A Fight for the Faith
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last week, we began studying the book of Jude. We looked at “The Servant”, “The Sanctified”, “The Security”, and “The Summons” out of verses 1 and 2. Let’s move on and look at the very next verse tonight:
3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
I told you last week, and I’ll go over it again just as a refresher:
Apostasy is a word meaning, “A falling away from or turning away from the Faith.”
Our nation was founded on the word of God with a people that loved God and served the Lord Jesus Christ. The church used to be respected in the world. The church used to have influence in the world, but through constant attacks by the enemy, the infiltration of the ungodly in our colleges, seminaries, and churches Satan has effectively chipped away at the foundation of what this nation was built upon.
In studying for this message, I read from J. Vernon McGee who said, “What was like a little cloud the size of a man’s hand in Jude’s day has become a storm and hurricane in our day.”
Now, Mr. McGee passed away on December 1, 1988 - How much worse is false teaching now than it was then?
Besides being colleges or universities, do you know what Harvard, Yale, Brown, Dartmouth, Columbia, William & Mary, and Princeton all have in common?
They were all founded by Christians for the express purpose of propagating the gospel and training preachers of the Lord Jesus Christ. Boy, we’ve come a long way haven’t we?
These schools have long since sold out and now teach heresy and ungodly doctrines of devils.
Let me give you another interesting bit of information: Of the first 100 colleges and universities founded in America, 88 were founded for the express purpose of furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ...
You know what? Colleges and Seminaries have turned from God...
You know what? Churches have turned from God...
Churches left and right have sold out to liberalism. They have given up sound doctrine for sensual and secular doctrine. There are so many voices today that are going out across television and radio that is passed on as Christianity. People tell us that we need to go along and get along with others. We need to accept others and their beliefs and celebrate the diversity, but the Word of God tells us to “Fight for the Faith!” We are exhorted and commanded in the word of God to fight for the faith.
Sam Gordon writes, “Jude urges his readers: to defend the faith that some people are denying, to preserve the faith that some people are perverting, and to contend for the faith that some people are corrupting.”
The Original Plan
The Original Plan
Jude 3 (KJV 1900)
3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation...
Jude’s original plan was to write about the common salvation.
Jude had a plan to write and encourage the saints about their salvation. He had a plan to confirm them in the faith. Jude reveals his plans in writing to the church. Jude tells the church that he was very diligent.
This word means “careful and earnest intentions; serious considerations, and complete attention to matter.” Jude did not take lightly what he set out to do. He was faithful to the Lord Jesus and served the Lord with his whole heart. Jude had a plan to confirm the believers in their faith.
What does common salvation mean?
It means:
We are all saved the same way...
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
All can understand it.
We are all trusting in the same Savior.
It is available for all.
It is for the rich, poor, educated, uneducated, wise, and unwise.
It’s for all!
Every born again Christian has salvation in common with other Christians.
We share the same Son, the same Savior, the same Spirit, the same grace, the same forgiveness, the same home in heaven, the same Bible, the same fellowship, the same freedom from sin, the same Father in heaven.
James Merritt wrote, “Salvation is what brings us together, binds us together, bounds us together, and blesses us together.”
This is what Jude’s original plan was, to write about the common salvation.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to encourage and inspire God’s people, but we must learn that there are times that we must warn and instruct God’s children.
Jude was sensitive to the Holy Spirit as he sought to serve the Lord.
This brings us to the next point tonight:
The Overcoming Purpose
The Overcoming Purpose
Jude has a change of plans.
Jude 3 (KJV 1900)
3 ...when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Instead of the common salvation, he is writing about something else...
We should be happy that Jude was sensitive to the Holy Spirit here. What might have only been a letter from a Christian leader to a particular church instead became a precious instrument inspired by the Holy Spirit and valuable as a warning in these last days.
God compelled Jude to write about defending the faith. Jude had a message from the Lord! This was not the wisdom of man, but a word from God. Jude aligned his will with the Lord’s will. He changed his plan and received God’s purpose for the church.
Paul had a message from the Lord that he must proclaim.
16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
Jeremiah had a message from the Lord that he must proclaim.
9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him, Nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, And I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.
Jude could identify with those men of God. He found it a necessity to write to them about what he had received from the Lord! Urgent matters require immediate responses.
Jude exhorts us to contend for the faith!
The word exhort means to urge or beg.
Earnestly contend means serious business...
We are to contend for the faith!
We are to contend and stand for:
Biblical truths.
Salvation by grace and not by works.
The virgin birth.
The sinless life of Christ.
The bodily resurrection.
Heaven and Hell.
The second coming of Christ...
We are not to be silent when truth is being attacked!
To contend earnestly calls for an all out effort against false teaching and apostates who discredit the gospel, deny God, and disgrace His place. We must know Jesus, trust Jesus, believe His word, obey His word, know His word, and live out His word to fight the good fight of faith. We are to contend earnestly for the faith. Do you know what you believe? Can you defend the Christian faith and your beliefs with the word of God?
David Levy wrote, “Unfortunately, many Christians believe that doctrine is to be known only by ministers or seminary students, not be the people in the pews. These Christians are soft-minded and uninterested in the Scriptures and would be hard-pressed to tell others what they believe concerning the doctrines of God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, sin, grace, regeneration, justification, sanctification, or last things. They easily fall prey to the myriad of false teachings being proclaimed in churches today.”
This brings us to the last point this evening:
The Obligation Put Before Us
The Obligation Put Before Us
Jude 3 (KJV 1900)
3 ...exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Now, we saw last week that Jude is writing to the sanctified, that is, saved people...
He didn’t just say “you pastors, preachers, teachers, evangelist contend for the faith.” Jude said, “you” which includes all believers of all time.
Our obligation is to pass it on…How did we receive it? Past generations of saints passed it down to us, and it’s our - OUR - obligation to pass it on to the next generation!
3 Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children, Shewing to the generation to come The praises of the Lord, and his strength, And his wonderful works that he hath done.
Jude tells the saints that they are exhorted to fight because they have been entrusted with the faith. God has given to us as steward the faith. The faith has been handed down to us and we are to pass it on undiluted to the next generation. We are to guard our doctrine with all that we are.
16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
How corrupt is America today? There is an estimated 3000 man-made, Eastern, philosophical religious systems in America today. There are cults and false teachers on every corner and every channel. We do not need another Testament like the apostate Mormons have; we don’t need a watered down and diluted and changed translation like the Jehovah Witnesses have! We don’t need the doctrine of demons that is found in the Quran. The Hindu sacred writings have no appeal for us or authority over us!
We are to earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. The Lord has not entrusted the school system, the government, the YMCA, the police force, the armed forces, or any other organization in the world with the faith!
The faith has been delivered to the saints of God to share with a lost and dying world.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Are we faithful to Jesus?
Are we faithful to the word of God?
Are we ready, willing, and able to fight for the faith?
Do we know what we believe and why we believe it?
Can we recognize false teaching?
Are we resolved to stand for the Word of God?
Is our life and the way we live building others up and bringing others to the Lord?
Is our life and the way we live tearing others down and pushing others away from the Lord?