17 But ye, beloved, remember ye the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18 that they said to you. In the last time there shall be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are they who make separations, sensual, having not the Spirit. 20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And on some have mercy, who are in doubt; 23 and some save, snatching them out of tiie fire; and on some have mei garment spotted by the flesh.

Here, at last, the epistle reaches its climax; not in the description of the false teachers and their doom, but in this exhortation, addressed to the faithful followers of Christ, the real purpose of Jude is fulfilled.

The exhortation is threefold. First, Jude reminds his readers that the presence in the Church of such ungodly men was to be expected; it should not surprise or dismay or discourage; the apostles of Christ had predicted it. The Church never would be free from such peril before the Lord returned. One sign of his near approach would be the increasing power and insolence of such teachers, who would mock at the idea of a coming judgment, who would walk according to their godless lusts, who would "make separations" in the Church, men of sensual instincts, utterly devoid of spiritual life.

In striking contrast with such apostates, Jude next encourages his readers to build themselves up upon the foundation of their "most holy faith," by which he means upon those truths which "once for all" were "delivered unto the saints," which alone form the true basis for an enlarging Christian life and experience. Further, they were to pray in the power and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit from whom alone could come the strength for growth and the power for life. They were to "keep" themselves "in the love of God"; this is the most emphatic verb in this part of the exhortation; it is the one imperative, for to abide in the consciousness of the love of God is the surest safeguard against sin; such abiding may be secured by faith and prayer and obedience. They were to keep their eyes fixed upon the mercy which would be brought to them at the return of Christ, when "eternal life" would be realized by them in all its fullness and glory.

Last of all, Jude exhorts believers as to their attitude toward those who are in danger of being led astray from consistent Christian life and belief. He declares that careful discrimination must be exercised, and that every effort should be made to protect and to save. Some are "in doubt"; they merit your compassion, your warning, your patient care. Some are in imminent peril, they need severe discipline; only thus can they be snatched from the fire of their fierce temptations. Even those whose unbelief and perversity seem most hopeless, are to be regarded with pity by those who shrink from all contact with their pollution and sin.

Thus Jude exhorts Christians how to meet impiety and apostasy; not with surprise, for these have been predicted; not with inactivity, for spiritual zeal and effort form the best protection against temptation; not with indifference, for many souls will be in peril and some may be rescued from death.