Keep Yourself in God’s Love

 Jude 1:21  

Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 

Why are we admonished by the Lord to keep ourselves in the love of God? Because God’s love is divine security and a guarantee that we will make heaven at the end of our journey here on earth. Lets look at it closely.  

God’s love offers two things:

#1. Divine Security

Looking at this grammatically, the word used in our text is “Keep”. And as used in the context of this scripture, it means to preserve. For instance in Numbers 6:26, it says:

“The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: ”

That means the Lord bless thee and preserve thee.  Now in our main text, it says to “Keep yourselves in the love of God…”. which implies that to be preserved in a wicked world in which we live one needs to stay in the love of God.  The Love of God will keep (preserve) you.

Now let us see from God’s Word, how the love of God can preserve the believer.  First, we look at 1st John 4:16. It says:

“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. ”

It is very clear that when we dwell in love, we’re dwelling in God and God in us. Now that offers a double edged protection: you’re in God and God in you. That makes us unbeatable in any battle of life, untouchable/unassaultalbe by any adversary. As Paul the Apostle boldly declared in Romans 8:31 that “…if God be for us, who can be against us?”. That means nothing can come against you and survive. As we have seen already, when you dwell in love, you’re in God. So whatever comes against you, comes against God. And whatever comes against God will be crushed.  Because, He’s “…the Lord strong and mighty. The Lord mighty in battle” (Psalm 24:8).  He is the unbreakable Rock (Deuteronomy 32:4&31, 1st Samuel 2:2).  Anyone and anything that comes against Him is broken into pieces and when He lands on anything it is grounded to powder (Matthew 21:42&44).  This is great security for the redeemed.  Now lets examine one more scripture to conclude this point.  

Ephesians 3:17-19

(17)  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

(18)  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

(19)  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

When we’re rooted and grounded in God’s love, we’re filled with all the fullness of God.  And when you’re filled with God, you’re no more an ordinary human being; you have become a divine personality in human flesh (walking the earth).  That makes you untouchable, unmolestable and indestructible by any force.  It’s a fully-loaded security, unmatchable anywhere in this world. 

Just two examples from scripture to show for it. We’re told how that Abraham the great lover of God, rallied his little army of only 318 men and routed an enemy troop of several thousands, beating them hands down and recovered his cousin who had been taken captive (see Genesis 14:1-17).  It’s too clear from the account that it was God Himself that went to battle for His lover (Abraham) that day, as there is no human explanation for such a feat.  We’re also told how God executed vengeance on the household of a heathen king for taking Abraham’s wife (See Genesis 20).

We also have the example of king David, a man proclaimed by God Himself as a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14/Act 13:22).  It is clear from all scriptural accounts that this unusual lover of God never lost a battle in all his lifetime (including all his 40years reign as king)--indeed, everyone that was an adversary to David perished

The love of God is a mysterious mystery in the kingdom. Among many other things, it offers the greatest security for the believer. So why don’t you sign up for God’s love today and join this army of the untouchables.

#2. Besides God’s preservation, the other blessing that God’s love offers is an assurance that we will make Heaven at the end of our journey

Lets look at our opening scripture again.  It says to “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal Life” - Jude 1:21.  In other words, keep yourselves in the love of God because eternal life is at stake.  To help our understanding, lets examine a few scriptures.

Romans 6:23:

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

“...The wages of sin is death…”, speaking of eternal death which is eternal separation from God which results  in the second death (in the lake of fire) . That is contrasted by the gift of God which is eternal life (through Jesus Christ), which qualifies for eternity with Christ and God in heaven.

Now John 3:16 says:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life  

Having everlasting life, which is the same as eternal life ensures that you do not perish (in the lake of fire).  That implies you’ll make heaven.  

In effect, whatever it takes to keep the flow of eternal life (everlasting life) is key to making heaven at the end of our journey on earth.  From our main text, we see that it will take the love of God to maintain that flow (the flow of eternal life).  As previously explained, the lord is admonishing us, to keep ourselves in the love of God because eternal life is at stake. Now lets look at a few more scriptures to confirm this truth.

In 1st John 4:21, it says:

And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

That means loving our brother (or neighbour) is loving God (see also 1John 4:12). 

1st John 3:15 also reads:

Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 

From the above text, it is clear that outside of God’s love, one is cut off from eternal life and will suffer the same fate as a murderer (I.e. the lake of fire).  This is why we’re admonished by the Lord to keep ourselves in the love of God so as to keep/maintain the flow of eternal life in our spirits and secure heaven at the end of our journey (you cannot miss heaven walking in love or loving God). 

This is the reason the love of God will be under great attack in these last days according to bible prophesy/predictions.  It says in the last days iniquity shall abound so much so the love of many (for God) will wax cold (see Matthew 24:3&12).  It says many will become lovers of their own selves and lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God (see 2Timothy 3:1,2&4).

In essence, the lack or absence of love for God manifested in selfishness among others is a trap, weapon or bait of the enemy to lure many souls into hell in his fierce battle for souls in these last days.  Therefore the wisdom of God said to keep ourselves in the love of God so as to maintain the flow of eternal life (I.e. maintain our salvation) and as such secure our place in heaven at the end. You shall not miss your place in Jesus name.

Now let us try to understand better what the love of God is.  According to scripture, it is:

• Loving God’s people and humanity at large (seeking the salvation of the lost)
• Loving God’s kingdom (seeking to advance His kingdom with our time, prayer, energy and resources)
• It is loving time alone in God’s presence (in word study, prayer, praise and worship)
• It’s loving time in God’s house (fellowship with God’s people)
• God’s love is a hatred for sin/evil (iniquity) and love for righteousness/godliness

May the Love of God distinguish you in this end time. Meanwhile, salvation or new birth is our first encounter with the Love of God. No one can walk in love without knowing God who is love Himself. Receiving Jesus Christ the son of God as our lord and saviour (which is salvation or new birth) is receiving the Love of God into your life.

 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. - 1John 4:9

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life  - John 3:16

If you desire this encounter, then let us pray:

I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who came to die for my sins and I confess Him as Lord and Saviour.  Thank you Lord.

Amen.

Congratulations! if you said that prayer. The Word of God says you are now a new creature and old things are passed away. All things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). In other-words, God will never call your past life (sins/faults) to remembrance. They are totally forgiven and forgotten. Check this:

I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins. (Isaiah 43:25)

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more (Hebrews 8:12) 

You are also encouraged to join a Bible Believing Church near you, in case you're not in one already, where you can grow in the Lord (1st Peter 2:2 and 2nd Samuel 7:10) 

Remain ever blessed.

Jesus is Lord!