By: Robert Serreyn
Question? In Jude 20 it talks about Praying in the Holy Spirit, does this mean speaking in tongues and also could you kinda explain the rest of this verse?
Jude 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.
Answer:
Praying in the Holy Ghost (or Spirit) IS NOT talking about “Speaking in Tongues”, Tongues are not for today, they have been inoperative for the past Nineteen Hundred plus years since the Word of God (the Bible) was completed in Ninety Six AD. When John the Apostle Penned and put to paper by inspiration the last book of the Bible known as the book of Revelation, there has not been any more need for revelations from God, for he has given us all what he wants us to know and he just wants us TO BELIEVE what he has had written.
Praying in the Holy Ghost (Spirit) just simply means Praying in accordance to God’s will and Word.
Christians will sometimes pray for things that they know that is not in accordance to God’s Word little alone with his will, this is why the scripture states in James 4:3…
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.
To answer the rest of your question, we must also include verses 21 through 23.
V20 – Building up Yourselves – This is speaking of the PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY of studying the Word of God, SADLY, many christians are no more grounded in the scriptures than from the last sunday sermon that they had listen to. They are NOT FIRM in their faith or have a solid foundation in what they know to be true, and
THEREFORE they are easily swayed by whatever doctrine that happenes to come across their path.
The Apostle Paul on MANY OCCASIONS had to RE-TEACH the basic doctrines and principles of the Word of God to those that SHOULD HAVE grown and been able to teach others.
READ… 1 Corinthians 3:3, Hebrews 5:12,13.
Ephesians 4:4 tells us…
That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.
This is why we are ADMONISHED in 2 Timothy 2:15 to…
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
ALSO LOOK UP… Matthew 4:4, 1 Kings 8:55, 56 (note: Not one word failed), Joshua 23:6,14 (note: Not one thing failed), Proverbs 3:5, Deuteronomy 6:17.
God’s Word DOES NOT, and WILL NOT ever fail…
Matthew 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
V21- Keep yourselves in the Love of God – This is accomplished by STAYING in the Will of God and the Word of God, John 14:21 says…
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
– Looking For the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
The words LOOKING FOR simply means WAITING ANXIOUSLY that something good is around the corner.
For the christian we are to be LOOKING FOR, and Waiting Anxiously for the Rapture.
As for the Lost Person the christian is to be LOOKING FOR opportunities to share the gospel with which would be MERCY and UNTO ETERNAL LIFE for them
Proverbs 11:30 says…
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
V22 – And of some have compassion, making a difference – The Christian is to HAVE COMPASSION or to Love the Lost Person enough to share the Gospel with them
– Making a difference – the difference would be from once going to hell to now going to heaven.
The Apostle Paul said it best in 1 Corinthians 9:20-22…
And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; (21) To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. (22) To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
V23 – And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
– And others save with fear The word FEAR means Concern – The christian is to have concern about the eternal destiny of others in hopes to bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ if they are not saved.
– Pulling them out of the fire – When a lost person BELIEVES the Gospel and Trust alone in the Death, Burial, and Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) of Jesus Christ they have LITERALLY have been PULLED OUT From spending eternity in the Pits of Hell.
– Hating even the garment spotted by the flesh – As stated in V22 the Christian is to Love the Lost person for the Gospel’s sake but to hate the very thing that is keeping that person from trusting Christ as savior
In Conclusion:
Here is a recap of what we learned.
V20 – tells us HOW to grow maturely.
V21 – Tells us several things…
#1- What keeps us IN FELLOWSHIP with the Lord.
#2 – What we have to LOOK FORWARD to.
#3 – What our RESPONSIBILITY to the Lord is.
#4 – What OUR PURPOSE and GOAL should be.
V22 – Says WE ARE to Love (or have compassion) for the lost and tell them of their need of Christ as Saviour. AND
V23 – Tells us the END RESULT if we do the All of the Above.
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.
The moment that you do YOU HAVE (at that second and forever) Everlasting Life which WILL NEVER be taken away no matter what.
-Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8
-Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24
-BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9
“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell); but the GIFT(salvation) of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord – Romans 6:23
ITS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH