I have been doing a lot of thinking about the tenderhearted mercy of God – that mercy that we are commanded to also practice towards others, even our enemies. I was looking up “mercy” references in the concordance and found one in the opening of the Letter of Jude. “May God give you more and more mercy, peace, and love.” [Jude 1:2 NLT]
When I look up a reference, I will usually read the chapter it is found in because I want to understand it in context. Jude is only one chapter, and the next part of the chapter isn’t very uplifting. It warns of the dangers of false teachers.
After that Jude issues a call to remain faithful, especially in the “last times” when there will be scoffers and people seeking to divide the church. Jude reminds us to build each other up, to show mercy, to rescue those who are perishing.
But it is the end of Jude that lifts my soul in a prayer of praise to the heavenlies. “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. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.” [Jude 1:24-25 NLT]
Do you see that wonderful promise in that passage, the promise that I cling to, “God, who is able … will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence WITHOUT A SINGLE FAULT.” [emphasis mine]
Not even a SINGLE fault! Amen & Amen