Exhortation Station

I was recently reading in the book of Jude when a few verses caught my attention:

Jude 20-23
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Yeshua Messiah to eternal life. ²² And have mercy on some, who are doubting; ²³ save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

There is a lot packed into this passage. I feel like there are so many directions I could go here, but I will focus on the last portion of verse 23 — “…and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.”

I think this verse communicates something vital about the nature of mercy. In our day, many a feel-good, sin-affirming message has been preached in the name of mercy. Many who are desperate for a more excellent way are being handed the old way packaged in prettier wrapping paper. But there is problem with this flavor of “mercy.” Mercy without the fear of Yahweh lacks substance, because it does not carry the weight of atonement. The depth of Yah’s mercy is that although we have sinned grievously against Him, even so He provided for our pardon through the blood of Yeshua.

Once cleansed from our former sins, Yahweh calls us to walk before Him in holiness and righteousness (Leviticus 19:2), making every effort to keep our garments unstained by the world (James 1:27). We will stumble at times, but we are by no means called to treat sin as a trivial matter. Listen to these verses in Revelation wherein Yeshua exhorts His followers to be clothed in white garments:

Revelation 3:2-5
Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die; for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God. ³ So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. ⁴ But you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; and they will walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. ⁵ He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.

Revelation 3:17-19
Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, ¹⁸ I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. ¹⁹ Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.

In our desire to rescue drowning souls, we must be careful not to lean over the edge of the boat. Plant your feet firmly on the truth. Then extend your hand. When Yeshua preached, He spoke with piercing purity. He spoke with grace and compassion, yes, but He did not bend over backwards to avoid offending people. Yeshua did not tickle the ears of sinners. Rather, He said, “he who has ears, let him hear” (Matthew 13:9). The Gospel is not a negotiation. It is not a call to “meet in the middle.” It is a call to repent and trust, leaving all behind. It is a radical, 180-degree turn away from sin to serve the living God. Come as you are, but do not leave as you were! The mercy that follows such a repentance is abundant beyond measure. Praise Yahweh for His mercy!

As you seek to share the riches of Yah’s mercy, whether with one who is lost or with a brother struggling with sin, take care that your garments remain clean! Let the listener come to terms with his (or her) need for repentance. Don’t water down the truth to make it more palatable. Keep your message pure, and let him who as ears, hear. Let your mercy be coupled with the live-giving, soul-searching fear of Yahweh.

There is a Casting Crowns song, “Anything But Easy,” that I think beautifully illustrates a hard conversation motivated by a genuine love for one’s friend. I recommend giving it a listen.

I will conclude with the following words from 1 Peter:

1 Peter 1:13-19
Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Yeshua Messiah. ¹⁴ As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, ¹⁵ but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; ¹⁶ because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” ¹⁷ If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; ¹⁸ knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, ¹⁹ but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.

(Bible passages NASB 1995; Hebrew transl. added.)