Contending for the faith from the book of Jude.
Background: Jude brother of James-half brother of Jesus early Church leader.Probably written around A.D.65.
Reason: The book of Jude was written to exhort believers to contend for the faith against those from within who were disputing, disrupting and denying the truth. In fact initially the book was not going to be written for this purpose, but the author Jude was going to encourage the believers in their salvation v3. Yet he felt it important to write against those who were denying the truth and to motivate believers in their faith to stand for truth against error.
Here is a question for you. Is the church today contending or compromising the faith?
This letter is highly applicable to us today as it was then. Within the church their are those who teach error and outside of the church there are those who sole purpose is to destroy faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. As Christians we are being bombarded from within and from outside with heresy and hypocrisy we need to be alert.
Jude urges us to stand up, to those who would try to bring us down. Here Jude identifies the enemy and their traits.
Do not love the world 1John2.15-17. The world has come in. Jude realised that the fundamentals were being denied. Bible is full of warnings;
Jesus Himself gave many warnings: Matt.7.15.Watch out for false prophets ! 24;10-14. Many will turn away from the faith in the end times. 24;24.Decievers of the elect if that were possible.Peter warns us; 2 Pet.2.1. they will introduce heresies.Paul warns us; Gal;2.4. Make us slaves. Col.2.8. human tradition. Philosophy. John warns us.1 Jhn.4.1.Testing the Spirit false prophets have gone out.
What were they doing in the letter to Jude?
Those amongst us who are godless men they change the truth of Christ and the apostles teaching v17. v4, they were immoral using the grace of God to live this way.v4 They deny Jesus Christ our only Soverign and Lord. yet are secretive. Not always noticeable.V8, Dreamers polluting their own bodies, Reject Authority, slander celestial beings. v10, Abusive, rash. v16 Grumblers fault finders, follow own evil desires, boastful and flatters, v18, scoffers,v19 dividers, ungodly and do not posses the Spirit.
1. Jude calls us to contending for the faith V3.
Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the Salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
We all contend for things in the world, especially over personal issues we will not fail to make a stand.
People are keen today to contend 101 things - for animal rights - homosexual rights - feminist rights what about you what do you contend for anything in particular?
How about the issues of our faith which are entrusted to us? (delivered) once and for all.
Jude urges us or better rendered earnestly contend here it speaks of a serious mind or intention to defending the faith. We are to be devoted to the task and to go about contending not furiously like a heedless chicken but with diligence keeping within the rules.2Tim 2.5. If anyone competes as an athlete , he does not receive the crown unless he competes according to the rules.
1b. Contending the Faith is Active not Passive.
To contend means to struggle in rivalry, to defend earnestly, to assert.
he idea portrayed; Is of a Solider who urgently agonises in combat, to win an objective . This is the vital commitment Jude is urging for. To contend also can refer to the intense effort engaged in a wrestling match where you compete.
In the late 1980’s their was a monumental boxing match against Michael Watson v C. Eubank, they contended head to head right up until the last bell.We are to go head to head with those who sre heretical and teaching errror. No way are we to just bruch it under the carpet.
Paul alsospeaks of our contending in battle terms; Eph 6;13. Putting on the full Armour of God. 1Tim.6;12. fight the good fight. 2 Tim.4.7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course .I have kept the faith
1c. He Urges for Unity v3. The salvation we share, and was once for all entrusted to the saints.V4 Because certain men were turning away from Gods truth and embracing false teaching. Apostasey.
The Bible again and again speaks of the need of unity but never at the expense of truth: Phil.1;27,b I will know that you stand firm in one spirit contending as one man for the faith of the gospel. Gal 3:28.You are all one in Christ Jesus The early Church in Acts.2:42 –47.Eph 4:3-6. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to one hope when you were called. One Lord one faith one Baptisim one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. 17. 20-23. Jesus prays for unity for believers.
What are we contending for and why? The Faith 1cor15;1-4. We have been entrusted with faith it is a gift of God we have been given a duty to carry out, a responsibility to fulfil this faith that has been entrusted to us.
Faith here is refering to the Apostles Teaching v17, Jude calls them to remember. Today more that ever we are contending for the truth of the Bible and within which are found the teaching of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the apostles v17.
Jude emphasises the important relationship between correct doctrine and true faith.
2 Timothy.1:13,14.What you have heard from me keep as a pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you, guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
J. Wesley once said “make me a man of one book.”
Isaac Newton said “the Bible is the rock that all the hammers of criticism have failed to chip !
a) Jude calls us never to compromise the faith.
The Bible alone gives us the real facts about Jesus and salvation. The Bible is inspired by God and should never be manipulated. 2Tim.3;16. 2.Pet.1;20.
When the word is manipulated, that’s when confusion will set in.
I recently met a man who denied the Word as being Gods Word and yet expressed himself to be a believer v4 he had secretly slipped in.
Uncertainty crops into peoples lives and weakens them and the word becomes meaningless when then they turn to other writings and books and embrace false teaching of many kinds. Islam. Eastern religions cults extra books written. Enoch Barnabas etc. No other Gospel Gal.1:6-9.
b) V4. They change the Grace of our God into a license for immorality. To do what ever one wanted without the fear of Gods punishment. Minimising the sinfulness of sin. Faith brings deep respect for God and holiness in life.
c) v4. and deny Jesus Christ our only sovereign Lord.
