Jude

Ver 24. Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory in great joy,

Now to him who is able to keep them from stumbling. The people of God are liable to falling into temptation, into sin, into errors and mistakes, from an exercise of grace, or from a degree of steadfastness in Gospel truths, and even into a final and total apostasy, were it not for divine power; and they are not able to keep themselves. Adam, in his state of innocence, could not keep himself from falling; nor could the angels, many of whom fell, and the rest are preserved by the grace of God; wherefore, much less can imperfect sinful men keep themselves, they want both skill and power to do it; nor can any, short of Christ, keep them, and it is his work and office to preserve them; they were given to him with this view, and he undertook to do it; and sensible sinners commit themselves to him, as being appointed for that purpose; and this is a work Christ has been, and is, employed in, and he is every way qualified for it: he is "able" to do it, for he is the mighty God, the Creator and upholder of all things; and as Mediator, he has all power in heaven and in earth; instances of persons kept by him prove it; and there is such evidence of it, that believers may be, and are persuaded of it: and he is as willing as he is able; it is his Father's will he should keep them, and in that he delights; and as he has undertook to keep them, he is accountable for them; besides, he has an interest in them, and the greatest love and affection for them; to which may be added, that the glory of the Father, Son, and Spirit, in man's salvation, depends on the keeping of them: and what he keeps them from is, from falling by temptations, not from being tempted by Satan, but from sinking under his temptations, and from being devoured by him; and from falling by sin, not from the being or commission of sin, but from the dominion of it, and from the falling into it, so as to perish by it; and from falling into damnable heresies; and from the true grace of God, and into final impenitence, unbelief, and total apostasy.

And to present you faultless. The word here rendered “faultless” is the same which is rendered “unblamable” in Colossians 1:22.

Before the presence of his glory. In his own glorious presence; before himself encompassed with glory in heaven. The saints are to be presented there as redeemed and sanctified, and as made worthy by grace to dwell there forever.

In great joy. With the abounding joy that they are redeemed; that they are rescued from sorrow, sin, and death, and that heaven is to be their eternal home. Who now can form an adequate idea of the happiness of that hour?

Ver 25. to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

To God our Savior. By whom is meant, not the Trinity of Persons in general, nor the Father in particular; but the Lord Jesus Christ, who is truly God, though not to the exclusion of the Father and Spirit; and is the wisdom of God, and the author of all wisdom, natural and spiritual; and is the only Saviour of his people.

Who alone is wise. "To the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever! Amen" (Rom 16:27).

"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen" (1 Tim 1:17).

Be glory and majesty. Glory of his deity, and divine sonship, of his mediatorial works, and of salvation. And majesty which belongs to him as God, and which he has in his human nature, being crowned with glory, and honour, and enthroned and set down at the right hand of God.

Dominion and power. See Matthew 6:13. It is common in the Scriptures to ascribe power, dominion, and glory to God, expressing the feeling that all that is great and good belongs to him, and the desire of the heart that he may reign in heaven and on earth. Compare Revelation 4:11; Revelation 19:1. With the expression of such a desire it was not inappropriate that this Epistle should be closed - and it is not inappropriate that this volume should be closed with the utterance of the same wish. In all our affections and aspirations, may God be supreme; in all the sin and woe which prevail here below, may we look forward with strong desire to the time when his dominion shall be set up over all the earth; in all our own sins and sorrows, be it ours to look onward to the time when in a purer and happier world his reign may be set up over our own souls, and when we may cast every crown at his feet and say, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honor, and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. - Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God,” Revelation 4:11; Revelation 19:1.

Both now and forever. In the present life, and to all eternity.

Amen. Which is an assent unto it, that so it should be; and a wish that so it may be; and an expression of faith, and strong asseveration, that so it shall be.

An Ascription of Praise to Jehovah

Jude 1:24-25

"To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy--to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."

By many this Doxology is considered as addressed to the Lord Jesus Christ: but though it is certain that by all the heavenly choir our most adorable Savior is worshiped as one with the Father, without any distinction whatever, and that he is to be honored in all respects by us precisely as the Father--yet we must be cautious never to strain any portion of Scripture for the purpose of honoring him; for, if we do, we give advantage to those who deny his proper Divinity, to represent all our worship of him as unauthorized and erroneous.

