Jude 1:20-23
Snatching Them From the Fire
Read the passage
20But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
21keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life.
22And indeed, have mercy on those who doubt;
23save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Jude calls his beloved readers to build themselves up in their most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. They are to keep themselves in God’s love while awaiting the mercy of Jesus Christ that brings eternal life. The faith they defend must also sustain their own life with God.
God’s keeping does not make these commands unnecessary. Believers are to continue in His love through faith, prayer and expectant dependence on Christ. They already live under His mercy, and they await its fullness in eternal life.
They must also care for people endangered by deception. Those who doubt need mercy. Others need urgent rescue, pictured as snatching them from fire. Jude does not ask believers to stand at a safe distance and condemn everyone who is wavering.
Mercy must be joined with fear where sin threatens to draw the helper in. Jude speaks of hating even clothing stained by the flesh. Care for the person must not become acceptance of the corruption that endangers them.
These responses require attention to actual people. Patient care for someone who is uncertain differs from urgent intervention when someone is rushing toward ruin. In both cases, believers act as people dependent on the Lord’s mercy, guarding their own faith as they seek another’s good.
Questions
1 How should believers keep themselves in God’s love?
AnswerThey should build themselves up in their holy faith, pray in the Holy Spirit and await the mercy of Jesus Christ.
2 What mercy are they awaiting?
AnswerThey await Christ’s mercy bringing them eternal life. This future fullness does not mean they have received no mercy already.
3 How should they respond to people who doubt or face grave danger?
AnswerThey should show mercy to those who doubt and act to rescue others, with the urgency of snatching someone from fire.
4 Why must mercy sometimes be tempered with fear?
AnswerThe helper must resist the sin that endangers the other person. Mercy toward someone never requires sharing in that corruption.
What This Means for Us
Listen patiently to a believer who is uncertain. Ask what troubles them and help them return to the truth rather than treating every question as rebellion.
If someone is being drawn into serious sin, seek wise help and act with appropriate urgency. Keep praying and attending to your own faith; you cannot help another person by joining what is harming them.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, help us pray and grow in the faith we have received. Lord Jesus, keep us expectant for Your mercy. Make us patient with doubters, ready to help those in danger and careful to resist the sin from which they need rescue. Amen.