Contend for the Faith

Disclaimer: Sensitive topics which my intentions are never to insult but to inform, I will not apologize, but aim to appeal.

“The church is at a watershed moment. Much like the church of a hundred years ago, in which parties divided over the doctrine of biblical inspiration and inerrancy, we are at a crossroads. This time, rather than biblical inerrancy, the division is over the Bible’s authority and sufficiency. We live in a post-Christian society. So, the pressure exerted on both the individual Christian and the church to abandon biblical doctrine, is immense. Therefore, the issue of biblical authority and sufficiency is the continental divide of our generation. Many who claim the name of Christ have already begun following after the world rather than holding fast to the ‘faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.’” — Grant Castleberry. (Tabletalk Magazine June issue 2023 “Doctrine Compromise with Culture.”)

Jude’s strategy for battle is not to attack these people spreading erroneous doctrine, but fight in a practical sense by living an uncompromising Christian life. His purpose is clear, to urge God’s people to continue walking in the truth as the only path of safety.

It’s the responsibility of every believer to fight for the preservation of truth.

True Christians do not apostatize! Those who defect on truth demonstrate that their faith was never real to begin with.

1 John 2:19 “19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.”

Eager to write about “our common salvation,” the dangers of the present moment dictated otherwise.

Everyone wants to hear about the good stuff, but never wants to have divine scrutiny, and serious conversations about sin, self, and the decline of our cultural construct; no one wants to talk about the issues.

Jude makes an appeal for every believer to “earnestly contend for the faith.”

The faith is the essential truths of the gospel, the whole body of revealed salvation truth; undermined and perverted.

Contending for truth demands believers to know sound doctrine, and be able to distinguish between truth and error.

The appeal is urgent, the faith determines a person’s eternity. Souls are won by the faith.

The fight will be hard, demand diligence, a call for faithfulness to truth.

Christians must pay attention to what is being preached in the church, Jude 17-19.

It should be no shock to Christians the threat of false teachers pose against the church and truth.

Christians should be ashamed if they are surprised, it means we are unfamiliar with what exactly the bible says about the issues of current age, Acts 20:27-29.

Acts 20:27-29 “27 for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. 28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock;”

Jude wants to remind these believers of three truths.

The certainty of false teachers Jude 18 “there will be…” what they believer and teach, perverting grace, a license to do what people please. They don’t want God to tell them how to live.

The cause of false teachers Jude 19 “divisions” showing no respect for spiritual leaders, scoffing moral convictions, satirize theological distinctives.

Attitude of superiority, condescending, adhering to their own self-styled set of standards.

Schismatic, dividing, ripping, tearing apart the church, 3 John 9-10.

Greatest threat to the church is not existence, but faithfulness.

The church must exercise discernment, risk exposure, and get over sappy sentimentalism, and become unconcerned with offending.

We need a revival of God-centered Christianity that clings to every word breathed out of God’s mouth.

Informed of the particular issue of sufficiency and authority.

Supplementing the Bible’s instruction with secular psychology and world’s philosophies.

Seeker sensitive, the bible no longer regulates worship, the world dictates the experience.

The great acid test between true and false in Christianity today, is to abandon what the Bible teaches about sexuality and gender, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

Real humility is found by submitting to the Word of God!

The character of false teachers Jude 21 “devoid of the Spirit” lost, unregenerate, they don’t have the Spirit. They are spiritual frauds, religious shams.

Christians cannot be passive, pugilists, but must remain practical, Jude 20-23.

Build ourselves up in the most holy faith Jude 20.

It’s the Christian’s responsibility to study the Bible.

Building the structural framework of doctrinal understand and conviction.

This is an imperative, a command, it is not optional.

2 Timothy 2:15 “15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

The Christi life must be built around the word of God.

Praying in the Holy Spirit Jude 20.

This is not ecstatic talk, but praying what is consistent with the Spirit’s will.

Prayers which majors on what brings glory to God, through the Spirit’s improving on our prayers, Romans 8:26. The Holy Spirit may help us pray by giving us the right words to say when we pray.

Romans 8:26 “26 Likewise 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 too deep for words.”

Praying that contains earnest and honest confession, patience and trust, prayer yielded; don’t ask if you’re not willing to be the answer.

“Prayer is not getting man’s will done in heaven—it is getting God’s will done on earth.”

Keeping yourself in the love of God Jude 21.

Christians remain in the sphere of God’s love; obedience.

Living in the place of blessing by staying obedient to God, John 14:15.

John 14:15 “15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

The effects of God’s love, God will not bless disobedience.

Love reveals a person’s true nature, 1 John 3:10.

1 John 3:10 “10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.”

Mature Christians must have compassion/patience with those influenced by false teachers, Jude 22-23.

“Making a difference,” (KJV) meeting people where they are.

Jude mentions three groups whose lives depend on someone caring enough to rescue them.

The confused. Those who are saved but immature in the faith, 2 Peter 2:14.

2 Peter 2:14 “14 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!”

Make their salvation so wonderful and the Word so exciting that they will lose interest in false teachings.

The convinced. People on the verge of being fully consumed and engulfed by false teachings; challenge intensifies.

Quick and decisive action is needed, it’s almost too late, too far gone. Still time to rescue!

Their ideologies, theories, and philosophies must be broken, Jeremiah 23:29.

Jeremiah 23:29 “29 Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?”

The committed. People deeply committed to their deception. Approach with caution!

We get too close to the fire we will get burned. We are never beyond the influence of Satan!

A good knowledge of the Word, a faithful walk with God, and praying in the fullness of the Spirit the only path of safety.

Contending for the faith must never be accomplished through censorship, criticism, severity, superiority, judgment, harshness, haughtiness, or spiritual pride.

Believers hate the world system; culture, society, secularism, with its false teachings. hating everything about false teaching, hating it so much, we would never be deceived by their appealing ways.

Believer’s must make every effort to keep themselves from being polluted by these erroneous doctrines, ideologies, theories, and philosophies, Jude 20-21.

Believers must exercise and practice mercy living, rescuing those who are lost in false teachings. Lost people matter to God; lost people must matter to us.

Contending for the faith is simply…

Providing an unflinching witness for Jesus Christ.

Refusing to read or listen to religious movements that claim to be a Christian but deviates from or outright denies the teachings of Scripture and the historic creeds on crucial points… Who develop their doctrine through a combination of Scripture-twisting and extrabiblical revelation.

Living uncompromising Christian lives.

Remaining faithful to the Word of God.

Remaining faithful to the Word of God; listening to the right preachers, attending churches that promote truth’s authority over everything else, sitting under pastors/preachers/ teachers who handle the scriptures accurately and expositional. Reading Christian literature that is Biblical and geared to sentimentalism, superstitious, or self-promoting. And have mercy on those who doubt.