Jude 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy.
In a number of Christian circles, people are taught that they will stumble and fall, but God’s grace is there to pick them up. They teach it as if this is supposed to be normal for the believer. To be sure God has made provision for a stumble or fall (i.e., 1 John 1:9; 2:1), but this is supposed to be the exception, and not the rule! Even still, people constantly contradict the Word of God to rationalize their shortcomings. Some have turned grace into lasciviousness. They’ve embraced a false grace doctrine. Ironically, those who have embraced the truth concerning grace, get persecuted by other so called believers. The sad thing is some are taught to plan on stumbling. “When you fall, Jesus will be there to pick you up.” Whatever happened to, “But if”?
Every minute of everyday, the Lord upholds the faithful. They do not stumble, nor do they fall. How? The secret is found in 2 Peter 1:3-11, Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; 3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom.
Again, stumbling or falling should be the exception; not the rule. Even 1 John 2:1 says, ” My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous,” Galatians 5:14 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. The Cross and Resurrection dis-empowered sin and the devil from running our lives; nevertheless, it did not take away our will. We can still decide whether to yield to righteousness or sin. While grace empowers us to make the right decisions, it does not choose for us. Believers are not designed to be robots; they’re designed to have a relationship with God who is their Father. Please understand that this is not talking about trying to be perfect. That leads to striving and dead works, while leaning on your own strength and understanding. It’s about abiding in Him Who is perfect!
It’s important to examine what you believe and why you believe that way. You absolutely need to compare it with the Bible. When you do, be willing to change the way you think. Ask the Lord to change the areas that are out of sync with the way He thinks. When God said, ” For My thoughts are not your thoughts,” and “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,So are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9), He was inviting us to embrace His ways and thoughts. Proverbs 3:5-9 Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,And He will make your paths straight. 7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and turn away from evil. 8 It will be healing to your body And refreshment to your bones.
