This doesn’t mean that when you become a Christian you will never fail. We all fail in many ways. But God is able to keep you from falling.

When Jesus was going to the cross, He said to Peter, “Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22:31-32). Peter did fail. He denied the Lord three times. He called down curses upon himself. But the prayers of Jesus were answered. Peter’s failure was not final.

If you have fallen into serious sin, you need to know that this is not the end. Imagine two climbers scaling a sheer cliff face. They are roped together. As they are climbing, one of them slips and falls. If he was climbing alone, he would have fallen to his death. But he is roped to his friend, and his friend is in a secure position.

Being a Christian means that you are roped to Jesus Christ. If you have fallen you need to know what kind of Saviour you have. If you fall, He is able to hold you. Your fall will not overwhelm Him. He will not cut the rope. He will not let you go.

Maybe you can picture yourself dangling. Get back on the rock face, and start climbing from where you are. Failure is never final in the Christian life. The Saviour looks down and He says, “Get back on the wall and follow me.” That’s what Peter did after his big failure, and God used him in wonderful ways. God is able to keep you from falling when you have failed.

Have you failed big-time? Will you get back on the rock face today and follow Jesus?

Jude says that there is only one God, and this God is the Saviour God. Now if God is the Saviour, what does this saving look like? There are three dimensions.

1. God is our Saviour from sin’s penalty
When you came to faith in Jesus, God forgave your sins. He freed you from guilt, condemnation, and hell: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). This is the beginning of your salvation but is not the end.

2. God is our Saviour from sin’s power
When you become a Christian, you are no longer under sin’s power: “Sin will have no dominion over you” (Rom. 6:14). Think of it like a boxing match. Before you came to Christ, sin was your master. Your hands were tied and you were blindfolded. You were defenseless. You were in no position to fight back. But now, in Christ, God has put you in a position to fight. He takes off your blindfold and frees your hands. You are on an entirely different footing. Though you will bear the scars of battle, in Jesus Christ you will prevail.

3. God is our Saviour from sin’s presence
Imagine yourself in the ring. You have been sparring for ten rounds, and you’ve landed some blows, but your opponent just won’t go down. He just keeps coming back. That’s a picture of your battle against temptation. The longer the fight goes on, the more you long to see the enemy hit the canvas. One day he will. When Jesus comes again in glory, sin will be knocked out. Your battle will be over, and you will receive the crown of victory.

God is our Saviour. He saves us not only from sin’s penalty but also from its power, and one day He will save us from its presence. Which of these is clearest to you now?

Jude has been telling us that we need to watch ourselves, because we live this Christian life in the body, but we are also to find our rest in God.

Verses 24 and 25 are all about God. That’s significant because the first six workouts have been all about you: “But you, beloved, [build] yourselves up in your most holy faith” (Jude 20).

Notice where the responsibility lies: Who is to do this? You are. Who is to pray in the Holy Spirit? You are. Who is to wait for Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life? You are. Who is to reach out in ministry that is merciful and snatch others from the fire? You are. Who is to hate even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh? You are.

It is a great mistake to say that the Christian life is all up to God. He calls you to do these workouts. And if you do them, you will grow. If you do not do them, you will be like a spiritual lazy person. God will not do these things for you. He has called you to do them.

A lot of Christians spend years waiting for God to do something to make them grow. That is a terrible mistake. Don’t expect God to do what He has told you to do. You do it.

Are you waiting for God to make you grow, or are you busy doing what He’s told you to do?