Jude: God will keep us from stumbling.

“Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” — Jude 24, 25 ESV

The author of Jude concludes this New Testament letter with a note of praise and acknowledgement to God for saving each of us from sin.

This passage is like a very detailed picture in an art museum, full of details and very mentally stimulating.

The writer reminds us of God’s capacity to keep us from stumbling. Most of us have experienced stepping awkwardly and nearly falling.  God alone can keep us from the more dangerous spiritual fall.

God is also able to present us as persons without blame.  And in the presence of everyone:  God, friends, angels, EVERYONE.  But notice the connection between these two “acts of God.”  He prevents our injury (through actions that would otherwise damage us) and He shows us as clean, unaltered by life in a world that needs redemption!

Jesus comes into the narrative as the central player, the instrument of our ‘being made right.’

There’s another piece here worth noticing.  Two phrases: ‘presence of his glory’ and ‘with great joy.’  There’s a lot to think about in those words.

God, eternity are definitions of what glory truly is.  Here the awkward one (you, me) is made comfortable in the glorious presence of God.  Our natural tendency is forgotten.  Never comes up again in this passage or in Eternity.

Now notice the next part.  ‘With great joy!’  Ever been around someone who got the task done but with a boatload of protest?  Like, ‘do I HAVE to mow the lawn?’  Not this one, salvation, is done with joy.

That’s how God is.  How about you and me?  Are we joyful about others?  1
 
1 The above is used with permission. Worship encouragement from my friend Pastor Mark Johnson, President SDA Church in Canada