The Saint's Individual Responsibility

PUNCTUATION in neither the present Greek nor the English texts is inspired. The earliest manuscripts of the New Testament which we possess have no punctuation. The punctuation of Eph 4:12, A.V., works havoc with God’s plan of operation in the Church, namely, that each saint is expected to be engaged in some form of Christian service as God may lead, for it puts the entire responsibility of proclaiming the Word upon the shoulders of the gifted men who are God’s gift to the Church, and requires nothing of the saints to whom they minister.

The men to whom God has given special gifts for ministering in the Word as given in verse eleven are, apostles, prophets, evangelists, and teaching pastors. The construction in the Greek does not allow us to speak of pastors and teachers as two individuals here. The two designations refer to a pastor who has also the gift of teaching. The two gifts go together in the divine economy, and it therefore follows that a God-called pastor is to exercise a didactic ministry. That is, his chief business will be to teach the Word of God. His is a ministry of explaining in simple terms what the Word of God means. The word "pastor" is from a Greek word which means "a shepherd." The illustration is evident. The pastor is to bear the same relationship to the people to whom he ministers, that a shepherd does to his flock of sheep.

Turning to verse twelve, we find that the word "perfecting" is not from the Greek word which refers to spiritual maturity, but from one that has the idea of equipping someone or something so that it might serve the purpose or do the work for which it was brought into being. The English word "ministry" has changed its meaning. Today when we speak of the ministry, we usually have in mind the regularly ordained clergymen of the church. The word has no such meaning here. The Greek word from which it is translated comes by transliteration into our language in the word "deacon," and translated, it means "one who serves." The full translation is as follows: "And he himself gave the apostles, and the prophets, and the evangelists, and the teaching pastors, for the equipping of the saints for ministering work, resulting in the building up of the Body of Christ."

From this translation we see that the pastor of a church, for instance, is a specialist. His work is to teach the Word to the saints, and to train them in the art of winning souls and of teaching and preaching the Word. Each church should be a miniature Bible Institute, a training station from which saints go out to spread the gospel. The pastor thus multiplies himself. He has a ministry to the unsaved, that of preaching the gospel to them, and of winning them to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus. But his chief work is to equip the saints to do that work. Since the pastor must specialize in the work of training the saints, it follows that he cannot spend his time and energy upon a thousand and one things in the work of the church which should be done by its members. It is a wise pastor that puts people to work and holds Himself to a life of prayer and the ministry of the Word.

Each of us is to engage in some form of Christian service as the Lord leads. It may be a ministry of prayer, or of tract distribution, or of personal work or of teaching the Word, or of song. Thus each saint has his own responsibility in the service of our Lord.

Acceptance in the Beloved

To the praise of the glory of his grace through which he hath made us accepted in the beloved — Eph 1:6

Forgiveness Does Not Necessarily Imply Acceptance

It ought to be noted carefully by all who ponder the interior life that acceptance is something different from forgiveness. One might be forgiven and not accepted. If a man wrought me some deadly injury, by the grace of heaven I might forgive that man; yet I might warn him that he must keep his distance and never cross the threshold of my home. So conceivably might God forgive the guilty sinners of mankind and yet forbid them entrance to His dwelling-place. At the pleading of the woman of Tekoah, David forgave Absalom. Yet for two years that forgiven child never looked upon his father's face (2Sa 14:28). The palace gates were barred for him; he had no access to the royal chambers; he was forgiven, but he was not accepted. Acceptance is reconstituted fellowship. It is liberty of access to the palace. It is an authoritative welcoming to the home and heart of God. And though always this implies forgiveness, the two are not identical whether in the affairs of earth or heaven.

