"To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ."
Jude uses the entire Trinity. We know the Holy Spirit does the actual work of calling a sinner to repentance and indwelling the believer. Then we have the love of God the Father and Jesus' sustaining power. It's so beautifully worded. Basically Jude is writing to all Christians, but in this opening he is reminding them of the loving, nurturing aspect of God's nature.
To be loved by God is huge and hard to grasp. He loved us because....? No answer. No reason. People love us because we're fun, loving, giving, helpful, encouraging, joyful, positive, forgiving...you name it. People love is seldom based on nothing we have done. A parent's love for a child comes closest to this kind of love that God has for us, for His love is truly based on nothing but His own plan and purpose.
We love Him because He first loved us. And we know that when He first loved us we were enemies of God (Ephesians), living for ourselves. So how great the Father's love for us!
Kept by Jesus Christ. A beautifull statement from Jude that his big brother is still watching out fo rhim. But not just him, but for everyone who has been called and loved by God. We know Jesus is alive today, bringing us up in conversation wtih the Father, holding back the prince of darkness and giving us everything we need.
One of the few "To" statements that is also doctrinal. Usually the author waits for the blessing to follow. Some can get quite elaborate. But Jude packs a lot in a very small letter.
1 comment:
My super wonderful Reformation Study Bible has a note at the bottom sending me to John 10:27-30, which reads:
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, 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. I and the Father are one."
In my women's Bible study, we've studied the supremacy of Christ a lot. Studying this topic, there is a lot of Christ's equality with the Father stressed but there is also quite a bit of stressing Christ's humanity as well.
My ESV translation says, "and kept for Jesus Christ" instead of the NIV "and kept by Jesus Christ." I suppose there is a bit of a difference between these two translations, but when you think of Romans 11:36, there's not really any need for discrepancy since it states:
"For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen."
I agree that Jude worded this beautifully in revealing the character of God in relation to those who have been called by Him. And you know how much we love it when we see that word "called." The term is used right alongside the described characteristics of both the Father and the Son. It's hard to see how one could deny God has chosen the ones he loves to salvation.
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