Living in Liberty

A Ministry of Bryce Lowance

Elder Bryce Lowrance

Find Entries

Benediction

29 April 2014

“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” (Jude 24-25)

Jude concludes his brief letter in much the same way he began. He opened with the sure salvation of God’s people based on the sovereign will of God. He now concludes with a similar message of hope based upon God’s will and power.

When Jude says that God is “able to keep you from falling,” he does not mean that God prevents you from committing any sin, although a reliance on the power of God is the key to our practical sanctification. Peter instructs us that it is our personal responsibility;

“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:” (2nd Peter 1:10)

Rather, Jude is saying this in connection with the next phrase. God chose us so that we would be holy and without blame before him in love. And God keeps us holy and without blame. Therefore, he intends that we shall not fall from the state of salvation by grace. God had joy in choosing you and we will partake in that joy when we are brought into His presence. Note Paul’s words to the Church at Philippi;

“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Philippians 1:3-6)

Paul was thankful that God would continue to work in the lives of His children. He rested in the knowledge that God would remain faithful even if His children go astray at times.

Jude concludes with an amazing statement, God is the only true wise Being. And in His infinite wisdom, He designed and carried out a plan of salvation that was perfect and unchangeable. Only when we truly recognize that salvation is by grace plus nothing will we truly ascribe all glory, majesty, dominion, and power to our Sovereign Lord, Our Gracious and Loving Father, and Our Triumphant Savior and King Jesus!

« Edify! | Count-Off! »

Tags: grace, jude, prayer

Welcome

Brentwood Hills Primitive Baptist Church is a community of believers working together to transform our lives to the image of Jesus Christ. We believe it is our duty and privilege to live the gospel of the doctrines of grace in such a way as to edify the families within our church and other children of God in our community. Through regular worship based on strong Biblical principles, fellowship, admonishment, and outreach, we glory in the grace of the sovereign God working in our lives thereby showing the Spirit of God in the world.

Brentwood Hills was organized in 1906 in Fort Worth, Texas as Laodicea Primitive Baptist Church. You can find much of the history of the church, as well as other churches here: Primitive Baptist History Database

We identify ourselves as an old-line Primitive Baptist church. If you read our Articles of Faith, you’ll see that we hold to such doctrines as the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible. We recognize the King James Version (KJV) as the only English translation worthy of being called the Bible. We believe in salvation solely by the grace of a sovereign God. We believe that Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, came to the earth to do the will of His Father, which was to deliver from the sentence of death all those the Father gave Him before the world began. We believe that Jesus fully satisfied the Father by atoning for all the sins of all His people. In time, we believe the Holy Spirit comes to each person that belongs to Jesus and regenerates them. Then (and only then) can anyone have faith, which is a fruit of the Spirit, by which you are able to believe the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. Whether or not you ever hear the gospel, or believe it if you did hear it, or obey it if you did believe it, rest assured that Jesus will remain forever faithful to you because, if He died for you, He will never deny that you belong to Him.

We believe that everyone for whom Christ died will without fail be raised again from the dead to a glorified life. Even if we are alive when He returns to raise the dead, we shall be changed to a glorified life. All the Redeemed will meet the Lord in the air. Then He will take us to Heaven and there we shall forever be with the Lord. The wicked will be raised at the same time as the righteous, but the wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment along with Satan and his angels. Until that glorious day when Christ returns to raise the dead, He has provided a place for His people to find rest for their souls. This place is the Church. Jesus Christ set-up His church on this earth before His death on the Cross. The church is there for those of His people who have come to believe that God saved them by His Son, Jesus Christ. To believe that Christ “paid it all” gives believers the strongest motivation to serve Him. Once enlightened to this glorious truth, then the child of God should feel an obligation to become and remain an active member of the His church. To serve the Lord in His church makes for one of the great blessings to experience this side of Heaven. It fulfills you to serve in His church and it gives your life purpose and meaning.