Acceptance Is Another Miracle of Grace

It ought again to be noted that acceptance does not necessarily follow on forgiveness. It is not an inevitable consequence; it is an added miracle of grace. When the prodigal took his homeward way he had a deep conviction that he would be forgiven. But he had no assurance that he would be accepted and so have the run of the old home. Forgiven, he would have been well content to be as the lowest of the hired servants and lodge with the other servants in the shed. The father forgave him when he ran to meet him. There was fatherly forgiveness in the kiss. But what amazed the prodigal and broke his heart was the welcome which followed on forgiveness. The ring on his finger, the robe upon his back, the filial liberty in the old home, these were the acceptance of the prodigal. He might have been forgiven without these. These were not of the essence of his pardon. These were the signs and tokens of a love that could never do enough for the forgiven. That is why the apostle tells us here that the amazing experience of acceptance is "to the praise of the glory of His grace." Acceptance is not a necessary corollary. It is not an implication of remission. It is an implication that we are in the hands of One who in His love can never do enough. He might pardon us and make us hired servants; but love can never be content with that. It crowns forgiveness in the welcome home.

Christ Makes Us Fit for Fellowship

Again we are told (and the words are haunting words) that this acceptance is in the Beloved. One can fittingly illustrate that thought from what one has seen in human life. A well-beloved, perhaps an only son, announces that he is going to be married. His mother who has been praying about that waits eagerly to see his choice. And sometimes seeing, she is disappointed, and her mother's heart is very sore within her for the girl "is not like her son at all." Then frequently follows something very beautiful. I have seen it a score of times with admiration. That foolish, giddy, ill-adapted girl gets a most tender welcome to the home. She is treated with an infinite consideration; she is borne with, her faults are overlooked not for her own sake, but for that of the dear boy who has chosen her to be his bride. She is accepted in the beloved: for his sake she gets that tender welcome. She is cherished and treated as a daughter and made one of the family because he is dear. And something like that is in the writer's mind when he finds the secret of divine acceptance not in us, but in the well-beloved Son. Pardon does not instantly make holy, and without holiness how shall we see God? We are worse adapted for that heavenly fellowship than the most foolish maiden is for marriage. But if the Son hath chosen the Church to be His bride, and if the mother-heart be a sacrament of God, then in the Well-beloved there is welcome. For His sake we have the run of home. We are adopted into the family of heaven. We are loaded with unfailing kindness. We are always taken at our best. With the heavenly Father as with the earthly mother there is welcome for the chosen of the Son. We are accepted in the Beloved.

Accepted for Service

I should like to close upon another thought—we are accepted in Him that we may serve. Very often in that word acceptance there is the suggestion of expected service. When a candidate for office is accepted, that acceptance is the road to usefulness. When an editor accepts a manuscript, that means that the manuscript is going to be used. And when God not only pardons but accepts, it implies that He is set on using us "to the praise of the glory of His grace." Just as election is not a selfish privilege but heaven's method of broadcasting its blessings, so acceptance (election's other side) is heaven's prelude to spiritual fruitfulness. For the slave knoweth not what his lord doeth and his best obedience is mechanical, but he who has the run of home is free. We are accepted not for an hour or two; we are accepted that we may abide. And abiding, as our Lord has taught us, is the secret of all fruitfulness. Accepted service is not brilliant service—brilliance is very often fruitless—it is the service of those who never cease to wonder that they are accepted in the Beloved.

“JUDE” - MEANS TO PRAISE! - THE SERVANT OF GOD!

Jude 1:21.   Staying right at the center of God's love, 

keeping your arms open and outstretched, 

ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ. 

This is the unending life, the real life!

Jude 1:1

Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ,.... The author of this epistle is the same who is elsewhere called Judas, Luk 6:16, who was one of the twelve apostles of Christ, whose name was also Lebbaeus, and whose surname was Thaddaeus, Mat 10:3, the name is the same with Judah, Gen 29:35, which comes from a word that signifies "to praise" or "confess"; and in the Rabbinical dialect is called יודא, "Juda" (e), as here. He styles himself "the servant of Jesus Christ"; See,Romans 1:1, though this is a title common to all believers, yet here, and in some other places, it is peculiar to an apostle, or minister of the Gospel; and therefore is used not merely in humility, and to acknowledge obedience to Christ, but as a title of dignity and honour: and the apostle goes on to describe himself by his natural relation,

