Jude 17-21 New Living Translation
“Keep in step!” Many people seem to want to keep in step with the times, but that is not one of my goals. Don’t get me wrong, I want to be relevant with the gospel message but never at the cost of trying to rewrite the Word of God. The times are wicked and people who work to stay in step with the times can be self-exalting rather than God exalting. What I really desire is to keep in step with God’s love. I want to be where his love rests and I want to go when his love moves. I want to release God’s love at appointed times into the lives of others. Only the Holy Spirit can help me keep in step; therefore, I must invite the Holy Spirit to help me pray for God’s will and purpose.
Our passage today comes as a letter written by Jude (brother of James) to the early church. Jude shares the dangers of false teachers or those who teach from a worldly—keep in step with the times—perspective rather than from a Spirit-led perspective.
Jude 17-21 More Warnings
17 My dear friends, remember the warning you were given by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They told you that near the end of time, selfish and godless people would start making fun of God. 19 And now these people are already making you turn against each other. They think only about this life, and they don’t have God’s Spirit.
20 Dear friends, keep building on the foundation of your most holy faith, as the Holy Spirit helps you to pray. 21 And keep in step with God’s love, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to show how kind he is by giving you eternal life.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for helping me keep in step with your love. Truly, your loving presence is all I need. In Jesus’ name Amen.