Contending or Surrendering
Jude 1-4
Introduction: The church has been entrusted as stewards of the manifold grace and wisdom of God. Yet today people professing to be Christians would attack the very notion of absolute truth. Not only should every Christian know and love the truth but we are to be contending for the truth which has been entrusted to us not surrendering it for the sake of harmony or unity.
I. The Call to Contend
A. Jude 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.”
B. Earnestly contend (epagonizesthai) = Only used here in the New Testament, signifying "to contend about a thing, as a combatant"
C. You and I are called into a spiritual warfare as soldiers of the cross.
D. 2 Timothy 2:3 “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.’
E. Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”
F. “Contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” –
1. The Faith – the entire revealed body of truth regarding salvation
2. Once for all delivered to the saints - "one time for all time"
3. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
4. 2 Peter 1:19 “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts”
G. Believers are called to be good soldiers of Jesus Christ. As many of us as believe in him, and have obtained eternal life through him, are now enlisted beneath his banner to fight the battles of holiness against sin and of truth against error. – Spurgeon
H. We are to hold tenaciously to the Truth and stand against any who would alter, add or diminish its message.
I. As members of Christ’s kingdom, kingdom living and passivity are not compatible.
J. Proverbs 23:23 “Buy the truth, and sell it not”
II. The Necessity of Contending
A. Jude 3a, 4 “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you... For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness (lewdness) , and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
B. Christ and His disciples warned that the church would be infiltrated by those who held to false teachings and who would lead others astray.
1. Matthew 24:11 "Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.”
2. 2 Peter 2:1 “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, [and] bring on themselves swift destruction.”
3. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
C. What was disturbing to Jude was that as he was that the attack on the church did not come from outside the church; not from the pagans. The apostasy came from people who professed to be Christians. They had arisen within the church and were doing three things: First, they were challenging the absolute final authority of the Word of God as the source of absolute truth. Second, they were changing the grace of God into a license to live worldly and sinful lives. Third they were denying the exclusivity and deity of Christ.
D. Today is no different. Two-thirds of born-again Christians believe there is no such thing as absolute truth. - George Barna, quoted in What in the World!, vol. 23, no. 5, 1998)
E. Relativism has become acceptable in the church. It is shrouded with the words “This is how I believe” or “It’s a matter of interpretation” or “This is what seems right to me”. We no longer hear the emphatic words “Thus saith the Lord!”
F. We no longer take a stand on what is right or wrong but say it’s up to the individual to determine in his own mind what is right or wrong.
G. God does not change. Truth is absolute. The Church that compromises Truth today will compromise Morals tomorrow. --H.D. Bruce
H. Relativism leads to worldliness. The world no longer sees any difference between the saved and the unsaved, because the saved have compromised their walk.
I. Leviticus 10:10 “And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean”
J. The apostate also denied the way of salvation. But for the sake of unity and harmony the church again compromises and says as long as they have Christ that is all that matters.
K. Compromise is planting God’s flowers in the devil’s dirt. --Kent Crockett
L. The worst enemies of Christian doctrine are professing Christians who do not hold to the faith once for all delivered to the saints.
M. Acts 4:12 “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
N. Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
III. The Method of Contending
A. Contend don’t Compromise –
1. A hunter raised his rifle and took careful aim at a large bear. When about to pull the trigger, the bear spoke in a soft soothing voice, "Isn’t it better to talk than to shoot? What do you want? Let’s negotiate the matter." Lowering his rifle, the hunter replied, "I want a fur coat." “Good," said the bear, "that is a negotiable question. I only want a full stomach, so let us negotiate a compromise." They sat down to negotiate and after a time the bear walked away alone. The negotiations had been successful. The bear had a full stomach, and the hunter had his fur coat! Satan says to you, "Let us negotiate." But there are some things that cannot be negotiable. We cannot compromise the church with the world. Christ and His church deserve our very best and utmost loyalty.
2. 2 John 1:10-11 “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that bids him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”
3. "It is better to be divided by truth than to be united in error. It is better to speak the truth that hurts, and then heals, than falsehood that comforts, then kills. It is not love, and it is not friendship, if we fail do declare the whole counsel of God. It is better to be hated for telling the truth than to be loved for telling a lie. It is impossible to find anyone in the Bible who was a power for God who did not have enemies and was not hated. It’s better to stand alone with the truth than to be wrong with a multitude. It is better ultimately to succeed with truth than to temporarily succeed with a lie." --Adrian Rogers
B. Don’t contend just for the sake of contending – don’t go out looking for an argument. - Romans 12:18 “If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.”
C. Don’t be cantankerous when contending – Have the right spirit
1. Galatians 6:1 “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. “
2. Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ:
3. Contend with some with empathy - Jude 22 “And of some have compassion, making a difference”
4. When you stand up for the truth, do it in such a way that if the person refuses the truth, they have to do so because they don’t agree with the truth, not because of the way you presented it. - Dr. David E. Walker
5. Contend with Urgency - Jude 23 “And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”
