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An admonition to holy steadfastness:
v. 17. But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
v. 18. how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
v. 19. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit
v. 20. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
v. 21. keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
v. 22. And of some have compassion, making a difference;
v. 23. and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
The apostle here addresses himself to the Christians in an earnest appeal: But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they told you. At the end of time there will be mockers who walk after their own impious lusts. The warning of Jude was not the first one which his readers had received; it was but necessary to remind them of words of solemn warning, spoken, for example, by Peter, when he wrote that there would come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 2Pe_3:3, and by Paul, when he told the elders of Ephesus that men would arise of their own selves, speaking perverse things, Act_20:29-30. Op. 1Ti_4:1; 2Ti_3:1-9.
St. Jude completes the description: These are they that separate themselves, fleshly, not having the Spirit. That is the principal function of the false teachers: they cause divisions, dissensions, offenses contrary to the sound doctrine. They are sensuous creatures, seeking the gratification of their sensual appetites upon every occasion. The Spirit of God does not live in them, since they are servants of the Spirit of Darkness, Rom_16:17-18; Col_2:18-23. These words must be kept in mind at all times over against the false teachers that set aside the clear statements of God's holy Word and try to entangle the souls in their nets of unbelief.
True believers have nothing in common with the false teachers and their ways: But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, with prayer in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, accepting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Here the apostle offers at least a summary of the treatise which he had in mind before circumstances obliged him to write this letter. He urges the Christians to be established upon, to build themselves up on, their most holy faith, upon the foundation of Jesus Christ and the apostles, Eph_2:20; Col_2:7. They should continue steadfast in the words of Christ, in the most holy and precious Gospel of their salvation, and let no power in the universe move them from their allegiance, Joh_8:31-32; Rom_16:17-18. And since this is not a matter of the believer's own reason and strength, he will seek and obtain strength from the Lord in daily prayer in the Holy Ghost, who Himself assists us with groanings which cannot be uttered, Rom_8:26-27. In this manner do Christians keep themselves in the love of God, God's most wonderful gift to mankind, Joh_3:16. This love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us, Rom_5:5, and this love of God is bound to awaken love in our hearts in return, 1Jn_4:19. Thus we daily accept the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, His divine favor earned through His own suffering and death, which assures us eternal life by faith in Him, 1Jn_2:1-2; Rom_8:34; Heb_7:25. We are certain of everlasting salvation through the mercy of God in Jesus Christ.
This certainty of faith will then show itself in our behavior toward our brethren, in brotherly love: And some indeed admonish, making a distinction; but some deliver, snatching them from the fire; on still others have compassion in fear, hating also the garment which has been stained by the flesh. Three classes of weak brethren are here distinguished, and we are to make a distinction in our treatment of them. Those that are uncertain in their faith, always in doubt about placing their trust in the salvation of Christ, we should admonish to put aside their doubts. Others that have almost been led astray by the deceivers, we should snatch like a brand from the burning, Amo_4:11; Zec_3:2, tearing them away from the eager claws that would draw them down to perdition. Still others are just on the verge of turning aside from the right way, being inclined to listen to the voice of the deceivers. To such we should offer loving, merciful assistance, Gal_6:1-2. And this should be done in fear, in the spirit of meekness; we should always watch for ourselves lest we also be tempted. In our entire attitude there should not be the least indication of pride and presumption, but only a holy horror of sin, of the spotted garment of the flesh. And as for ourselves, it must be our constant effort to keep the garment of salvation, of the merit of Christ, with which God has clothed us, unspotted both by false doctrine and by carnal life, Rev_3:4-5.