Contend For The Faith

This week, I found myself in one of the smallest books in the New Testament—one that is easy to overlook. The Book of Jude is a short letter, written just a few decades after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Jude identifies himself in the first verse of the book (it’s only one chapter) as “the brother of James.” Many scholars believe that James was the one referenced in Galatians 1:19 as “the Lord’s brother,” making Jude the natural brother of Jesus. While his letter is short, it was a call to the early believer that resonates just as powerfully today.

Jude 3-4 says,

“Although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s people. For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”

It had only been a few decades since Jesus ascended into heaven and the Gospel went out in power. However, there was already something tainting the purity of the church: a perversion of grace. Jude talked about “ungodly people, using the grace of God as a license for sin.”

As people of God, we must know the Word of God, so we don’t lose our perspective and our grounding in truth, as we do what God has called us to do. The Bible is as relevant for the difficulties we face today as it was two-thousand years ago. God has not changed; the Gospel has not changed; and the enemy has no new tactics. We can never fall into the trap of believing that the truths of the Bible need to be adapted to fit our culture.

Two-thousand years ago, they faced the same thing the church faces now—a carnal culture and the danger of a diluted message. Jude wrote to the church to warn them—not of those who weren’t in the church, but of those who were. He warned them to be on guard, not against those who would deny faith altogether, but against those who would twist truth to try to fit their sinful desires.

Jude went on to give many Old Testament examples of the same difficulty. The issue he was writing about wasn’t even new in his day. As a wise man once said, “there is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve did not deny God altogether. Their sin was exactly what Jude wrote about thousands of years later. Something snuck into the garden and convinced them that God didn’t mean what He said. They perverted the grace of God—the Word that He had given them—twisting it to accommodate their desires.

The good news is that the answer is the same now as it was then. Jude wrote to them to contend for the faith. Our charge is still that simple: stand on the Truth that set us free in the purity of the faith. The Word of God never changes, and we see this exemplified in the person of Jesus Christ. The Lamb of God is absolutely undefiled by time, death, and decay. This is both figurative and literal. Jesus earthly body could not remain in the grave because He is the Living Word, which cannot be destroyed. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

We don’t fear any message that would try to pervert the Gospel, because that Gospel is guarded by the Holy Spirit. Our job is simply to contend in faith that it would go forth in power. 2 Timothy 1:12-14 says,

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.”

We guard the Word of God, as the Word of God guards us. At the end of his letter, Jude gives wisdom on how to contend, in one of the most beautiful closing messages in the Word of God:

1) “Remember the predictions of the apostles” (vs. 17). It’s so important that we lean on the wisdom of those who have gone before us!

2) “Build yourself up in your most holy faith” (vs. 20). Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17). Our faith will be weak if we don’t abide in His Word.

3) “Keep yourself in the love of God” (vs. 21). God’s love is poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). Only time in His presence can fill us with the tangible love of God. You can’t know God loves you only in your head and walk in strength. You have to be full of the reality of that love.

4) “Wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ” (vs. 21). Waiting is expectation. We have to live with the expectation that Jesus is coming back for a pure and spotless bride—and it could be any moment.

5) “Have mercy on those who doubt” (Vs. 22).

6) “Save other by snatching them out of the fire” (vs. 23). It’s our responsibility to speak the truth to our brothers, in love (Ephesians 4:15).

7) “Show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh” (vs. 23). In Revelation 3:4, Jesus talks about those who walk with Him in white, undefiled garments.

We wear a robe of righteousness that cost Jesus everything and it’s our responsibility to keep it clean. The Word of God will wash us. The Holy Spirit will guard us. The Father will keep us. We must contend for that which has been entrusted to us. The Church is not a religious institution—she is a bride, betrothed to a King. Jesus founded the church in purity and power and that is the church He is coming back for. Contend for the faith!