In the Bible, there are five books that only have one chapter. There is one in the Old Testament (Obadiah) and four in the New Testament (2 John, 3 John, Philemon and Jude). It is the latter that I want to use to give us all encouragement. Here is the opening verse of Jude. “1Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James, to those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ:”
The consensus of Biblical scholars is that this book or letter was written by a half-brother of Jesus named Jude. Interestingly, he does not state that. Instead, he identified himself as the brother of another half-brother of Jesus, James. It is believed by Biblical scholars that both brothers and perhaps other half-siblings of Jesus did not believe in him as the Christ until after his resurrection. Jude refers to himself as the brother of James, because James had risen to a major role of leadership in the church and would be very well known. In his humility, he does not refer to himself as the brother of Jesus, but instead, post-ascension, identified himself in his current spiritual position as the “servant (or slave) of Jesus Christ.” Jesus is his savior and his messiah and in this relationship, he has a relationship with the Father and has eternal life.
He then wrote three things about his readers and about us to whom he writes by extension.
We have been called…
We are in a relationship with God the Father because we have been called to come to him. God is the one who draws us to him and gives us salvation through Christ. The Bible states that no one seeks God, but we are called into a relationship with him.
We are loved by God the Father…
This is the motivation for God the Father’s call to us. He loves us. This is the unconditional, thus unending love from God to the believer in Christ. He wants a relationship with us; therefore, he called us to come into that relationship.
We are kept by Jesus Christ.
This relationship is then kept by Christ, or more literally, in Christ. God not only initiates salvation by calling us out of his love, but He also completes it through Christ, thus keeping the Christ follower secure for eternal life. Christ and the Father have sent us the Holy Spirit, who is the seal of our salvation. The fact that the Holy Spirit is in us is evidence of our salvation.
Jude wrote this letter to people who were experiencing persecution and false teachings in the church all around them. My hope is that whatever physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual circumstances you are experiencing today, positive or negative, that you will be encouraged by these opening words of Jude.
In Christ Alone
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