He Who Protects You and Makes You Stand

Big things sometimes do come in small packages!

For example, look at the book of Jude in the New Testament. One of the smallest of all Bible books, it packs a wallop! Jude states he had wanted to write a letter about the wonders of our salvation; but he was compelled to write about dangerous, ungodly, sneaky subversives who had infiltrated the church. Much of his short letter deals with these characters.

But as he concludes, Jude turns his attention back to God and to true believers.

“Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless and with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now, and forever. Amen.” (Jude 24-25)

Jude’s letter is about ungodly sneaks coming into the church and leading astray some of the members. Should we be worried? Jude says, “No!” For Jesus “is able to protect [us] from stumbling.” If we remain in Jesus, He will protect us from falling prey to the apostates.

Treasury agents study real bills, which makes it easy to spot the fakes. You don’t need to worry about all the fakes or try to learn all the untruths they might try to trick you with. Instead, focus on the Truth. The better you know the Truth, the easier it will be for you to recognize the untrue!

What is the opposite of stumbling? Standing. Jude writes: “and to make you stand…” Notice four truths about our standing:

1. We stand because of the POWER of Jesus. He “makes” us stand. We cannot stand on our own. We will stumble, go off course, be influenced to some degree by the untruths around us; unless we stay close to Jesus, focused on Him. Then He “makes” us stand.

It’s as if He puts a rod in our back, or strength in our legs…we stand because He empowers us to stand! Without Him, we would – indeed we do – stumble.

2. We stand in the PRESENCE of Jesus. “you stand in the presence of His glory”

Remember how every time in Scripture when an angel appears, the person it appears to falls to their knees or lays flat before the angel? And the angel always says, “No! Stand up!” See, the angels know they are not the ones worthy of reverence or worship, only God.

And yet, through our relationship with Jesus we are allowed to Stand, even in His presence! Not arrogantly or flippantly, always with reverence, awe and respect.

As true believers, we are allowed to stand in the presence of Jesus as God (not just Jesus as a man). For Jude writes, we stand in the “presence of His glory.” Before Him in His Glory – in the fullness of His essence in Heaven – we stand in His presence.

Remember, standing is the opposite of stumbling. The naive, tricked, duped, or those who shouldn’t be there at all, are the ones who stumble.

But we belong. Through Jesus we are part of the family. We have a seat at the table. We can stand in the presence of His glory!

3. We stand under the PURITY of Jesus. “blameless”

None of us, not one of us, is blameless. So why is it, that when God looks at true believers, He does not see our sin? Answer: because it has been removed completely. Our sin is on Jesus at the Cross. We receive in its place His righteousness. God looks at us and sees the righteousness of His Son! No longer under the guilt of sin, we are indeed blameless in God’s sight. But only because of Jesus.

Because of these three truths…the fourth is possible…

4. We stand with GREAT JOY in Jesus. “and with great joy.”

We are able to stand. We are able to stand in His presence. We are able to stand in His presence totally blameless. What else should we feel but GREAT JOY?!!

So four truths about us – True Believers – as Jude brings his letter to a close.

Notice there are also 4 truths about God & Jesus in these two verses. Remember, these verses are really about Him, not us. So Jude reminds all True Believers…

1. There is only ONE TRUE God and ONE PATH to Him. “to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord” God is God, and Jesus is the one Savior. As He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.”

The Bible is very clear on this point. There is no room for doubt, confusion, or negotiation…there is one and only one God…and His name is “I AM.”

• The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New.
• The God of Genesis is the God of Revelation.
• The God of Adam is the God of Paul.
• The God of the Israelites is the God of the Church.

Through Jesus, know God; and know there is no other!

2. God alone is worthy of WORSHIP. “…be glory, majesty…”

Glory & Majesty…someday take the time to read verses that include these words. The exercise will lift your spirit! Often when they appear, the words splendor and awesome accompany them.

I honestly don’t have the space here to discuss Glory and Majesty. I want to; but when I look at the sources in my study, quickly I realize there is just too much. The subject of God’s Glory and Majesty is a subject that could occupy us for a long time. Indeed it will, throughout eternity!

Let me just encourage you to find a good Bible dictionary and read the entries for Glory and Majesty. I promise you, it will be worth your time. What Jude succinctly says is, “to God only be Glory and Majesty!” He alone should be worshipped.

3. God alone is worthy of OBEDIENCE. “…power, authority…”

“All power and authority is Mine,” Jesus said – and Jesus is God. God created it all. He owns it all. He controls it all. Who else really has any power or authority? No one.

Now, in our human lives we have people who hold authority over us temporarily: a boss, government, leaders in the church. But these are not permanent – none of them; and their authority is a temporary loan from God. They exercise an authority that is not their own. For all power and authority belongs ultimately to God – even that which the Devil temporarily has in this world!

Therefore, God is truly the only one who is worthy of your obedience. This means complete obedience to Him, and to the expressions of His authority He has shared through legitimate earthly agencies.

4. Only God is ETERNAL. “…before all time, now, and forever.”

He is the One true God “before all time.” Before creation, God is.
He is the One true God “now.” Today, many vie to be your god; but He is still the One and Only!
He is the One true God “forever.” When all this earth has passed away, He will still be.

Think about what Jude is saying as he concludes this letter.

The only eternal God, the only One worthy of our worship and obedience, He is the One who will protect us from stumbling, enable us to stand, and keep us until He delivers us to Heaven – into His presence forever!

Truly there is no better way to end, than the way Jude does…

“Amen.”