and brother of James; not the son of Zebedee, but of Alphaeus, Mat 10:2; and this he mentions partly to distinguish himself from others of that name, as Judas Iscariot, and Judas called Barsabas; and partly for the sake of honour and credit, James being a very great man, a man of great note and esteem, and who seemed to be a pillar in the church, and was called the brother of our Lord, Gal 2:9; an account of the persons to whom this epistle is inscribed next follows,

to them that are sanctified by God the Father; which is to be understood not of internal sanctification, which is usually ascribed to the Spirit of God, but of the act of eternal election, which is peculiar to God the Father; in which sense Christ is said to be sanctified by the Father, and men ordained and appointed to an office, and vessels are set apart the owner's use; Joh 10:36 Jer 1:5; the language is taken from the ceremonial law, by which persons and things were sanctified, or set apart for sacred use and service; see Exo 13:2; and so the elect of God are by God the Father sanctified and set apart in the act of election, which is expressed by this word; partly because of its separating nature, men being by it separated from the rest of the world, to the use and service of God, and for his glory, so that they are a distinct and peculiar people; and partly because such are chosen through sanctification of the Spirit, and unto holiness both in this world and that which is to come; so that the doctrine of election is no licentious doctrine; for though holiness is not the cause of it, yet is a means fixed in it, and is certain by it, and an evidence of it; the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions, read, "to them that are loved by God the Father": election is the fruit and effect of love; those that are sanctified or set apart by the Father in election, are loved by him. The Ethiopic version renders it quite otherwise, "to them that love God the Father"; which flows from the Father's love to them:

and preserved in Jesus Christ; those who are sanctified, or set apart by God the Father in election, are in Christ, for they are chosen in him; they have a place in his heart, and they are put into his hands, and are in him, and united to him as members to an head, and were represented by him in the covenant of grace; and being in him, they are preserved by him, and that before they are called, as well as after; wherefore this character is put before that of being called, though the Syriac version puts that in the first place: there is a secret preservation of them in Christ before calling, from condemnation and the second death; they were not preserved from falling in Adam, with the rest of mankind, nor from the corruption of human nature, nor from actual sins and transgressions; yet, notwithstanding these, were so preserved that the law could not execute the sentence of condemnation on them, nor sin damn them, nor Satan, who led them captive, hale them to prison; and after calling, they are preserved not from indwelling sin, nor from the temptations of Satan, nor from doubts and fears and unbelief, nor from slips and falls into sin; but from the tyranny and dominion of sin, from being devoured by Satan, and from a total and final falling away; they are preserved in the love of God, and of Christ; in the covenant of grace; in a state of justification and adoption; and in the paths of truth, faith, and holiness; and are preserved safe to the heavenly kingdom and glory: their other character follows,

and called; not merely externally by the ministry of the word, but internally by the Spirit and grace of God; so that this is to be understood of a special and effectual call, whereby souls are called out of darkness into light, and from bondage to liberty; and from a dependence on themselves to the grace and righteousness of Christ; and from society with the men of the world to fellowship with HIM; and to eternal glory, so as to have faith and hope concerning it.

Jud 1:2  Relax, everything's going to be all right; rest, everything's coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way! 

 Mercy unto you, and peace and love be multiplied. In this salutation the apostle wishes for a multiplication of "mercy", from God the Father, by whom these persons were sanctified: mercy is a perfection in God; and shows itself in a special manner towards the elect, in the covenant of grace, in the provision of Christ as a Saviour, in the mission of him into this world, in redemption by him, in the forgiveness of sin, in regeneration, and in their whole salvation; and the multiplication of it intends an enlarged view and fresh application of it, which they sometimes stand in need of, as under desertions, when they want the sense and manifestation of it to them; and under temptations and afflictions, when they need sympathy and compassion; and when they fall into sin they stand in need of the fresh discoveries and application of pardoning mercy to them. Moreover, herein is wished for a multiplication of "peace" from Christ, in whom these chosen ones were preserved; and may design a fresh and enlarged view of peace being made for them by his blood, and an increase of conscience peace in their own hearts, as the effect of it; and may include peace, and an abundance of it, among themselves, as well as all prosperity, both external, internal, and eternal: likewise in the salutation, "love", and a multiplication of it is wished for from the Spirit of God, by whom they were called; and may be understood of the love with which God loved them; and which may be said to be multiplied, when it is gradually shed abroad in their hearts by the Spirit, and they are by degrees led into it more and more, and the acts of it are drawn out and set before them one after another, and fresh manifestations of it are made unto them; as in afflictive providences, after the hidings of God's face, and under temptations: and it may design the love with which they love God, which may be increased and made to abound more and more.

