Building Boom

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit” (v20).

Construction isn’t sexy. At least, not to me. Our family made its living in the building business. But I wanted no part of 2x4s, power saws, and nail guns. To me, building was boring. It wasn’t until we built our own house that became completely consumed by construction. Okay, let’s be clear. I didn’t “build” anything. I just showed up on the job site everyday to see what the crew had done. But at that point, construction was VERY sexy. I saw the value in an extremely well-built home. The more work that went in to putting it up made it that much harder for something to knock it down. 

That’s the picture that Jude paints here. He writes to followers of Jesus to build themselves up in their trust of their Savior. With Christ as the foundation, they’re to continue their well-crafted construction. The stronger the building, the harder it is to tear down. Why is that such a big deal? A demolition team of false teachers are traveling from church to church tearing them down from the inside out (Jude 4, 18-19). Good construction on a solid foundation makes quick destruction very, very difficult. Great construction on an immovable foundation makes destruction impossible. We must build ourselves up in Jesus to ensure nothing can ever take us down. 

After spending most of his letter warning against a this crew of spiritual snake oil salesmen, Jesus’ kid brother turns his attention back to his fellow believers. “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith” (v20). Here toward the end of his note, the author starts talking alike a contractor. He uses language you here on a construction site. No, not THAT kind of language! Jude talks about how the church should be “building up” each other. This is the Greek verb epoikodmeo, which literally means to construct a house upon its foundation or “to build upon” something.

Having good building materials is the key to quality construction. It’s no different when we’re building up God’s people. First of all, there must be a great foundation. There’s nothing better than immovable Rock of God. “Christ Jesus Himself being the Cornerstone” (Eph 2:20). Once He’s in place, He cannot be moved. “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1Cor 3:11). Once we build on Him, we’re not going anywhere when the storms come (Mt 6:24-27). Another key building material isn’t found at Lowe’s or the Home Depot. It’s God’s Word. The Apostle Paul told the leaders of the Ephesian church to forget bricks and mortar and use “the word of His grace, which is able to build you up (Gr. epoikodmeo)” (Acts 20:32). Don’t forget to encourage each other to cling to Christ. “Encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing” (1Th 5:11). Think of that as reinforcing the structure.

Jude points back to his big Brother when he drops the line “in your most holy faith” (v20). What makes our faith holier than any other is that it is unlike any other. Think of “most holy” as completely different than anything the world has ever known. This is not about faith in ourselves to get things done. The foundation of our faith is our trust in who Jesus is and what He’s done. He lived the perfect life that I’ve completely failed to live. He died the death for my sin that I should have died. He rose to a new life that absolutely do not deserve. Jesus has done for me what I could never dream of doing for myself. My faith is in Him. My trust is in what He’s done for me. I believe that I have everything I will ever need in Christ Jesus. That’s why Paul stepped back from the construction site to get a look at what the project looked like. “Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up (Gr. epoikodmeo) in Him and established in the faith, just as you were taught abounding in thanksgiving” (Col 2:6-7). Again, this is in stark contrast to the destructive work of the false teachers who are busy trying to tear down the church. They “cause divisions” (Jude 19). Jude tells his readers to grab a hammer and work at “building yourselves up” (v20).

A critical part of the construction is for us to be “praying in the Holy Spirit” (v20). Think of this as continually going back to the Architect and the Contractor. Jesus is not only the rock steady foundation, but He is the One who’s designed this amazing structure. He’s the Architect. This is His church (Mt 16:18). Think of His Spirit as the Contractor. He’s the One who’s on the job site that we talk to. “When the Spirit of truth comes He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come” (Jn 14:13). God’s Spirit is particularly skilled at helping us to talk to God. “The Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings to deep for words. And He who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Rom 8:26-27). Paul tells his Ephesian friends to always call on God using His Spirit, “praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication” (Eph 6:18). Again, in huge contrast to the hucksters who are weaseling into local churches. Jude has just told us that they are “devoid of the Spirit” (Jude 19). It’s kind of like the old cheer in high school. “We got Spirit, yes, we do! We got Spirit, how ‘bout you?” When it comes to the false teachers, the answer would be a resounding “no!” 

When it comes to our faith in Jesus, there’s a building boom. And there’s no sign that it should slow down anytime soon.