The problem here would have probably been Gnostisc teachers (Greek for knowledge)Gnostics opposed two of the basic tenants of Christianity. The incarnation of Christ and the call to Christian ethics.
Gnostics believed that knowledge was the way of salvation. They contended that Christ only appeared to be human but was not. Jude writes in v25. to the only God our Saviour. Jesus is God manifested in the flesh.
How do we become better at contending our Faith?
2) Jude calls us to construct our Faith.
v20. But you dear friends, build yourselves up in your most Holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.
Although we must contend for the faith we must also construct our faith, we are under renovation and we are being built up. This is not something like we sit back and let God do the work but we work together with the master builder we are his Labourers on the construction site of life. The Christian life is an ongoing build.
Two-fold contending and constructing 1Pet3:15. always be prepared. In the O.T. picture Nehemiah 4;17.18 reminds us of it as the wall was being rebuilt facing opposition from Sanballet, Tobiah and others.v7 Just as enemies wish to keep us from being built up and Gods work done today. Notice they built but also they carried a sword.
The equivalent in Jude is on the one hand we are to be contending earnestly for the faith. Nehemiah had “swords of steel” we have “sword of the Spirit Word of God.”
While we are contending this will have the effect of being built up.
How do we construct? V17 tells us to recall the apostles teaching found in the Bible it is here where we will be built up. We have a responsibility to bring about growth and development in our spiritual lives this calls for obedience.
The Bible is the basis and the means of being built up “It implies continual feeding upon the word, that the soul may be nourished and the spirit edified.
There is a saying that is of course true amongest pregnent mothers, "Breast is best." when it comes to feeding new born babies. 1Pt.2;2,3. read ACTS 20;32,
Teaching. Pastors, teachers, evangilists. Eph 4.11, 13. to be built up by Service. Fellowship in gospel work.
Meditation will help. This thinking quietly over Gods word in ones mind reflecting and contemplating the Word. Psl;1;2.
Reading. This might seem simple it is but how often we are more keen to switch on the TV rather than Personal reading in public Nhm;8;2,3. Memorisation. Sealing the Word of God in our hearts. Psl;119;11.
Studying. To understand rather than knowing it 2 Tim 2;15. The word building here shows here the work is ongoing its not built.
Praying in the Holy Spirit v21. Prayer is the air we breath . J.C. Ryle said . “God has no dumb children, it is as much a part of their new nature to pray , as it is of a child to cry.”
The Lord spent many hours in Prayer Lke;11. praying in the name of Jesus. praying according to the will of God. Holy Spirit directs our prayers Rom 8;26-27. The Holy Spirit deepens our Communion with GOD.
3) Jude calls us to confess our faith.v22, 23.
What is the greatest act of Compassion and love we can Show? Surely its to share the gospel - to prevent any individual from going to hell by sharing the most important message ever conveyed.
So here we have Judes final message before the doxology that challenge to the Christian, the responsibility of winning souls is to be taken seriously.
It is the sacred duty of every born again believer to reach out and draw others to Christ with compassion and love. Yet even though there are those who have turned away from God, God does not lose sight of them. They are not beyond His love mercy and compassion.
We are all like these early disciples Acts 1;8 called to be his witnesses. Witnessing is not what we can do for God but telling what God has done for us.
The greatest act of compassion we can give anyone is to explain the Gospel to a needy soul. This message when accepted and embraced brings forgiveness, eternal life and a home in Heaven. It lifts people out of sin and puts them altogether on a different plane. Confessing our faith to others is the responsibility of al of us.
Jude gives us three groups of people to reach:
a) The Doubters v22. Jesus merciful deals with a doubter Thomas Jhn.20; 24-28.
These are those in two minds over the false teaching and the truth. Within the fellowship they may be open to both options. They may have dabbled with a false cult - Family members (joyce became a J.W.) Endeavour with JWS on your doorstep.
The serious sinner v23. These are the ones on the verge of hell living lifestyle oblivious to God. These need to be boldly witnessed to and dragged as it were from the verge of hell.
O.T. Ref Amos.4.11. “Israel plucked out of the burning.”
Zech.3.2. “Jerusalem the brand plucked out of the fire.”
Gen.19. Lot and family dragged from Sodom.
Urgency, passion for souls, many seem to be far gone but many have been snatched from the fire. ( hopeless condition workers for God.)
Jesus deals with serious sinner Lke.,23;39-43 The Dying thief on the cross on the verge of hell.
The engrossed sinner v23. Steeped in sin, they hate God, deride God and hate all that is sacred and Holy.
Anton Szandor LaVey Church of Satan 10,000 members 25,000 Sold Satanic Bible.
Jesus deals with engrossed sinner Mrk 5;19. Demon posesed man. Go home and tell. He becomes a missionary for God. Thois tells me that nobody is beyond the pale.
Friends Jude is calling us all to continue to contend for our faith - to continue constructing our faith and to continue confessing our faith. I pray that this will be the case for all of us in these coming days.
www.cbchurch.org.uk
