Contend For The Faith

FIGHT! Contend! Do Battle! WHen apostasy arises, when false teachers emerge, when the truth of God is attacked, it is time to fight for the faith. Only believers who are spiritually “in shape” can answer the summons. 

Jude 1-3 “Jude a bondservant of Jesus, and brother of James. To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 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 for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”

There is so much in these first 3 verses. Jude was the brother of James, which makes him the half brother of Jesus. If it were you or I we would have led with that, but Jude doesn’t. Why?

He doesn’t want to lead with familiarity, but lead with a heart for his master, Jesus. 

Jude 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.”

Verse 4 is telling us just as we were chosen for salvation and chosen for a specific mission in Christ, these men were chosen to do the exact opposite. They’re here to twist and pervert the gospel of Christ and we are to “contend for the faith. As the opening line said, how can an out of shape believer fight, they can’t.

So it brings me to this question, Are you spiritually in shape? Are you capable of fighting for the faith? This is not a physical battle, even though it may come to that one day, this is a battle of ethics, morality, ultimately a battle for TRUTH in a world full of lies.

Are you capable of speaking truth into someone's life? Are you able to answer questions on the fly without looking stupid? I know when I started I couldn’t. Maybe you’re more prepared than I was, but my guess is you’re exactly like I was if you’re honest with yourself. We’re going to jump down a few verses.

Jude 8 “ likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.”

Jude 10 “but these speak evil of whatever they do not know, and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.

Jude 16 “These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts, and they mouth great swelling words flattering people to gain advantage.

Jude 5-19 Is just a paragraph of jude calling these men what they are so we know what to look for in these corrupted men. He is giving us a cheatsheet basically on how to prepare for the battle.

They defile the flesh, they reject authority, they speak evil of things they don’t understand. They complain and grumble, they use people to gain personal advantage.  

Are you prepared for a biblical response to defiling flesh and rejecting authority?

Are you prepared to give a biblical response to people who speak foolishly against our Christ because they don’t understand him?

If you feel this devotional has made you uncomfortable I apologize, but it’s here to make you think and prepare you.

Jude finishes with this.

Jude 20-23 “but you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most Holy faith, praying in the holy spirit, keep yourselves in the love of god looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

The writer is telling us some will need our empathy for their situation and care for them with the love and compassion of Christ, but on others we will literally have to grab them out of the fire, and show them righteous anger at what they’re doing (hating even the garment defiled by the flesh).

Remember Contend for Faith and if you’re not ready prepare yourself. If you need help with this I suggest visiting www.fortironministries.com/resources to download some study guides to help with your personal study.

Jude 24-25 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. 

To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and Power

Both now and forever.

Amen

Soli Deo Gloria