The Lord Jesus warned that only those who persevere to the end in following Him will be saved: And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved (Matthew 10.22). He mentioned the terrible days of struggle that His Church will go through, when a brother will give up another brother to death, a father will do the same to his son, and children will rise up against their parents and kill them (Matthew 10:21). Watch!

Further on, the Master spoke of a frightening moment that will precede His coming; a time that humanity has never experienced, when because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. (Matthew 24.12). He stated that this will happen at the beginning of sorrows. At that time, many Christians will be hated, tormented, and killed. It will be a time of great worldwide chaos, but he who endures to the end shall be saved. (Matthew 24.13).

Jude, James' brother, wrote his epistle to remind us of what Jesus said. The Most High used this half-brother of Jesus to warn us that the time of ultimate persecution has not yet come, which will be against those who serve Christ and love Him with all their hearts. These will be days of trial for those who await Jesus' return. Those who are scandalized and leave Him will not be saved.

Jude cited the example of the Israelites who were slaves in Egypt and were freed by God, comparing them to those saved in Christ today. However, he warned that those who, when persecuted, abandon their faith and follow their own desires will perish. Now, there are many nominal Christians who, when they hear the Good News, only want the benefits, such as prosperity and complete health. They do not change their lifestyle and behavior; thus, they stray from genuine faith and remain among the lost. This is unfortunate!

It is sad to know that several “candidates” for the Kingdom of Heaven, wanting to use divine power for personal promotion and seeing that it does not work that way, leave the walk with the Lord to return to the paths of the past. The reason for this was presented by the apostle John: They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us (1 John 2.19).

God is faithful and took good care of the Israelites, saving them from Pharaoh's wrath, protecting them in the desert, and carrying them in His arms, as parents carry their babies (Isaiah 46:3). However, many, knowing that when they left Egypt they would have to fight to enter Canaan, even though God would fight for them, were not content with knowing that they were going to a good land, full of prosperity and goods; they thought it would have been better to remain slaves. So most of them were lost.

Those who did not believe in God were destroyed during the 40 years of wandering in the desert, for their wills did not come from the Lord, but from the devil, whom they allowed to tempt them. Nothing is worse than seeing so many saved people today making decisions similar to those of the Israelites. They will not see the divine Light shine upon their lives. The danger lies in rebelling against the Way laid out before the foundation of the world for our salvation.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares