EXPOSITION:
Jude in his concluding exhortation sought to advise his readers and listeners to maintain their stand in the word of God and prayer. This becomes the heart of his message: build yourselves up in your most holy faith.., pray in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love, and wait for Christ’s return. “Build yourselves up” comes from progressing in the knowledge of faith that was the teaching of the apostles now recorded in the Scriptures (Acts 20:32; 2 Tim 2:15).
Praying in the Holy Spirit is not just speaking in tongues, but is praying out of hearts and souls that are indwelt, illuminated, and filled with the Holy Spirit. The apostates are in the business of tearing down, but each Christian must be involved in building up – first for their own spiritual life and then for their local assemblies.
Our faith in Christ is the basis for our growth, because Christ has even become our subjective reality of the objective revelation of the Truth in the word of God. The word of God is certainly central to spiritual growth. Show me a strong and fruitful Christian I can I show you one that does not ignore their Bible and prayer.
The gifted Chinese preacher, Watchman Nee, used to read through the New Testament once a month. No wonder members of the Chinese church used to say that “No Bible! No Breakfast!” If this principle is carried on in our societies today I wonder how many Christians would go hungry.