The more fully we are assured of any doctrine, the more careful we should be not to establish it on a weak foundation; lest, when the foundation on which we have indiscreetly built is shaken, we be led to doubt the truth of the doctrine itself. Of the Divinity of our blessed Lord we have no more doubt than of any other truth of our holy religion: but in the passage before us we apprehend, that it is not to Him in particular that this Doxology is addressed, but to the Father. For, in several other passages, the Father beyond all doubt is addressed, and under the same character as is here described. Paul concludes his Epistle to the Romans thus: "Now to him who is able to establish you, … to God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever." In the Epistle to the Ephesians he again speaks in similar terms: "Now unto him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end." So again, in his First Epistle to Timothy he says, "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

Those who would apply our text to Christ, think that it must refer to him, because he alone (as they imagine) presents his Church before the presence of his Father's glory: as it is said, "He loved the Church and gave himself for it, … that he might present it to himself as a glorious Church, etc." But the very same thing is spoken of the Father also, of whom it is said, that, "by Christ, the Father reconciled all things to himself, … even in the body of his flesh through death, to present us holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight." I consider the text therefore as addressed to the Father: and, in order to a suitable improvement of it, will set before you,

I. The character of Jehovah as here described.

His wisdom and his power are altogether infinite: and we might, not improperly, speak of those two perfections as they are delineated in the Holy Scriptures. But I conceive, that, though mentioned generally in the text, we should notice them not as existing in himself, but as exercised towards his Church.

Wonderful is the wisdom which he has displayed in his dealings with his people.

Contemplate the plan of salvation through the incarnation and death of his only-begotten Son. What unfathomable depths of wisdom are here? Well is it called, "The wisdom of God in a mystery!" To contemplate that, will be the employment of eternity.

Nor, if we entered into his particular dispensations towards his people, would this perfection appear in less bright colors; so "unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out." The experience of every saint will furnish abundant matter for adoration through all eternity; for "he has abounded towards every one of them in all wisdom and prudence."

Nor is the power which he exercises towards them less stupendous.

View the temptations with which every saint is beset. View the enemies, even all the hosts of Hell, with whom he has to contend. View his utter incapacity to do anything of himself—and yet his conflicts, his victories, and his triumphs! Must not that power be wonderful that is able to keep him, and effectual for his preservation even to the end? Yes truly, it is no less a power than that which was put forth to raise the Lord Jesus Christ himself from the dead, and to exalt him above all the principalities and powers both of Heaven and Hell.

It is by the united and continued exercise of these two perfections of wisdom and power, that he becomes "our Savior."

In the name of "Savior" he glories; and under that character he loves to be viewed by us. His perfections would indeed be the same, though never put forth for us, any more than for the fallen angels: but, as they are so exercised for our welfare, it befits us to contemplate them in that particular view, and to render to him the praise which such manifestations of them demand.

Reflect a moment on him as a "Savior!" not merely as preserving us in our conflicts here, but as "presenting us faultless before the presence of his glory" in the world above—One moment's reflection upon his character in that view, will abundantly suffice to show you,

II. The dispositions with which it should be contemplated.

Beyond all doubt our hearts should be lifted up with most devout affection towards him, as the Apostle's was; and should be filled,

1. With love.

Review the character before described, and say whether, though you yourselves were not the objects of his care, the very existence of those perfections ought not to endear him to your souls? How much more then, when from all eternity they have been consecrated to your service, and destined to be exercised for your good! I call you then to love him with all your heart, and all your mind, and all your soul, and all your strength.

2. With gratitude.

Go to the world above, and see and hear how all the glorified saints are occupied around the throne: what songs of praise are they singing night and day to God, and to the Lamb! How do they all labor for utterance; and, by the very accumulation of the terms by which they strive to evince their gratitude, show how inadequate even the language of Heaven itself is to express the feelings of their hearts.

Thus then should it be with us: our whole life should be, as theirs is, one continued song of praise and thanksgiving! Only consider what would have been your state at this hour, and to all eternity, if less wisdom or power had been put forth for you, and you will need no inducement to ascribe to him the glory due unto his name.

3. With trust.

Where will you look for help, if not to him? Of whom besides can it be said that he has either wisdom or power to do such great things for you? With him alone is either wisdom or might sufficient for you. Go then to him: spread before him your every need: expect from him a supply in every hour of need, a supply suited to your wants and sufficient for your necessities. Never for a moment entertain a doubt of his kindness, his care, his all-sufficiency: for he is God, and not man; and therefore you have not been consumed hitherto, nor shall any enemy prevail against you. Only bear in mind that "He is for you;" and you may defy all the assaults both of earth and Hell.

Conclusion.

At the close of his Doxology, the Apostle adds, Amen! You must also add, Amen! in the very same spirit as he did, and in the same spirit that the angelic hosts are doing it above. And seek to live in this spirit every day, and all the day long. Then, when death shall call you hence, you shall change your place, but not your employment; your sorrows, but not your songs!