I. We have an account of the penman of this epistle, Jude, or Judas, or Judah. He was name-sake to one of his ancestors, the patriarch - son of Jacob, the most eminent though not the first-born of his sons, out of whose loins (lineally, in a most direct succession) the Messiah came. This was a name of worth, eminency, and honour; yet 

       He had a wicked name-sake. There was one Judas (one of the twelve, surnamed Iscariot, from the place of his birth) who was a vile traitor, the betrayer of his and our Lord. The same names may be common to the best and worst persons. It may be instructive to be called after the names of eminently good men, but there can be no inference drawn thence as to what we shall prove, though we may even thence conclude what sort of persons our good parents or progenitors desired and hoped we should be. But, 

2. Our Judas was quite another man. He was an apostle, so was Iscariot; but he was a sincere disciple and follower of Christ, so was not the other. He was a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, the other was his betrayer and murderer; therefore here the one is very carefully distinguished from the other. Dr. Manton's note upon this is, that God takes great care of the good name of his sincere and useful servants. Why then should we be prodigal of our own or one another's reputation and usefulness? Our apostle here calls himself a servant of Jesus Christ, esteeming that a most honourable title. It is more honourable to be a sincere and useful servant of Christ than to be an earthly king, how potent and prosperous soever. He might have claimed kindred to Christ according to the flesh, but he waives this, and rather glories in being his servant. Observe, 

       (1.) It is really a greater honour to be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ than to be akin to him according to the flesh. Many of Christ's natural kindred, as well as of his progenitors, perished; not from want of natural affection in him as man, but from infidelity and obstinacy in themselves, which should make the descendants and near relatives of persons most eminent for sincere and exemplary piety jealous over themselves with a godly jealousy. A son of Noah may be saved in the ark from a flood of temporal destruction, and yet be overwhelmed at last in a deluge of divine wrath, and suffer the vengeance of eternal fire. Christ himself tells us that he that heareth his word and doeth it (that is, he only) is as his brother, and sister, and mother, that is, more honourably and advantageously related to him than the nearest and dearest of his natural relatives, considered merely as such. See Mat 12:48-50. 

       (2.) In that the apostle Jude styles himself a servant, though an apostle, a dignified officer in Christ's kingdom, it is a great honour to the meanest sincere minister (and it holds proportionably as to every upright Christian) that he is the servant of Christ Jesus. The apostles were servants before they were apostles, and they were but servants still. Away then with all pretensions in the ministers of Christ to lordly dominion either over one another or over the flocks committed to their charge. Let us ever have that of our dear Redeemer in actual view, It shall not be so among you, Mat 20:25, Mat 20:26. - And brother of James, to wit, of him whom the ancients style the first bishop of Jerusalem, of whose character and martyrdom Josephus makes mention, ascribing the horrible destruction of that city and nation to this wicked cruelty, as one of its principal causes. Of this James our Jude was brother, whether in the strictest or a larger (though very usual) acceptation I determine not. He however reckons it an honour to him that he was the brother of such a one. We ought to honour those who are above us in age, gifts, graces, station; not to envy them, yet neither to flatter them, nor be led merely by their example, when we have reason to think they act wrong. Thus the apostle Paul withstood his fellow-apostle Peter to the face, notwithstanding the high esteem he had for him and the affectionate love he bore to him, when he saw that he was to be blamed, that is, really blameworthy, Gal 2:11, and following verses.

