Jude concludes verse 21 with the words “unto eternal life.” Here the word “unto” means issuing in or resulting in. The enjoyment and inheritance of eternal life, the life of God, is the goal of our spiritual seeking. Because we aim at this goal, we want to be kept in the love of God and await the mercy of our Lord.
Jude is not saying that we do not yet have eternal life. Neither is he saying that if we keep praying in the Holy Spirit and remain in the love of God, awaiting the mercy of the Lord we shall eventually have eternal life. Rather, Jude is saying that praying in the Holy Spirit, keeping ourselves in the love of the Father, and waiting for the mercy of the Lord issue in the present enjoyment of eternal life. We already have eternal life in us. However, if we do not pray in the Holy Spirit, keep ourselves in the love of the Father, and wait for the mercy of the Lord, we shall not enjoy this eternal life. But when we do all these things, the eternal life within us becomes our enjoyment.
Furthermore, although we have eternal life, our measure of this life may be somewhat limited. But if we pray in the Spirit, keep ourselves in the Father’s love, and wait for the Son’s mercy, the eternal life in us will grow in measure. Therefore, “unto eternal life” means not only unto the enjoyment of eternal life, but also unto the growth, the increase of the measure, of eternal life. To experience this is to live in the Triune God.
In verses 22 and 23 Jude goes on to point out that as we live in the Triune God we need to care for others with mercy and fear. Verse 22 says, “And have mercy on some who are wavering.” The Greek here may be rendered “convict some who are disputing.” The word for wavering also means doubting. When we live in the Triune God, we shall have a genuine concern for others. We shall care for those who are younger and weaker and for those who are wavering. But if we do not live in the Triune God, we shall not have this care for weaker ones.
In verse 23 Jude continues, “Save them, snatching them out of the fire; on others have mercy in fear, hating even the garment spotted from the flesh.” Jude’s word concerning snatching them out of the fire is probably adopted from Zechariah 3:2. The fire here is the fire of God’s holiness for His judgment (Matt. 3:10, 12; 5:22). According to this word, we should seek to save others and snatch them out of the fire.
In this verse Jude charges us to have mercy in fear, hating the garments spotted from the flesh. While we are having mercy on others, we should be in fear of the awful contagion of sin, hating even the things spotted by the lust of the flesh.
As we exercise mercy on others, we need to be in fear lest we be influenced by them. Sinfulness is contagious. If we are not in fear as we show mercy to others, we may become contaminated with their “germs.” For example, suppose you want to help someone who is involved in an unclean or worldly practice. If you are not careful, instead of helping that one, you may become contaminated and eventually join him in that very practice. Therefore, in order not to be contaminated, we need to have mercy on others in fear.
As we show mercy on others in fear, we need to hate the garment spotted from the flesh. Now we see that in showing mercy upon weak ones we need to fear and we need to hate. These weak ones may be in a pitiful state, and we surely need to show mercy to them. But at the same time we need a holy fear and a holy hatred, a holy fear of being contaminated by sinful things and a holy hatred of these things.
In verses 24 and 25 we have the conclusion of this Epistle. Verse 24 says, “But to Him who is able to guard you from stumbling, and to set you before His glory without blemish in exultation.” In this concluding phrase, the writer indicates clearly that although he has charged the believers to endeavor in the things mentioned in verses 20 through 23, yet only God our Savior is able to guard them from stumbling and to set them before His glory without blemish in exultation. Glory here is the glory of the great God and our Savior, Christ Jesus, which will be manifested at His appearing (Titus 2:13; 1 Pet. 4:13) and in which He will come (Luke 9:26). The preposition “in” here means in the element of, and “exultation” signifies the exuberance of triumphant joy (Alford).
In verse 25 Jude concludes, “To the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, might, and authority before all time, and now, and unto all eternity. Amen.” The only God is our Savior, and the Man Jesus Christ is our Lord. To such a Savior, through such a Lord, be glory, majesty, might, and authority throughout all ages. Glory is the expression in splendor; majesty, the greatness in honor; might, the strength in power; and authority, the power in ruling. Therefore, to the only God and our Savior be expression in splendor, greatness in honor, strength in power, and power in ruling. In Jude’s words this is “before all time, and now, and unto all eternity.” Before all time refers to eternity past; now, to the present age; and unto all eternity, to eternity future. Therefore, it is from eternity past, through time, unto eternity future.