist seminary student who was terminally, although I did not know it at the time.

After teaching the lesson, I was confronted with challenging question by the Baptist associate pastor. He was having problems with the full Gospel message that I was teaching. He acknowledged that he was supernaturally healed during a meeting several years before, but he doubted that it was God's will to always heal somebody, since this was how most Baptist churches taught.

Having answered the pastor's questions, the Baptist seminary student then asked me to pray for him, because he needed a healing. However, it was now 9:00 p.m. and we were tired. But, in faith, I told him that God wanted to heal him that night, and though tired, I proceeded to give him healing Scriptures. When I came to Galatians three, and told him that Christ has redeemed him from the curse of sickness, his eyes lit up and I knew that he was ready to pray.

We prayed the prayer of agreement without any outward manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, after the prayer, I had to tell him by faith in God's Word that he was healed. I was shaking on the outside to declare such a statement of faith, but I was bold as a lion on the inside, knowing that God cannot lie.

During the time of ministering healing Scriptures and praying, I had met with much contention from the Baptist pastor. So, as I left this meeting and walked home to my apartment, I prayed, “Lord, I do not want to be contentious.” Immediately, the Lord quickened this verse to me, “Earnestly contend for the faith.” I went into my house, found this scripture in the Bible, and rested on God's Word.

My brother met this young seminary student a week later in church. Here was his testimony. The night we prayed, his gums had stopped bleeding for the first time. He had been scheduled to have major dental surgery because of this problem. Also, the doctors had given him a short time to live because of severe liver problems. He returned to the doctor after the prayer of faith. He was told that his liver was ok, and he just needed to take particular care of himself.

Praise God for His wonderful Word.

Jude 1:3 “which was once delivered unto the saints” Comments - The phrase “which was once delivered unto the saints” in Jude 1:3 suggests the first-generation preaching of the original twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, who were probably martyred by the time of the writing of this General Epistle, excluding the epistles of John. This is exactly what Jude mentions later in his epistle when he tells his readers to “…remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Jude 1:17).

More specifically, the faith that was once delivered refers to the fact that the doctrines of the New Testament church were laid down one time, never to be tampered with or altered again. The Lord Jesus Christ laid the foundation of the doctrine of the New Testament in the teachings recorded in the Gospels. The Lord then gave Paul the apostle the task of building and completing this sacred doctrine, which he recorded in the nine Church epistles. This doctrine is settled and forever established, never to be added to again; thus, the phrase “once delivered.” Any doctrine added to or taken away from these sacred writings are to be considered heresy. For example, the addition of The Book of Mormon [36] as the fifth Gospel is to be considered heresy, since the books of the New Testament canon are now closed.

[36] The Book of Mormon, trans. Joseph Smith, Jr. (Lamoni, Iowa: The Board of Publication of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1917).

Jude 1:4 “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness” - Comments - These are those who say that it is not so bad to sin a little, because God's grace is so great as to forgive and take us to heaven. Those who teach the doctrine of “once saved, always saved” fall dangerously close to this description.

Jude 1:4 “who were before of old ordained to this condemnation” Comments - Jude will give us several Old Testament examples of such people, who were ordained to judgment, men such as Balaam, who deceived the children of Israel into fornication, and Cain, who slew his brother.

Jude 1:3-4 Comments - The Themes of Jude - The phrase “that ye should earnestly contend” in Jude 1:3 reflects the need for the saints to persevere until the end, which is the foundational theme of 2 Peter , 1, 2, 3 John and Jude. The statement, “for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares,” reflects the secondary theme of these General Epistles, which is to persevere against false doctrines from within the Church.

Verses 5-6

Jude 1:5 “I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this” - Comments - We see Peter giving his readers the same statement.

2 Peter 1:12, “Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth.”

Jude 1:6 Comments Jude 1:6 and a similar verse in 2 Peter 2:4 tell us about a group of angels who are presently chained in darkness in Hell, or Tartaros, or the bottomless pit who can no longer move about on earth.

2 Peter 2:4, “For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;”

The Book of Jubilees indicates that these angels that are now kept in everlasting chains in darkness are not the group of angels that fell with Satan from heaven. Otherwise, there would not be so many demons that are presently moving about on earth today. It tells us that these are the angels that we read about in Genesis 6:1-7 who married the daughters of men and conceived giants upon the earth. It says that God took these wicked angels and bound them in the depths of the earth until the Day of Judgment.

