Contending for the Faith

Introduction

This week I was able to attend the NWBC Annual meeting at The Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, WA.

The annual meeting is always a highlight of the year for me, as it feels like a yearly family reunion with family member who actually like each other. I get to see people I don’t see throughout the year and hear about how the Lord is working throughout the rest of the PNW.

This year was special because it is our 75th anniversary as a convention. Thus, on Tuesday night we got to hear the story of our history as a convention, particularly focusing on the incredible things God has done over our seventy five years.

Jeff Iorg, current president of Gateway Seminary and former Executive Director of the NWBC, ended the celebration by pointing out that what has made us successful as a convention is that our math has remained correct.

He pointed out that in order to add or subtract fractions, the denominators needed to be the same. The numerators are often different, but the denominators must be the same.

He went on to point out that, within the NWBC, we understand that the regardless of what is going on around us, within our different communities, churches and/or the world, the denominator that stays the same is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Specifically, our calling as NWBC churches is to bring the Gospel to our communities. As long as we keep this straight, then we will continue to experience success into the future.

In short, if our churches and convention remain faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then we will see God do far greater than we could ever hope for or imagine.

Then, Friday afternoon many of us were blessed to take part in Virla Walston’s memorial service here at the church.

Remaining faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ was exemplified in Virla’s life.

In fact, Virla wrote a portion of the message that Pastor Mike delivered, and throughout her words anyone who listen would immediately understand that Virla was a woman who wanted all of her loved ones to love Jesus as much as she did, and wasn’t afraid to tell them so!

It would be impossible to suggest that Virla was anything other than completely and totally committed to her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We can also say she’s someone that didn’t only have faith, but she was someone who contended for the faith as well.

And, when it comes down to it, remaining faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ calls for us to be willing to contend for the faith.

What do I mean by that? The little book of Jude helps us to understand that.

As we take a short break from our study of the book of Galatians, I want us all to take a few minutes to learn from the example of those who came before us, like Virla, Jeannie, and a multitude of others throughout the NWBC churches who faithfully gave us the example of contending for the faith.

Body: Jude

Who is Jude and who did he write this letter to? Read verses 1-2

Who:

All he says of himself is that he is a servant of Jesus Christ (literally a slave) and that he’s the brother of James.

Possibly Jesus half-brother…

Wrote to:

To those called, beloved and kept!

Most likely a church in particular, but relevant to all Christians because it speaks of our past, present and future.

Why did he write this letter? Read verse 3

Verse 3 is his thesis statement.

He wants his readers to contend for the faith.

The term ‘faith’ here means the entirety of the message taught by the apostles and held in common by believers.

They are to contend for, or ‘defend’ the truths of Christianity against them being diluted and perverted, as we shall see.

Why did his readers need to contend for the faith?

Enter the False Teachers

In verses 4-16 Jude explains that FT’s had entered the church creating huge problems.

In fact, he says they are ungodly, sexually immoral and denied Jesus.

We won’t look at all these verses this morning, but we need to see that these FT’s were, as verse 19 says:

Jude 19 ESV

It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

How did Jude say they could contend for the faith?

Contending for the Faith

This morning, we will just take a couple of minutes to focus in on how Jude encourages people to contend for the faith.

Ways to Contend for the Faith

Grow in the Faith (v. 20a)

This really means to become disciples or a learner...

Notice the building metaphor:

It is a work of the HS, but it takes active participation on the part of the believer.

Spiritual growth doesn’t happen through osmosis!

You must take the initiative!

As the church, we can’t do this for you, but we can help!

We can’t afford drones...

Four discipleship tools within the church:

Sunday morning worship gatherings;

Adult Bible Study & Sunday School

Small Groups

Mentoring relationships

Building one’s self in the faith doesn’t happen with lone ranger Christians...

Pray in the Holy Spirit (v. 20b)

Prayer is always linked to spiritual maturity.

You want to know how spiritually mature you are, how much have you prayed this week?

If I asked you what stood out to you most about Virla Walston’s, I’m certain you’d say: she was a prayer warrior...

Notice that this is prayer in the HS.

What that isn’t…

What that is: a prayer life guided by the HS.

Not self-centered or mechanical, but honest and from the heart.

Side note: for me, prayer is often best when I finish my “list” and just I start praying what comes to my heart and/or mind.

Abide in God’s Love (v. 21a)

This really means to follow the commands of Jesus.

We can’t truly abide in Christ while wallowing in sin.

Yes, we are still saved, but we aren’t abiding!

Think about the sun. It is always shining…

Living in Christian Hope (v. 21b)

Jude here is relating something that many believers miss out on today; we have hope because Jesus is coming back to take us home!

In Jude’s day, like today, many began to lose that hope because it hadn’t happened yet.

I take another angle at it:

How long did it take God to create the entire world and everything in it?

Okay, didn’t Jesus say “if I go and prepare a place for you, I will return again to take you to myself?”

So, if he created everything is 6 days, and we are over 2000 years removed from his coming…how great is Heaven going to be?

Practice Evangelism and Ministry (vv. 22-23)

In these verses we see two approaches to both evangelism and ministry:

Some need to be dealt with gently...

Others need to be snatched from the fire...

But there is a warning:

In our attempts to reach people and minister to them, don’t allow yourself to fall into sin.

The Message: “Be tender with sinners, but not soft on sin. The sin itself stinks to high heaven.”

Reaching the lost might call us to places we never thought we would go, but it never calls for us to join people in sin...

Challenge

Are you contending for the faith?

Can you stand this morning and say:

Yes, I’m growing in my walk with Jesus, I’m praying consistently, I’m abiding in Jesus, my hope is in Christ’s imminent return, and I am consistently practicing both evangelism and ministry!

But my feeling is that many here this morning could stand to grow in at least one of these areas.

If that’s you, then this is the place for you this morning!

Let’s commit ourselves to be a people, who like these that came before us, commit ourselves to contending for the faith.