“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”  

Beloved,

Since Jude writes to warn his readers, he calls them “beloved.” This is a term of endearment. They could easily have mistaken his warnings later in the chapter as non-love. Maudlin, saccharine sweetness is not love. True love exercises tough love, especially when it comes to true belief. Care for people by what they believe is love.

while I was very diligent to write to you  

Jude was eager to write about the doctrine of salvation, but the defection from the faith by some changed his topic. The word “diligent” means haste. He wasted no time in getting the message across.

Jude states the reason for writing the book is apostasy and that he is very “diligent” about his subject.

concerning our common salvation,

The “common salvation” is the salvation we have through the death of Christ for our sins. It is the salvation held in common between Jude and his readers—it was “our” salvation. There is one thing that all Christians have in common—salvation.

PRINCIPLE:

All Christians have salvation in common.

APPLICATION:

The greatest Christian in the world has no more salvation than the lowliest believer in the world. The quality of salvation is the same the world over. We share authority in common with other believers.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name… Jn 1:12

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. Jn 1:16

Everyone has the right to become a Christian. We all receive the “fullness” of His grace. This grace does not come on the installment plan; rather, it is complete the moment we become Christians. Some of us love Him more or serve Him better, but none of us has more or less of Him or His grace. None of us has more eternal life than the next person. No one can brag that he has 40 billion more years of eternal life than the next person. Eternal life is the same quantity for all believers, whether they are carnal or spiritual.

Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. Jn 6:47

Everyone who believes in the finished work of Christ has forgiveness of sins:

To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins. Ac 10:43

There are no degrees of remission of sins; we all receive complete forgiveness. Every sin that any Christian commits is completely forgiven whether past, present, or future. All our sins are gone—every single one. God accounts for every single believer all His righteousness. He does not do this by degrees or measure. This is called the doctrine of imputation. Imputation means God accounts to our credit His perfect righteousness through Christ. There are no degrees of justification or imputation. We stand just before God forever.

Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by Him everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. Ac 13:38, 39

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference… Ro 3:21, 22

Every Christian’s name is written in the Book of Life, and no one can erase it. It is not written in pencil but in indelible ink. No one can erase your name because God wrote in indelible ink.

And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire. Re 20:15