“And it came to pass when the children of men began to multiply on the face of the earth and daughters were born unto them, that the angels of God saw them on a certain year of this jubilee, that they were beautiful to look upon; and they took themselves wives of all whom they chose, and they bare unto them sons and they were giants. And lawlessness increased on the earth and all flesh corrupted its way, alike men and cattle and beasts and birds and everything that walks on the earth - all of them corrupted their ways and their orders, and they began to devour each other, and lawlessness increased on the earth and every imagination of the thoughts of all men (was) thus evil continually. And God looked upon the earth, and behold it was corrupt, and all flesh had corrupted its orders, and all that were upon the earth had wrought all manner of evil before His eyes. And He said that He would destroy man and all flesh upon the face of the earth which He had created. But Noah found grace before the eyes of the Lord. And against the angels whom He had sent upon the earth, He was exceedingly wroth, and He gave commandment to root them out of all their dominion, and He bade us to bind them in the depths of the earth, and behold they are bound in the midst of them, and are (kept) separate. And against their sons went forth a command from before His face that they should be smitten with the sword, and be removed from under heaven. And He said 'My spirit shall not always abide on man; for they also are flesh and their days shall be one hundred and twenty years'. And He sent His sword into their midst that each should slay his neighbour, and they began to slay each other till they all fell by the sword and were destroyed from the earth. And their fathers were witnesses (of their destruction), and after this they were bound in the depths of the earth for ever, until the day of the great condemnation , when judgment is executed on all those who have corrupted their ways and their works before the Lord.” ( The Book of Jubilees 5.1-11) [37]

[37] The Book of Jubilees, translated by R. H. Charles, in The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English With Introductions and Critical and Explanatory Notes to the Several Books, vol 2, ed. R. H. Charles, 1-82 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913), 20.

It is interesting to note that this parallel passage in 2 Peter 2:4 is joined to the following verse by the conjunction “and” by mentioning the destruction of the world and the salvation of Noah.

2 Peter 2:5, “And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;”

This is because in passage in The Book of Jubilees quoted above, the destruction of the world by a flood and the casting down of these wicked angels were a part of the same event of judgment from God.

Jude 1:6 Comments - My wife once asked me why could God not just come down to earth and reveal Himself so that everyone would see that He is real. People would be able to know that there is a God in Heaven and then serve Him instead of following all of their false religions. I thought a minute and answered, “The angels in heaven were in the presence of God and some of them rebelled. Being able to see God does not insure that someone will serve Him, as demonstrated by the fallen angels.”

We also see in Revelation 20:7-10 how Satan will be released after a thousand years of being bound and will again deceive nations while Christ Jesus is ruling them from Jerusalem. So, even some people will rebel against the Lord after seeing Him on His throne in Jerusalem.

Verses 7-9

Jude 1:8 “and speak evil of dignities” Scripture References - Note similar Scriptures;

Exodus 22:28, “Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.”

Acts 23:5, “Then said Paul, I wist not, brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people .”

2 Peter 2:10-11, “But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities . Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.”

Jude 1:8 Comments - It appears that each of these three descriptions of false prophets relate to the three examples just given of the children of Israel, the fallen angels and the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrha.

As the Sodomites, they both defile the flesh. As the fallen angels, they both despise dominion. As the children of Israel spoke evil of Moses and God, they criticize the leaders of the Church and nation.

Jude 1:9 “durst not bring against him a railing accusation” - Comments - Michael remembered that the Devil used to be a “dignity” (verse 8), and thus, spoke no evil against him.

Jude 1:9 “but said, The Lord rebuke thee” Comments - Note this same statement when the angel of the Lord rebuked Satan from Joshua the high priest.

Zechariah 3:2, “And the LORD said unto Satan, The LORD rebuke thee, O Satan; even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee: is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?”

In addition, the Lord will rebuke the devourer off of those who give the Lord tithes and offerings.

Malachi 3:11, “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the LORD of hosts.”

Note how David used this same statement when Israelites from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah came to David in Zizlag.

1 Chronicles 12:17, “And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it .”

Jude 1:9 Comments - What would Satan want with Moses’ body? Look at Lenin in Russia and Mao Te Sung in China. Or, look at the great pyramids and ancient tombs in Egypt. People take great leaders and make a monument out of physical bodies and do not give God the glory.

Jude 1:9 Comments - Origen, along with his fellow-Alexandrians, Clement and Didymus, tell us that the story referred to in Jude 1:9 is taken from an ancient work called The Assumption of Moses. The work bearing this title that has come down to us has no such reference the description in Jude 1:9. Therefore, either they knew of another version that was more comprehensive, or this book was not the correct reference.

