Contending for the Faith in a Compromised WorldSample

Day 1: IDENTITY

Sanctification, the ongoing process by which God shapes a believer to become more like Jesus in character, conduct, and heart. It begins at salvation and continues throughout a Christian’s life.

Jude opens his epistle with a discourse on identity. Before confronting error or calling anyone to act, he reminds believers who they are in Christ: called, loved, and kept by God. This is the spiritual ground beneath your feet. God initiated the relationship. He called you out of darkness with purpose and intent. You are not a mistake. You’re not here by accident. You are part of a plan that began before your first breath, shaped by the will of a Father who knew you before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4-5).

You are also loved. Deeply. Permanently. Not with a love that flinches when you fail, but with a steady, covenantal love from the Father. That love is proven by this: He is keeping you — not merely helping you get by, but actively guarding your life, holding your faith, and anchoring your hope. The Holy Spirit has sealed you for the day of redemption (Eph. 1:13-14), and Jesus Himself prayed for your protection in the spiritual battles ahead (John 17:11-15). You are not alone. You are not at risk of slipping through the cracks. Your security does not depend on your strength.

Spiritual battles can shake your confidence, which is exactly why Jude begins with identity. If you lose sight of who you are in Christ, you’ll either try to earn what you’ve already been given or buckle beneath burdens you were never meant to carry alone. But when you live grounded in the truth that you are called, loved, and kept by God, you don’t walk in fear or performance. You walk in assurance. You walk in grace. And you walk in sanctification — daily being shaped into the image of Christ by the One who called you.

Reflect

• Do you believe your relationship with God began with His call, not your effort?
• Are you resting in God's love or trying to earn His approval?
• How would your day change if you truly believed God is the one keeping you?