Jude 1:2 Commentary and Bible Study

These blessings are not merely Jude’s wish for us but are promised to us by God through this inspired author. It is not within Jude’s power to send mercy and peace and love to all Christians for he is in need of them himself, but he writes to assure those that they are in Christ, that this is the Lord’s will for us. When we read this, we are glad that God starts with mercy, for were there not mercy at the beginning we would remain in doubt that God would give us anything. We know that as sinners we have disqualified ourselves from all of God’s favour, and shut ourselves out of heaven. Mercy must come first if we are to be restored, cleansing away our sins so thoroughly that from God’s point of view, it is as if, like our Saviour, we had never sinned. He does not fail to finish what he starts. Mercy that did not lead to salvation would be wasted for it would never have reached its goal which is our complete deliverance from sin and its consequent eternal punishment. And if this is so God foresees all our sin and evil ways even after we are converted, and he is determined to show mercy to us in spite of all of this and knowing all of this.Peace may be a state or an experience, but the experience of peace subjectively felt can only come after an objective state of peace has been reached. This is not talking about peace between nations on earth but about peace between us and God. Such peace can only come through reconciliation and such reconciliation can only come if God initiates it. Peace between two warring parties on earth is a two sided affair. Perhaps on one side the enmity is justified and on the other side it is not. In the case of us and God, all the blame lies with us and God is justifiably against us. We can do nothing to effect reconciliation ourselves but the Lord has made peace by the blood of His own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ in an act of infinite grace towards us. On this basis we may know unlimited peace in our hearts. God has no wish for us to remain in doubt about whether we are at peace with Him or not but He wishes us to enjoy that peace.Mercy must be in God’s heart in order to move Him to pity, peace must be established by the redemption that Christ has brought, but the love is, more than any of these, the thing aimed at by God. Love will go on and on, for once we are redeemed God’s love can be expressed to us openly. Before our redemption, God still loved us for He has loved his elect from eternity, but His love had to remain hidden. Now it is known by faith, in heaven it will be known by sight. There will then be no obstacles to God’s love that He has not removed. By the words ‘he multiplied’ Jude shows that he has in mind not the absolute mercy, peace and love of God towards us which cannot change, but our experience of these. May this increase and increase.