“We have now to notice, agreeably to the statements of Scripture, how the opposing powers, or the devil himself, contends with the human; race, inciting and instigating men to sin. And in the first place, in the book of Genesis, the serpent is described as having seduced Eve; regarding whom, in the work entitled The Ascension of Moses (a little treatise, of which the Apostle Jude makes mention in his Epistle), the archangel Michael, when disputing with the devil regarding the body of Moses, says that the serpent, being inspired by the devil, was the cause of Adam and Eve's transgression.” ( De Principiis 3.2.1)

Clement of Alexandria writes, “‘When Michael, the archangel, disputing with the devil, debated about the body of Moses.’ Here he confirms the assumption of Moses. He is here called Michael, who through an angel near to us debated with the devil.” ( Fragments of Clemens Alexandrinus: 1. From the Latin Translation of Cassiodorus 2 Comments on the Epistle of Jude)

Verses 10-12

Core.

Jude 1:11 “and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward” Comments - See this story in Numbers 22-24.

2 Peter 2:15-16, “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.”

Revelation 2:14, “But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.”

Scripture Reference - Note:

1 Timothy 6:10, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Jude 1:12 “feeding themselves without fear” - Scripture Reference - Note:

Ezekiel 34:1-2, “And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves ! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?”

Verses 13-15

Jude 1:13 “wandering stars” Comments - In ancient astronomy, these wandering stars were the planets that continually moved through the constellations. They had no place in the sky that was reserved for them. No constellation called them their own. They wandered in the dark skies continually.

As these planets wandered from one gathering of stars to another, so do these ungodly men wander from one group of believers to another. They belong to no particular congregation. They look like believers, just as the planets at first appear to be stars. However, with careful observation, one can see that they do not belong.

We read in 1 Timothy 4:1 about “deceiving spirits with doctrines of devils” The Greek word “deceiving” used in this verse is ““planos” ( πλα ́ νος ), from which we get the English word “planet.” By its very position in the sky, a planet is deceptive. Imagine ancient sailors fixing their sights upon a “wandering star” by mistake instead of a fixed star. This would cause them to gradually drift off course without suspecting a problem and eventually become shipwrecked.

Jude 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

Jude 1:14 “the seventh from Adam” Comments - This phrase is found in the book of I Enoch 60:8 and 93:3. The Jews considered the number seven as sacred.

I Enoch 60:7-9, “And on that day were two monsters parted, a female monster named Leviathan, to dwell in the abysses of the ocean over the fountains of the waters. But the male is named Behemoth, who occupied with his breast a waste wilderness named Duidain, on the east of the garden where the elect and righteous dwell, where my grandfather was taken up, the seventh from Adam , the first man whom the Lord of Spirits created.”

I Enoch 93:3, “And Enoch began to recount from the books and said: ' I was born the seventh in the first week , While judgment and righteousness still endured.’”

Jude 1:14 “prophesied of these, saying” - Comments - This could be the dative case in the Greek and read, “prophesied to these.” Thus, Enoch preached in his day to his contemporaries about the coming of God's judgment. So this prophecy was both to Enoch's generation, as well as to us today in the Church age. Enoch was looking both to the flood and beyond to the great Judgment Day of the Lord.

YLT, “And prophesy also to these did the seventh from Adam--Enoch--saying, `Lo, the Lord did come in His saintly myriads,”

Jude 1:14 “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints” Word Study on “ten thousand” Strong says the Greek word “ten thousand” ( μυρι ́ ας ) (G3461) means, “a ten-thousand, by extension, a myriad or indefinite number.”

Comments The Lord will come with a countless host of saints. Other New Testament verses state that the saints will appear with Jesus Christ at His Second Coming (Colossians 3:4, 1 Thessalonians 3:13).

Colossians 3:4, “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory .”

1 Thessalonians 3:13, “To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints .”

Many scholars believe that these verses support the teaching that the rapture of the Church will take place before the Tribulation period since the saints will need to be in Heaven when Jesus appears at the end of this seven year tribulation period.

Jude 1:15 Comments - In this passage, judgment is based upon two things: a man’s words and a man’s deeds. Note:

Matthew 12:34, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things ? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”

Jude 1:14-15 Comments Enoch - Enoch was considered the holiest man of the pre-flood era of the Holy Bible. Jude 1:14-15 is a quote from a combination of passages from the book of 1 Enoch, particularly 1 Enoch (Jude 1:9).

