Standing For The One True Faith

Jude 1-4 STANDING FOR THE ONE TRUE FAITH

Today I want to talk for a little while about what we find here in Jude 1-4 to do with contending for the faith.

Listen as I read today’s text found in JUDE 1-4

1Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James,** to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: 2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

3Beloved, 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.

4For 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, { “outrageous conduct, a disregard for what is right}. and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jude is writing to believers to be aware of these people that have gradually crept into the assembles and are under minding the truths of Gods Word, there had been men who had come in to the Church with a cloke of deception so subtly that most of the believer didn’t even realize what had taken place, that is exactly the way the devils crowd operates, their like Satan himself, we’re told in Gen. 3: 1Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field –

What does contending for the faith mean?

It means to stand true to the forever settled Word, to not compromise, not even a single word. It means to oppose, and expose false prophets and warn the people of their corrupted theology.

I just read and article from a gospel paper that I receive regularly, and in it is a quote of Rick Warren, pastor of Saddle Back Church in Orange County, California who also is the author of “THE PURPOSE DRIVEN CHURCH” AND ‘the PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE”

He said, “ no matter how wonderful a translation is, it has its limitations” he then goes on to say “read scripture from a newer translation with all the wonderful translations and paraphrases available today, there is no legitimate reason for complicating the GOOD NEWS with four hundred-year old English. Using the King James Version creates an unnecessary cultural barrier--- clarity is more important than poetry”. That’s what Rick Warren had to say.

And he has a huge Church, but let me say that as honest and nice as he may appear to be, he is,” perhaps unknowingly” casting doubt on “the common salvation, -the faith which was once*** delivered unto the saints.

It’ll not be delivered again. The Holy Spirit has done His part, now it’s up to us to believe it just exactly like He has delivered it.

2nd PET. 1: 20- 21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. - For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

2ND PET.2: 1-2 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, --2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

Let me remind us what Paul said in:

2 Corinthians 11: 3 + 13-15 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. –

13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.

I’m certainly not Rick Warrens judge, or any body else’s judge, but this is what Jude is talking about here, we’re not to change Gods Word, we’re not to encourage people to read these perversions of the Word.

There are people that will listen to these so called famous men and will simple take that what ever he says must be right, but dear heart, if what a man says is contrary to what the One True and Living God has already declared, these men are wrong.

We’re contending today for “the common salvation, -the faith which was once*** delivered unto the saints.

Who are we to trust and believe? The middle verse of the Bible says this:

Psalm 118:8 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. 9It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. (Rulers or leaders)