Called, Sanctified, and Preserved

Jude 1:1-2 

1 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,
To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ:
2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Jude begins by identifying himself as a willing servant, a slave of Christ, and the brother of James.  These were the brothers of Jesus in the flesh (Matthew 13:55), half brothers in the sense that they had different fathers - Jesus had God as His Father.  He identifies as a servant and not a relative, for he is like we all are, adopted into God’s family by grace and His calling.  Jude writes to fellow believers who have been called by God, the elect, and who have also been set apart as His to be seen as holy in our position in Christ by His righteousness alone.  We are not only seen as holy in Christ, but are preserved in both ongoing sanctification as we are conformed to the image of Christ, as well as kept as His and quite unable to lose that standing by our sin or His wrath as we are daily sanctified.  Our sin has been paid for once and forevermore, and He promises never to let us out of His hand of mercy and grace.  These things only fully make sense in light of His choosing us and not we choosing Him apart from that calling.  We therefore have the things given as a greeting here: mercy, peace, and love.  They are great and increase more all the time in Christ because of our calling out of our sin and God’s wrath to forgiveness and grace.  His love is expressed in such infinite mercy which gives us peace with God in Christ (Romans 5:1).