Contending For The Faith

SERIES:     TRUTH COUNTS

LESSON:    CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH

INTRO:        Jude not the most popular book. Nowadays, even harder to take.

LETTER NOT WRITTEN Jude planned to share good news of salvation. What kinds of things might we have received? More than 25 verses!

LETTER WE HAVE Jude, 1/2 brother of Jesus felt compelled to write a different letter. Chose between important and urgent! ILLUST: Policeman ignores seat belt infraction and attends to car accident.

WHAT'S HERE FOR US?

I         THERE ARE WORDS WE MUST LOOK INTO

A      "The Faith"- Only used few times like this-Acts 6:7; Gal. 1:23

1       This is objective use, the gospel of salvation

a       Can be denied/abandoned- I Tim. 5:8; 4:1

b       So, "the faith" here, is a unified body of teaching-cf Acts 2:42

1       Faith is in the singular number:

a       Not many varieties or objects of "the faith"

b       "There is One Lord, One Faith.." Eph. 4:5

1       Belief of and obedience to "the faith" brings one into salvation he/she shares with others

A      "Once For All Entrusted To The Saints"

1       "Entrusted"-"delivered over as captive."

a       This originated with God- Gal. 1:11,12

b       "The faith" is not our to modify, subtract from or add to.

1       "Once For All"- Done one time for all time

a       Like Jesus' sacrifice cf Heb. 7:27

b       Scriptures are complete, final and closed.

1       "To The Saints" Simply Christians

a       "The faith" has been deposited with us!

b       "Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, which some have professed and in so doing have wandered from the faith." - I Tim. 6:20,21

c        "...The church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth"- I Tim. 3:15

I         THERE ARE ACTIONS WE MUST TAKE

A      Most Urgent Now Is "Contending For The Faith."

1       The wolves are circling

a       Some look like wolves and want blood.

b       Others appear to be sheep, same ambition.

1       The Athenians are here too- Acts 17:21

a       A god for every occasion

b       Spent time in hearing new things.

1       Then there is dangerous Postmodernism.

a       Effects art, science, religion, education...

b       There is no absolute truth!

c       Truth and error are synonymous!

d       Traditional logic and objectivity are spurned.

e       Traditional authority is false and corrupt.

f        Morality is personal.

g       All religions are valid.

1       “And The Results Are...”

a       Ignorance about the Bible.

b       Desire for more ignorance!(just more rules!)

c       Unashamed co-habitation.

d       Pride in homosexual lifestyle.

1       Then they turned the tide against us: UNchristian

We are called: antigay, judgmental, angry, hypocritical, out of touch with reality.   

A      We Are Doing No One A Favor By Caving In!

1       It is time we repent!

2       “Contending for the faith” is not optional!

a       We must teach it. Cf. Rom. 1:14

b       We must live it. II Cor. 2:15; 3:3

c       We must give answer. I Pet. 3:15

CONCLUSION:  “The Church is always one generation short of extinction, If our generation fails to guard the truth and entrust it to our children, then that will be the end!”