“Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgement. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives.”
- Jude 1:23 NLT
Saving men is not a preserve for God, the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. That is to say ministry is not limited to the five-fold offices. Every Christian has been made a minister, yes, a minister of reconciliation. (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). According to divine protocols, God the father is the President of the kingdom of heaven, Christ Jesus is the secretary of state and all Christians are ambassadors of heaven to earth. An ambassador is an official envoy to a foreign government. He or she is the resident representative of his/her government to the foreign government. We are citizens of heaven sent to earth.
Our citizenship is in heaven. (Philippians 3:20a NIV)
Throughout the scriptures, God saved his people by sending a man. He preserved Israel from hunger and famine by sending Joseph to Egypt. He delivered Israel from Egypt by sending Moses. He gave Israel victory over the Philistines by sending David. Above all, God sent Jesus to save the whole world. Today God is making an appeal through us.
First of all, Jude specifies the mode of our rescue operation; snatching. That implies we have been assigned to save hostages. We are admonished to seize the perishing without negotiation with the enemy. As we launch out to rescue, we will encounter contention because we have an enemy.
And if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV).
Our rescue operation is not against flesh and blood. Spiritual weapons of war must be employed. We will not stop at planning and strategizing. Through prayer and faith, we will subdue kingdoms, administer justice, obtain promises, stop the mouth of lions, quench the violence of fire, escape the edge of the sword, wax valiant in fight and turn to flight the armies of the enemy. (Hebrews 11:33-34)
In addition, Jude admonishes us to show mercy to the sinner while remaining cautious about sin. To re-echo the words of apostle Paul in the second chapter of Ephesians; we were all once sinners before Christ made us alive through His love and mercy. We dare not pick and choose who is worthy of salvation and the gospel. Every man under the sun must be counted worthy of God’s mercy. For God did not send His son to condemn the world (John 3:17a). We must put on the attitude of Paul: To the weak became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. (1 Corinthians 9:22). Truth will not and cannot be compromised at the expense of mercy. In John 8, Jesus showed mercy to a woman caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Jesus showed her mercy, and declared without ambiguity that she was living in sin: “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11 NIV). Love does not rejoice in evil. Let us love the people of this world, and let them know they can live a life of freedom from lust and carnal pleasures.
As we embark on our rescue operation this year, I declare that through faith and love, you will heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and proclaim the good news. You are anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power. Go about and do good, and heal all who are oppressed of the devil. God is with you!
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