Scripture & Thought
Jude 1:21 –
“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
I don’t keep myself saved, but I keep myself safe.
God saves me. That’s established. But I keep myself safe, which means that I keep myself in the love of God.
Though God’s love is unsought, undeserved and unconditional, it’s possible for me to be out of sync with His love.
Jude wrote, “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (1:21 NKJV). He was basically saying, “Keep yourself away from those things that are unlike Him. Keep yourself from any influence that violates His love or brings sorrow to God’s heart. And keep yourself in a place where God can actively show His love to you.”
In John 17 Jesus prayed to the Father, “I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one” (verse 15 NKJV).
In this context “the world” refers to a mentality. It’s talking about a culture, a way of thinking, and the world system under the control of Satan. That’s why the Bible calls the devil “the god of this world” (see 2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT).
There is God’s part and our part. If you were on a diet, for example, you wouldn’t hang around donut stores, would you?
Just as donuts aren’t good for diets, there are things that feed sin. That’s what Jesus meant when He taught us to pray, “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (Matthew 6:13 NLT).
Basically, that’s saying, “Lord, help me not to put myself in a place where I could fall into sin.”
So, God will keep you, but if you’re yanking your hand out of His hand, that’s a problem. God is holding on to you. But the question is this: Are you holding on to Him?
Prayer: Oh God, I need your help, so that I won’t put myself in a place where I could fall into sin. I want to stay just as close to you as I possibly can! I want to be able to hear clearly, your still small voice even with all the clatter that’s going on around me today. Keep me away from any influence that violates your love or brings sorrow to God’s heart. My desire is to keep my hand in the nail-pierced hand of Jesus. Because, if He is with me, then I don’t have to be afraid! Amen.