But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith,
praying in the Holy Ghost,
Keep yourselves in the love of God,
looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
And of some have compassion, making a difference:
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire;
hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Jude 20-23
Four basic actions are listed for the believer immediately preceding the command to "have compassion".
(1) Building up yourselves on your most holy faith - 'faith' here means conviction, belief, fidelity, faithfulness. Very simply, first we have to know WHAT we believe. Not just an intellectual belief that we give out as the 'Sunday School Answer' in those fun spiritual discussions, but a holy belief that moves us to fidelity and obedience to God. That's the kind of belief that builds us up. That's the kind of belief that gives us compassion.
(2) Praying in the Holy Ghost - it's the Holy Ghost that "teaches us all things". When we pray in the Holy Ghost, we're relying on Him to teach us what to pray- to give us discernment so that we pray in accordance with the will of God. Not a selfish prayer based on what I want, but an unselfish prayer based on what God wants. So then we have to know WHAT to pray. As we pray for others as the Holy Ghost directs, it gives us God's heart for them - His compassion.
(3) Keep yourselves in the love of God - 'keep' here means guard or maintain the state of being. God's love for us is everlasting and unchanging, and certainly needs no guarding from us. But we do need to guard our awareness that God loves us and that God loves others. So then we have to know God's love. Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so... When we keep ourselves aware of God's love for us and others, it gives us compassion.
(4) Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life - 'looking for' here means receiving to one's self, admitting, accepting, expecting. We are to continually be receiving, admitting, accepting, and expecting the mercy of Jesus in giving us eternal life. So then we have to know WHO keeps us. So then assurance of salvation is essential to having compassion. When I have assurance that I am truly 'safe and secure from all alarms', that security compels me to extend that security to others... it gives me compassion.
What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
praying in the Holy Ghost,
Keep yourselves in the love of God,
looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
And of some have compassion, making a difference:
And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire;
hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Jude 20-23
Four basic actions are listed for the believer immediately preceding the command to "have compassion".
(1) Building up yourselves on your most holy faith - 'faith' here means conviction, belief, fidelity, faithfulness. Very simply, first we have to know WHAT we believe. Not just an intellectual belief that we give out as the 'Sunday School Answer' in those fun spiritual discussions, but a holy belief that moves us to fidelity and obedience to God. That's the kind of belief that builds us up. That's the kind of belief that gives us compassion.
(2) Praying in the Holy Ghost - it's the Holy Ghost that "teaches us all things". When we pray in the Holy Ghost, we're relying on Him to teach us what to pray- to give us discernment so that we pray in accordance with the will of God. Not a selfish prayer based on what I want, but an unselfish prayer based on what God wants. So then we have to know WHAT to pray. As we pray for others as the Holy Ghost directs, it gives us God's heart for them - His compassion.
(3) Keep yourselves in the love of God - 'keep' here means guard or maintain the state of being. God's love for us is everlasting and unchanging, and certainly needs no guarding from us. But we do need to guard our awareness that God loves us and that God loves others. So then we have to know God's love. Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so... When we keep ourselves aware of God's love for us and others, it gives us compassion.
(4) Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life - 'looking for' here means receiving to one's self, admitting, accepting, expecting. We are to continually be receiving, admitting, accepting, and expecting the mercy of Jesus in giving us eternal life. So then we have to know WHO keeps us. So then assurance of salvation is essential to having compassion. When I have assurance that I am truly 'safe and secure from all alarms', that security compels me to extend that security to others... it gives me compassion.
What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.
Oh, how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
Oh, how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.
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