The Common Salvation - From Desire to Doxology

When Jude spoke of the common Salvation he spoke of something that we all share; from the experience of salvation to the enjoyment of it and also to the ethics of that salvation. In other words, Jude is interested to make sure that we all know what our response to the gospel should be. The gospel is Christ’s life given for me and salvation is my life given for him. If we take the phrase “Common Salvation” and divide the book of Jude up on that basis, there are six great divisions related to the gospel that are important in the life of the individual and the life of the church. Six things we all must share in the gospel.

1. The Desire of the Gospel (1-2); what we ARE in Christ - Beloved, Preserved, Called (V. 1) and what we HAVE in Christ - Mercy, Peace, Love (V. 2)
2. The Delivery of the Gospel (3) This is the message that was delivered to us (1 Corinthians 11:2, 23). Notice that Paul makes clear that which is delivered is not just what we are to believe, but what we are to do.
3. The Defense of the Gospel (4-19). Jude identifies the enemies of the truth throughout history so that we can identify them more easily in the present.
4. The Discipline of the Gospel (20-21). Are there any obligations laid on the Christian in his life as a follower (disciples) of Jesus? This is has been a question the Church has wrestled with throughout its entire history.
5. The Dissemination of the Gospel (22-23). The obligation of ambassadorship for Jesus. Broadcast the message to those who have not heard.
6. The Doxology of the Gospel (24-25). This is the greatest doxology of that we find anywhere in the New Testament anywhere.