²⁰ But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. ²² And on some have compassion, making a distinction; ²³ but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

Jude 24-25 NKJV

We live in a world where we people lie and people kill.  We live in a world where people move out of bitterness and hatred trying their best to pit man against man, race against race, and nation against nation.  There is a spirit of antichrist that abounds in this world as the world moves further away from God and His word.  How are we as God’s children supposed to live in this world?

Jesus told us exactly what to do— love.  In his letter, Jude focused on apostasy – the movement away from God – and he laid in great detail at how we should carry ourselves in such a time.  

Jude doesn’t shy away from the fact that love should be our occupation even in a world like this.  Some folks, Jude said, you have to have compassion on – in other words you have to be patient with them as they find themselves in the world.  Not everybody is going to recognize God right away but with patience, we can help them find their way.  

On others, Jude said they have saved with fear.  There are some today who believe with a deep conviction that their way is better than the Lord.  It may seem to you that it is impossible for them to be saved but God is able.  Should we give up on them?  Absolutely not.  Be prayerful.  Continue in the faith.  If we give up on them that would be us giving up on God and even giving up on our faith.

The point is this – the spirit of antichrist wants you to think that faith doesn’t work in this dark world.   Yet, scripture repeatedly shows us that faith will work anywhere and at any time.  Why?  Because God is always at work and He is a master of the impossible.