I’m not going to let worry…rule my life. It seems to me that if a man is going to get anywhere in this life, he’d better start for somewhere, and have something definite in mind.”
–Louis L’Amour (Chancy)
“Better to be patient than powerful; better to have self-control than to conquer a city.”
–Proverbs 16:32(NLT)
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How to Live in a Pagan, Apostate, and Foolish World
Key Verse: “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” –1 John 5:19 (NASB)
I want to reemphasize the importance of this verse. We are the children of God if we believe in Jesus Christ, Him crucified, risen, and coming again, and that He is the Son of God. God is our Father, we are His children and He treats us as such. Second, the world is under the control of the devil. Understand that each of us as believers belong to God, yet this world we live in is evil and under the devil’s power.
That brings me to the next few lessons that I want for us to look at. Jude is strategically located just before the Book of Revelation. Jude informs us about life now, in the present and sets the stage for the days in the future that are revealed in Revelation.
Jude is the half-brother of Jesus, yet he calls himself a slave of Jesus Christ. Most versions use the term “servant” but that really is too soft a term. He could have claimed to be the half-brother, but instead calls himself a servant/bond-servant/slave. He was “called”, not only as a leader in the early church, but as a witness to us. Never forget that each of us are “called” as well. All believers are called to an office, to a duty, to a responsibility. Barclay says, “The calling of God is the privilege, the challenge and the inspiration of the Christian life.” All believers are called to a task, to be a witness, and to work for the Lord in whatever capacity they find themselves.
Verse 1 implies that we do not have to fear as we walk this journey of life. We are “sanctified by God…preserved in Jesus Christ.” I like that the NKJV version uses the term “preserved.” He keeps us, we are His, therefore we have confidence as we walk through life. The NIV Study Bible states, “He who holds the whole universe together will see that God’s children are kept in the faith and that they reach their eternal inheritance.”
Sometimes when we read a verse we sort of skim over it not really looking at the meaning. Verse 2, “Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.” (NKJV) These are three things that those in the world are crying for and seeking, but they are ours as Christians. “Mercy is His compassion, peace is His gift of quiet confidence in the work of Jesus, and love is His generosity in granting us His favors and meeting our needs.” (Edwin A. Blum) We can rest in the assurance that the Father and our Savior are taking care of us through the work of the Holy Spirit. This is how we face the world.