Title: A Faith Worth Fighting For
Theme: To show the importance of “contending for our faith” and how to fight.
Text: Jude 3 – 4
Opening Scripture:
Jud 1:1-4 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: (2) Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. (3) 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. (4) 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.
Introduction
Last Sunday we observed what Jude calls the “common salvation”. We spent the whole sermon talking about Celebrating the Salvation that God has given us.
1. We are called by God, even in our mess.
2. We are sanctified (set apart) for God (loved by God)
3. We are preserved in Christ.
4. God has given us His Mercy (not receiving the judgement we deserve)
5. We have peace (wholeness) in God
6. God love is multiplied to us.
This is common to all who are saved in Christ Jesus. Act 4:12 “for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
So we understand who we are in Christ as being saved and set apart. Later Jude brings up about being Spirit filled. Being led and sensitive to His Spirit.
But there was a problem that crept up in the church.
I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered (entrusted) to the saints. (4) 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.
Problem:
Certain men have come into the church unnoticed, like wolves in sheep clothing. Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men
1. This is referring to the “extra-biblical books” book of Enoch,
2. This is referring to people who are already known to spread false doctrine yet move from church to church, discernment is needed
3. This is referring to the fact that this has been going around along time. False doctrine creeping up is nothing new. False teachers are not new.
Major Issue
who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Utley NT
Antinomians/Libertines use God's grace as a license for the flesh (cf. Rom_6:1-23; Rom_14:16; 1Pe_2:16; 2Pe_2:19), particularly sexual exploitation.
Answer
Contend earnestly for the faith
Contend – fight
In his short epistle, Jude gives seven charges to believers:
1. Earnestly contend for the faith. v. 3
2. Remember the teaching and warning of the apostles. v. 17
3. Build yourselves up in the most holy faith. v. 20
4. Pray in the Holy Spirit. v. 20
5. Keep yourselves in the love of God. v. 21
6. Look for the mercy of the Lord to bring you to eternal life. v. 21
7. Show mercy to Christians who are doubting, snatch unbelievers from the fire,
and cautiously show mercy to the corrupt. vs. 22-23
Fight
1. We must know what we are fighting for.
2. We must know when to fight (if you fight over everything then when it comes to fight over what is important people will not listen to you)
3. We must keep in mind how to fight. (fight correctly)
Things worth fighting for the Faith
God is saying - While I want you as much as possible to live peaceably with all men, I have told you some things that are non-negotiable. There are some things you should contend for, you should fight for.
The Bible is “God breathed” the inerrant word of God.
I believe there are 12 non-negotiables to which Scripture and the history of the
Church gives eloquent witness.
1) The inerrancy and infallibility of Holy Scripture.
2) The full and eternal deity of Christ.
3) The miraculous virgin birth and sinless life of Jesus the Messiah.
4) The historic creation of man and woman made in God’s image.
5) The sanctity of all life from conception to natural death.
6) The sacredness of marriage between a man and a woman.
7) The sinfulness of all human persons.
8) The substitutionary death of Christ for sinners.
9) The bodily resurrection of Christ from the grave.
10) Salvation by grace alone thru faith alone in Christ alone.
11) The exclusivity of the gospel of Jesus Christ for sinners.
12) The return of Christ and the assignment of all people either to eternal
blessedness in heaven or eternal condemnation in hell.
How to fight: Conflict Resolution
Matthew 18:15-20 "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. (16) But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.' [88] (17) And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector. (18) Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. (19) Again I say [89] to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. (20) For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
A. Go to the individual
B. Take one or two others
C. Take it to the church (through whatever processes the church has set up)
Two things serve as wrecking balls for any church:
• Contentiousness over personal opinions and desires rather than contending for the faith
• Talking about a problem with a brother or sister or in the church with someone other than the offender
Conclusion
2 Timothy 2:23-26 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. (24) And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, (25) in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, (26) and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
Note: some studies done from sermons on https://www.sabc.org/ in sermons in Jude, also https://ftc.co/resource-library/ftc-preaching-guides/preaching-guide-jude/ and other commentaries
