BELIEVERS: "Sanctified - Beloved - Preserved - Called!"

Jude 1:1-2 (KJV):
"Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are “sanctified” by God the Father, and “preserved” in Jesus Christ, and “called”: “Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied."

Jude 1:1-2 (NASB):
"Jude, a bond-servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are the “called”, “beloved” in God the Father, and “kept” for Jesus Christ: May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you."

Believers are the "sanctified.” The sanctified person is a person who has turned away from sin and set their life apart to follow God. He or she is set apart unto God; separated from the world and its ungodly pleasures; dedicated to following God, who has given all they are, and all they have to God.

The Greek texts that we have available, give us another context and tense. They use “to love”, instead of “to sanctify.” God’s love for believers, makes them acceptable to Him. God’s love prompts His call; His love will continue now and forever. God’s love never changes. The believers can count on the fact that “they were” and “always will - would be” enfolded - surrounded by God’s love.

Here’s a wonderful partial rendering of the text:

“….to those who by God the Father “have been loved” and are in a state of being the “permanent objects of His love…” God’s love prompted His call; His love will continue now and forever. God’s love never changes. 

All believers can count on the fact that they were and always would be enfolded - surrounded by God’s love.

Believers are "preserved” in Jesus Christ. The word preserved means to be kept; to be guarded and watched after. God keeps the believer, guards, and watches over him or her. 

The believer is a person:

• who is watched over by God.

• who is guided and directed by God day by day.

• who is strengthened by God to walk through all the tests, trials, and temptations of life.

• who is protected from all the enemies of life, even death

• who is to be escorted into heaven quicker than the blink of an eye when the time comes for her or him to leave this world

• who is given life, both abundant and eternal

• who is given assurance of God's presence and love through all of life

• who is strengthened by God to walk through all the trials and temptations of life

The believer is a person who is preserved and kept by God. He or she is a person who is looked after and cared for by God. It’s in Jesus Christ that God keeps a person. The believer is a person who has placed his or her life into Jesus Christ; he or she is a person who is trusting Jesus Christ for salvation. It is the true believer in Jesus Christ whom God preserves.

Believers are the "called.“ This means several things:

a) It means that believers are the persons who have responded to the call of the gospel. God calls man to accept the gospel. God tugs and pulls at the heart strings, convicts and convinces man to accept Jesus Christ as His Son, but man must respond to the call of God. God cannot make the decision for man. The believer is a person who has genuinely accepted the call of God; God summoned him or her, called him or her, and the believer responded. They became a believer, a person who truly believed in Jesus Christ.

b) It means that a believer has been "called" to be a saint, that is, to live a life of holiness. The word "saint“ means holy one or holiness. The believer is called to be holy and pure and righteous just as God is.

c) It means that the believer is “called” to have a heavenly hope; called to an eternal hope, the hope of living forever with God. The believer is called to be perfected and conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ forever.

d) It means that the believer is appointed to a very special task and duty while on earth. He or she is "called" to serve Jesus Christ and witness for Him.

The believer is a person who: 

• Has received the mercy of God
• Has received the peace of God
• Has received the grace of God