More Jude 20-21—
“And all of you beloved (Ὑμεῖς δέ, ἀγαπητοί)—Yes! Lord, we are your loved ones! We stand with you for the group photo shot. Thank you forever!
“Building up one another in the holiest of our most holy faith (ἐποικοδομοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς τῇ ἁγιωτάτῃ ὑμῶν πίστει)—Yes! Our “most holy faith” brings us and keeps us together
“In the Holy Spirit praying (ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ προσευχόμενοι)—Yes! The holy, tender, loving, and compassionate Holy Spirit motivates us to pray for one another in the Holy Spirit’s own style and fashion—with love, comfort, joy, righteousness, and peace!
“Yourselves in the love of God guard and keep (ἑαυτοὺς ἐν ἀγάπῃ θεοῦ τηρήσατε)—Yes! We all stand guard to protect and nurture our community of love. We forsake all fleshly endeavors to control, manipulate, use, intimidate, dominate, trick, tease, confuse, or in any other way diminish your love among us. We all become guardians and defenders of treating each other as your beloved.
“Eagerly welcoming the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ into eternal life (προσδεχόμενοι τὸ ἔλεος τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον)—Yes! Mercy gives us another chance, and then another, and then another, forever and ever. Amen! “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed…” (Lamentations 3:22-23) We are beginning to understand that we’re not saved—day by day—by rigidly, religiously doing works of righteousness. We are saved—every morning, and all day long, not because we figured out some religious exercise or we have amassed some good works. No! We are being saved (by grace) only because of the mercy of God. Mercy is wrath withheld. Mercy is not receiving what we deserve. Mercy is the starting point of God’s love. God’s Mercy is the starting point of every moment of our new existence—And thankfully, God’s mercies never come to an end! They are higher than the heavens! And as we become aware of our Lord’s mercy to us every moment, we begin to become merciful ourselves toward the loved ones in the family of God and the loved ones may yet begin to enjoy God’s mercies themselves by faith.
Giv’m heaven, John Parker
Please Comment Below, Beloved Ones!
When I think about the intimacy and mutuality of “one another” life, I can’t think of any other quality of relationship that would be more like the community of the Godhead’s relationship and what would “build up” a “most holy faith” in all of us.
I think “doing works of righteousness” is part of our salvation, the sanctification part of our salvation. I recall being instructed to do works of traditions of men that were rigid. But I have changed those to works of righteousness that are me extending grace to others with God’s power and resources.
I must give out mercy, not merely receive it from God.
—“One another” gatherings are just that sort of “works of righteousness.”
—“One another” giving is “giving people heaven.”
I like your comment: “When I think about the intimacy and mutuality of “one another” life, I can’t think of any other quality of relationship that would be more like the community of the Godhead’s relationship…”
I believe that the relationship that the Godhead Three have with each other in love is the greatest model and motivator for us to learn how to love one another. Imagine—they’ve stayed with each other forever past, present, and future! What love they demonstrate for us!