Jude -- Ouch

Reading Jude is not comfortable.  Verses 3-16 have the subtitle "The Sin and Doom of Ungodly People".  It's difficult to read some of the descriptions without having at least a slight bit of fear, wondering "am I one of the ungodly people who pollute their own bodies, reject authority and heap abuse on celestial beings"?  I don't know about the heaping abuse on angels, but I've certainly done my share of the first two on that list.

The later part of the letter gets a little more encouraging, as we are called to "keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life."  I like the sound of that, and I love verse 24's reminder that Jesus is the one "who is able to keep you from stumbling".

Bottom line: my standing before God is solid only because of Jesus.  Apart from Him I am a blemish at the feast, a shepherd who feeds only myself.  Thanks be to God.