                 II. We are here informed to whom this epistle is directed; namely, to all those who are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called. I begin with the last - called, that is, called Christians, in the judgment of charity, further than which we cannot, nor in justice ought to go, in the judgments or opinions we form or receive of one another; for what appears not is not, nor ought to come into account in all our dealings with and censures of one another, whatever abatements the divine goodness may see fit to make for an honest though misguided zeal. The church pretends not (I am sure it ought not) to judge of secret or hidden things (things drawn into the light before time), lest our rash and preposterous zeal do more harm than good, or I am afraid ever will do. The tares and wheat (if Christ may be Judge) must grow together till the harvest (Mat 13:28-30); and then he himself will, by proper instruments, take timely care to separate them. We ought to think the best we can of every man till the contrary appear; not being forward to receive or propagate, much less invent, disadvantageous characters of our brethren. This is the least we can make of the apostle's large and excellent description of charity (1Co 13:1-13), and this we ought to make conscience of acting up to, which till we do, the Christian churches will be (as, alas! they are at this day) filled with envying and strife, confusion and every evil work, Jas 3:16. Or, the apostle may speak of their being called to be Christians, by the preaching of the word, which they gladly received, and professed cordially to believe, and so were received into the society and fellowship of the church - Christ the head, and believers the members; real believers really, professed believers visibly. Note, Christians are the called, called out of the world, the evil spirit and temper of it, - above the world, to higher and better things, heaven, things unseen and eternal, - called from sin to Christ, from vanity to seriousness, from uncleanness to holiness; and this in pursuance of divine purpose and grace; for whom he did predestinate those he also called, Rom 8:30. Now those who are thus called, are,

        1. Sanctified: Sanctified by God the Father. Sanctification is usually spoken of in scripture as the work of the Holy Spirit, yet here it is ascribed to God the Father, because the Spirit works it as the Spirit of the Father and the Son. Note, All who are effectually called are sanctified, made partakers of a divine nature (2Pe 1:4); for without holiness no man shall see the Lord, Heb 12:14. Observe, Our sanctification is not our own work. If any are sanctified, they are so by God the Father, not excluding Son or Spirit, for they are one, one God. Our corruption and pollution are of ourselves; but our sanctification and renovation are of God and his grace; and therefore if we perish in our iniquity we must bear the blame, but if we be sanctified and glorified all the honour and glory must be ascribed to God, and to him alone. I own it is hard to give a clear and distinct account of this, but we must not deny nor disregard necessary truth because we cannot fully reconcile the several parts of it to each other; for, on that supposition, we might deny that any one of us could stir an inch from the place we are at present in, though we see the contrary every day and hour. 

       2. The called and sanctified are preserved in Christ Jesus. As it is God who begins the work of grace in the souls of men, so it is he who carries it on, and perfects it. Where he begins he will perfect; though we are fickle, he is constant. He will not forsake the work of his own hands, Psa 138:8. Let us not therefore trust in ourselves, nor in our stock of grace already received, but in him, and in him alone, still endeavouring, by all proper and appointed means, to keep ourselves, as ever we would hope he should keep us. Note, 

              (1.) Believers are preserved from the gates of hell, and to the glory of heaven. 

              (2.) All who are preserved are preserved in Jesus Christ, in him as their citadel and stronghold, no longer than they abide in him, and solely by virtue of their union with him.

     III. We have the apostolical benediction: Mercy to you, etc. From the mercy, peace, and love of God all our comfort flows, all our real enjoyment in this life, all our hope of a better. 

            1. The mercy of God is the spring and fountain of all the good we have or hope for; mercy not only to the miserable, but to the guilty. 

            2. Next to mercy is peace, which we have from the sense of having obtained mercy. We can have no true and lasting peace but what flows from our reconciliation with God by Jesus Christ. 

            3. As from mercy springs peace, so from peace springs love, HIS love to us, our love to HIM, and our brotherly love (forgotten, wretchedly neglected, GRACE! ). TO ONE ANOTHER!

These the apostle prays may be multiplied, that Christians may not be content with scraps and narrow scantlings of them;

 but that souls and societies may be full of them. 

Note, God is ready to supply us with ALL “GRACE”, and a fulness in each grace.

 If we are straitened, we are not straitened in him, but in ourselves.