I Enoch Jude 1:9, “And behold! He cometh with ten thousands of His holy ones To execute judgment upon all, And to destroy all the ungodly: And to convict all flesh Of all the works of their ungodliness which they have ungodly committed, And of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

It is an apocalyptic work long lost, but recovered in modern times in Abyssinia. The book of 1 Enoch is also referred to in the ancient Jewish writing called The Book of Jubilees, which was written a few centuries before Christ Jesus was born. This writing says that Enoch wrote a book after God revealed to him the future in a vision of his sleep.

“And in the eleventh jubilee [512-18 A.M.] Jared took to himself a wife, and her name was Baraka, the daughter of Rasujal, a daughter of his father's brother, in the fourth week of this jubilee, [522 A.M.] and she bare him a son in the fifth week, in the fourth year of the jubilee, and he called his name Enoch. And he was the first among men that are born on earth who learnt writing and knowledge and wisdom and who wrote down the signs of heaven according to the order of their months in a book, that men might know the seasons of the years according to the order of their separate months. And he was the first to write a testimony and he testified to the sons of men among the generations of the earth, and recounted the weeks of the jubilees, and made known to them the days of the years, and set in order the months and recounted the Sabbaths of the years as we made (them), known to him. And what was and what will be he saw in a vision of his sleep, as it will happen to the children of men throughout their generations until the day of judgment; he saw and understood everything, and wrote his testimony, and placed the testimony on earth for all the children of men and for their generations.” ( The Book of Jubilees 4.16-20) [38]

[38] The Book of Jubilees, translated by R. H. Charles, in The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English With Introductions and Critical and Explanatory Notes to the Several Books, vol 2, ed. R. H. Charles, 1-82 (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913), 19.

Although the authorship and date of 1 Enoch is unknown, it may have been written by the Essenes about a century before Christ. Thus, Jude was obviously familiar with this some of this Jewish apocalyptic literature, and held in high enough regard as to quote it in his writings.

Verses 16-25

Jude 1:17 Comments - Jude has already made mention of the teachings of the Twelve Apostles earlier in this Epistle when he says, “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.” (Jude 1:3)

Jude 1:17-18 Comments - Comparison to 2 Peter Note a similar passage in 2 Peter 3:2-3.

2 Peter 3:2-3, “That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts,”

Verses 19-25

Jude 1:20-21 Comments - We are to stay built up in the Spirit, being led by the Spirit at all times. This Scripture says, “(You) keep yourselves.” Therefore, it is a choice that we make. Note these insightful words from Frances J. Roberts:

“Behold, I say unto thee: Yield Me your body as a living sacrifice, and be not conformed to the things of the world, but be ye transformed by the renewal of your mind. Set your affections on things of the Spirit, and be not in bondage to the desires of the flesh. For I have purchased you at great price. Yea, thou art My very special possession and My treasure. I would have thee to set thine affections and desires upon Me even as I have set Mine heart upon thee. It is written that the wife hath no power over her own body except for the husband, nor the husband but for the wife. So I would that ye should yield your body to Me, otherwise I am limited in My power to work. For I must have a vessel through which to operate. I would have you to be a vessel not only yielded to Me, but purified, dedicated, sanctified for My use; available to Me at all times, and ready to be used at whatever time I have need of thee. Thou wilt not have time to make thyself ready when I need thee. Thou must be already prepared. Thou must keep thyself in a state of readiness. Thou canst not live to the flesh and at the same time be available to the Spirit. Ye must walk in the Spirit, and in so doing keep thyself from becoming entangled in the things of the flesh. Ye just live in obedience to the Spirit, and thus be kept from being in bondage to the desires of the flesh. Myself cannot keep you except ye first make this choice. It was concerning this matter that Jude write his word of admonition: And ye, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith by praying in the Holy Ghost, keeping yourselves in the love of God (Jude 1:20-21). By setting your soul through deliberate choice of your will to pursue the worship of God by praying in the Spirit, thou shalt find thy faith strengthened and thy life bathed in the love of God. With thy faith laying hold upon God’s promises and power, and thine actions motivated by the love of God, thou wilt find thyself in the path of the activity of God: His blessing shall be upon thee, and He will accomplish His works through thee. Thou needest make no plans nor resort to any clever strategy. Keep yourself in the love of God. Pray in the Spirit. Rejoice evermore. Set your affections upon Christ. God will do through you and for His glory such things as it pleases Him to do, and thou shalt rejoice with Him.” [39]

[39] Frances J. Roberts, Come Away My Beloved (Ojai, California: King’s Farspan, Inc., 1973), 82-3.