Everyone must die once, and after that be judged by God.
Hebrews 9:27 (GNB)
NOTE: The mercy that God demands His followers to extend in this
life is designed to allow God to extend mercy in next life.
This letter is from Jude, a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. I
am writing to all who have been called by God the Father, who loves you
and keeps you safe in the care of Jesus Christ. 2 May God give you more
and more mercy, peace, and love. 3 Dear friends, I had been eagerly
planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find
that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to His holy people. Jude 1-2 (NLT)
JUDE REVEALS 3 PEOPLE GOD CALLS ME TO BE MERCIFUL TO
1. I MUST BE MERCIFUL TO THOSE WHO DOUBT.
Be merciful to those who doubt… Jude 22 (NIV)
2. I MUST BE MERCIFUL TO THOSE WHO ARE ENDANGERED.
Save others by snatching them from the fire… Jude 23a (NIV)
He will come with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire, bringing judgment
on those who don't know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good
News of our Lord Jesus. 2 Thessalonians 1:7b-8 (NLT)
3. I MUST BE MERCIFUL TO THOSE WHO ARE DANGEROUS.
To others show mercy, mixed with fear--hating even the clothing stained by
corrupted flesh. Jude 23b (NIV)
JUDE’S DIRECTIVES TO BE A SUCCESSFUL MERCY PROVIDER
1. REMEMBER THE SCRIPTURES
But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord
Jesus Christ said. Jude 1: 17 (NIV)
But you, dear friends, must build up your lives ever more strongly upon the
foundation of our holy faith… Jude 1: 20a (NIV)
And we have been given the prophetic word—the written message of the
prophets, made more reliable and fully validated (by the confirming voice of
God on the Mount of Transfiguration). And you will continue to do well if
you stay focused on it. 2 Peter 1:19 (TPT)
Dear friends, I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the
salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something
else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time
to His holy people. Jude 3 (NLT)
“The salvation we share” is the result of someone sharing “the faith.”
Yes, everyone who trusts in the Lord will be saved. 14 But before people can
call on the Lord, they must believe in him. And before they can believe in the
Lord, they must hear about him. And for anyone to hear about the Lord, someone
must tell them…. 17 So faith comes from hearing the Good News. And people hear
the Good News when someone tells them about Christ.
Romans 10:13, 14, 17 (ERV)
2. RECOMMIT TO PRAYER IN THE SPIRIT.
Furthermore, continue to pray in the Holy Spirit. Jude 1: 20b (ISV)
So he instructed them, “The harvest is vast, but the workers are few. So ask
the Lord of the harvest to send workers out into his harvest.”
Luke 10:2 (GNB)
3. RETAIN YOUR FAITH AND BE FAITHFUL
Stay always within the boundaries where God’s love can reach and bless
you. Wait patiently for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his
mercy is going to give you. Jude 1:21 (TLB)
4. RESOLVE TO BE CARING BUT CAREFUL.
And as for others, help them to find the Lord by being kind to them, but be
careful that you yourselves aren’t pulled along into their sins. Hate every
trace of their sin while being merciful to them as sinners. Jude 23b (TLB)
My spiritual brothers and sisters, if one of our faithful has fallen into a trap
and is snared by sin, don’t stand idle and watch his demise. Gently restore
him, being careful not to step into your own snare. Galatians 6:1 (VOICE)
…hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of his rebellious flesh, in
hope that his spirit may be rescued and restored in the day of the
Lord. 6 Boasting of your tolerance of sin is inappropriate. Don’t you
understand that even a small compromise with sin permeates the entire
fellowship, just as a little leaven permeates a batch of dough?
1 Corinthians 5:5, 6 (TPT)