When you describe yourself as a believer in Jesus, you are describing your life’s position from your perspective. You believe in Jesus the Savior.
Jude begins his book by describing believers in Jesus from God’s perspective.
Jude 1:1 says:
“Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James,
To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:”
What do each of these descriptors mean?
Believers are Called
We think of being called when we are given a mission or a task to complete. When we find the perfect job or ministry we say it’s our “calling.” However, when Jude says believers are “called” he is thinking of our salvation we receive from God through Jesus Christ. I like to picture God picking up the telephone and dialing me to say He has a gift for me that I need to come and get. That’s not a perfect analogy, but it gives me the picture of God calling me. God is the one who calls believers into fellowship with Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:9), not because of anything good we have done, but according to God’s grace (Galatians 1:6). We are called according to God’s purpose for justification and glorification (Romans 8:28-30).
Believers are Beloved
God’s plan for calling us was not done out of stoic strategy. Believers personally experience God’s love. 1 John 3:1 says “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” God is our Father. Believers are His children whom He plans for and cares for.
Believers are Kept
The Greek word for “kept” means keep, guard, observe, watch-over, maintain, preserve. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you can rest in the salvation that He has given to you. The Holy Spirit who enters you at the moment of salvation is the promise that you will be kept throughout this life and into eternity. Being kept means I am secure in Him.
Jude very purposefully used these words for believers in the beginning of his book. In the rest of Jude, he describes the judgment God had planned for false teachers. I think Jude wants us to remember the judgment is not for us. We are the called, the beloved, the kept. We are secure in Christ and need not worry that we will be mistakenly swept up in God’s judgment reserved for unbelievers.
Want to study the book of Jude on your own? Download the free study guide to discover the book of Jude for yourself. Easy instructions to follow for a 15-day study to learn how to contend for the faith.
If I was a tattoo kind if woman, that would be a great one…in fancy script, Calked, Beloved, Kept.
Love it! Great idea!
Or a t-shirt!! Oooo!
Amen! I love this. We are also signed, sealed and delivered! Praise Him!
Kalimera Rachel! I agree with you that Jude wants us to remember that the judgement is not for those of us who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Christ Jesus. He tells us in verse 1 that this letter is for us.
I think that our “being kept” means the grace of perseverance to eternal life, which is God’s doing. I love that he prays the blessings of mercy, peace, and love to be multiplied to us in verse 2. To me, this says ‘take courage and stand strong because you are victorious in Christ Jesus, it is His mercy, peace and love that are sustaining you and preserving you from judgement.’ As Paul always taught, Jude is reminding us to contend for the faith no matter what. It’s interesting that the book of Jude precedes the book of Revelation. I think it helps us gain a proper perspective and prepares us for the things to come next in our reading. His closing verses 17-24 remind us that as God preserves us, we have the responsibility to persevere in the faith and to support our brothers and sisters perseverance.
Beautifully put, Shelley! Especially about Jude and the topic of judgment coming directly before Revelation.