A young man was making poor grades in school, particularly in math. His parents tried various things, none of which seemed to produce the desired improvement. Finally, they decided to enroll him in a private Christian school.
At the end of the first grading period, the young man came home and proudly presented his report card to his parents. They were shocked to find that all of his grades had improved significantly. Most noticeably, he had received his first-ever "A" in math.
His parents were overjoyed and began to question him to determine what it was that had finally produced the improvement they had sought. "Was it the non-traditional teaching methods in the private school?" No. "Was it the strict discipline?" No. "Was it the smaller class sizes and more individual attention?" No. "Well, what WAS it then that caused such a big turn around?" they asked.
"Well," the son replied, "when I walked into that school on the first day and the first thing I saw was that man nailed to that plus sign, I KNEW I’d better take math seriously here."
TRANSITION
? What he believed changed how he acted.
? What we believe (as members the family of God) will not only change how we act individually, but will help us to achieve our common goals.
o What we believe is the glue that binds us together in the family of faith. It is what gives us commonality of purpose, interest and behaviour.
? Why does it matter that we understand ourselves as being part of the “family of faith” (As opposed to our actions being a private response)?
o To achieve our functional relationship with Christ – Servants
o To appreciate our positional status in Christ – Called, Beloved in God and Kept/Preserved by Christ.
? In this book, Jude is concerned about the preservation of that community – this resource that God gives us to help us achieve our functional relationship with Christ - Servants.
ORIGINAL vs. REVISED INTENTION
? When Jude began this letter, his original intention was to write a general letter about the “salvation that Christians share”.
? But, he modified & narrowed his concern to urging the believers to “contend/fight for the faith”.
"Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." - Jude 3
? Use of the words salvation and faith – refer to the same Christian message but the different words highlighted the problems in the Church to which he was writing.
? Salvation – great future hope of Jesus’ return.
o Salvation is not just being converted or being a Christian - Full Works/Complete Plan
o Tone of Letter: God our Saviour; God will save us in the future; God is able (vs. 24) to save us from condemnation, judgement, and punishment.
o This hope was being undermined by those who did not share it.
? Faith – fixed Christian gospel. This was being eroded by those who denied that there was any fixed gospel. They wanted to change the doctrine to suit what they wanted to do.
His Original Intention in writing “…salvation we share”
His Revised Intention in writing “…faith once entrusted to us”
His Reason for Changing - Church is in Danger
"For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." - Jude 4
? The church has some people today who are telling us that: **doctrine doesn’t matter or that **the doctrine we have is not good enough.
? THEREFORE, We must CONTEND (fight or struggle) to preserve the gospel.
? STONG Instruction that is given. Why?
? The Gospel is that which binds us together in faith. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” or “So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ.” Rom 10:17
Jude provides three reasons we must be uncompromising in our guarding of the Faith We Are Urged To Defend. Because our Faith is COMPLETE
FAITH IS CLOSED IN CONTENT “…which was once for all…”
0. Those things we believe NOT fact of belief
1. Objective not subjective - Contents always a source of controversy e.g. Denial of Resurrection (1 Cor); Return of Christ (2 Pet)
2. Finality and Definiteness.
3. Complete
. Paul, telling the Ephesian elders to proclaim "the whole counsel of God" - Ac 20:27
i. Peter, writing that God has given us "all things that pertain to life and godliness" - 2 Pet 1:3
ii. Addresses issues of our day with relevance without loosing cutting edge.
FAITH IS CLOSED IN AUTHORSHIP “…delivered …”
0. Faith entrusted to us
1. Technical term to describe how God gave message via apostles.
2. Not invented - given; Not found out by us - delivered by God (See Ps. 147:19-20)
FAITH IS OPEN TO EVERYONE “…to the saints…”
0. All the Saints. In the New Testament = Christians
1. Both and at once an honour; and an exhortation; and a reproach
. High Calling
a. Live Up
b. Grievous Shortcomings
0. Root - Daniel 7 “Saints are those who wait for the coming of the Son of Man in Power.”
Application:
• Be careful of NEW TEACHING (Galatians) Faulty Theology
. God in their Image vs. God of the Bible
(Grace – God too Loving) "Let us sin so that grace may abound!"
“For the grace of God hath appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us, to the intent that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world.” Tit 2:11,12
a. Theology of Desire vs. Theology of Truth
b. Church must be organized around:
Worship, Word, Fellowship, Prayer, and Evangelism (Acts 2:42)
• Be careful of NEW SPIRITUALITY (Colossians)
. Something More
i. Grand & the Grandiose
ii. Pursuit of Thrills vs. Pursuit of Ethical Life
Having told us to guard our Faith since it is complete, he answers the question “How do we contend for our faith?” by telling about the OPPOSITION WE SHOULD EXPECT
? Word Contend implies wrestling; translated "agony."
? The use of such an expression therefore suggests:
. The matter is serious; we are at war! Paul describes the nature of our warfare in 2 Co 10:3-6 And again in Eph 6:10-13
. This is not a time to be unprepared; we must arm ourselves!
? We must therefore contend with vigour, even to the point of agony, for "the faith once delivered to the saints"!
. Predicted Opposition. “…condemnation … long ago.” (v. 20). See 2 Pet. 3:3
A. Creeping Opposition. “…secretly slipped in…” Political Subversion. See Jn. 10-11
B. Godless Opposition. “…mouthed good things…”
C. Sensual Opposition. “…change the grace of God into licence for immorality…”
? Antinomianism - against the law
? Immorality - sensuality, debauchery, sexual permissiveness
? Freedom - Licence or Yolk?
D. Heretical Opposition. “…deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign…” Note that Jude paints Jesus Christ as Sovereign. Therefore this is wilful rebellion as opposed to error in Theology.
Application:
• Be careful of Pomposity – conceit, arrogance, affectedness, pretentiousness, self-importance, haughtiness.
Issues from a denial of the authority of God & Christ - License coming from failure to recognize that Christ is "Supreme in authority”
• Be careful of Personality Cults
. Integrity of the group hinges on the integrity of the leader. Human beings are flawed. Jump out of frying pan; jump into fire.
a. Encourages groupthink and group behaviour. Where everybody thinks alike, no thinking takes place.
b. Injustice to the depth and richness of the word & our faith
• Be careful to Prepare for Battle.
a. Paul defines our weaponry in Eph 6:13-18
b. These things are for our own defence, lest we be lost in the struggle!
c. 2 Cor 10:3-5 “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but mighty before God to the casting down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God, and bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
CONCLUSION
Why is it important that the family of God vigorously struggles to establish the word as the only authority for faith and practice?
Paul says in Rom 1:16, 17 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith.”
It is the only way to guarantee change in the wretched hearts of people.
? Christ desires the change.
? Our community will be destroyed without the change.
? Individuals crave for and need change.
ILLUS. Back to the late 1940s a family from a remote part of the country was making their first visit to a big city. They checked in to a grand hotel and stood in amazement at the impressive sight. Leaving the reception desk they came to the elevator entrance. They’d never seen an elevator before, and just stared at it, quite unable to work out what it was for. An old lady hobbled towards the elevator and went inside and the door closed. About a minute later, the door opened and out came a stunningly good-looking young woman. Dad couldn’t stop staring. Without turning his head he patted his son’s arm and said, "Go get your mother, boy."
What kinds of change need to be evident in your life because of your faith?
(Illustrations borrowed)
