Your life is a continual building process and God has promised to complete the work. Even though the outer self may be wasting away, the inner self is being renewed day by day (2 Cor. 4:16). In contrast to those who live according to their passions progressing toward destruction, Jude encourages you to be “building yourselves up in your most holy faith” (Jude 20). The gospel of grace in Jesus Christ that God has revealed is that “most holy faith” – there is nothing else even close to it. Peter’s final words to his readers was to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). To know the grace of Christ and to grow in it is to know his love for you. His boundless, endless, unconditional love is manifested most clearly on the cross where God’s love and holiness collided – his grace lavished upon you.
For this reason, Jude instructs you to “keep yourselves in the love of God” (Jude 21). At first glance it sounds like staying in God’s love is up to you, but it is not. God’s love is not like a room that you can walk in and out of, or a coat that you can take off and put on again a la “He loves me, he loves me not.” That would be oppressive and contrary to his steadfast love. Keeping yourself is the task of custody like the stewardship of exercising, managing, and guarding your heart and mind. The love of God is the element in which you do this – that does not change.
Dear chosen and beloved, God’s love is not dependent on your actions. You cannot make him love you any more or any less! Your actions, however, can flow out of experiencing God’s love encasing your life. Your life is built up and nurtured as you are occupied with God’s love in your walk with him. Jesus said the same thing using himself as an example; “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love” (John 15:9–10). Do you see the reciprocity? You are in his love. If you keep your attitudes and affections occupied by his love, you will love what he loves and do what he loves.
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