Contender For The Faith
Jude 3
If the Lord takes the time to reveal in His word that something
is necessary then do you suppose it is? Of course it is! Bible says it was
needful for the following exhortation to be given and heeded by disciples of
Jesus Christ: "I felt it necessary to write to you appealing that you contend
earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints." (Jude
3b). When Jude stresses the importance of this need, then we should understand
that because he is writing by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that this is
God's appraisal of the importance of this admonition.
What Is "The Faith"?
The Lord does not admonish us to contend for "a faith" or "the faith of your
choice". The definite article "the" is used which means a specific faith is
being discussed. What is it? Sometimes the word "faith" refers to our own
attitude of trust, and sometimes it is used to refer to that truth into which we
have placed our trust. It is in this second sense that Jude uses the term; "the
faith" is God's truth; the gospel; His word. The book of Acts tells us that "the
word of God kept spreading" and "a great many of the priests were becoming
obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:7). So "the faith" is something "obeyed" as well
as contended for. It is identified here as "the word of God" (cf. Romans 1:5).
Also, one can be "turned away from the faith" as the false prophet Elamus tried
to turn Sergius Paulus away as he heard Paul teaching "the word of God"(Acts
13:7,8). The "gospel" was preached in Derbe and the new disciples made there
were encouraged to "continue in the faith" (Acts 14:21,22) which was preached to
them (cf. Galatians 1:23). So, "the faith" (and there is just one; Ephesians
4:5) is the word of God.
The Faith Was "Delivered"
Jude also says "the faith" was delivered. Jesus delivered this faith to His
apostles and disciples during His personal ministry upon the earth. He also
promised His apostles that after His departure, He would send the Holy Spirit to
allow them to remember "all" that He had taught them and to supplement His
teaching with further instruction (John 14:25,26; 16:13; Acts 1:4,5). This
promise was fulfilled on the first Pentecost following the Lord's ascension
(Acts 2:1-4).
The apostles, and those that received the gifts of prophecy and tongues through
the laying on of the apostles' hands (Acts 8:14-18; 2 Timothy 1:6) were God's
delivery system for "the faith." This continued as the the first century
advanced and the result has been preserved in the Bible for you and me today (1
Peter 1:22-25).
The Faith Was "Once for All" Delivered
We are also informed by Jude that this delivery was made "once for all" (NASB).
The Greek word (hapax) is more definite than the KJV rendition of "once." It
means "once for all" and shows that the work was completed once for all time and
all people (cf. 2 Peter 2:3). This delivery of "the faith" was not to happen
once; and then again; and then again. It was to happen "once for all," and then
be completed.
This is important because many false prophets have claimed through the centuries
of having additional faith revealed through them. Mohammed claimed such. So did
Joseph Smith, Ellen G. White, Sun Yung Moon and others. And then there is the
idea among even more "mainstream" religious leaders that they, somehow, have the
authority to meet together in conclaves, synods and councils and vote on what
the creeds and doctrines of their particular faith will consist. They have no
such right because "the faith" has already been determined "once for all" by
Jesus Himself (cf. Hebrews 1:1,2).
"Contend Earnestly" For The Faith
"Contending earnestly" for the faith simply means that we must defend it and
fight for it. The battle is to win hearts and minds for the Lord. The contender
for the faith is not contentious, but he does contend. He or she does not allow
false teaching to go unanswered. When the mocker comes, the contender does not
respond to foolishness with foolishness, allowing himself to be taken down to
the mocker's level. Rather, the response is a scripturally sound one. It is both
reasonable and faithful (2 Peter 3:3-5; 1 Peter 3:15; Jude 17,18). By all means,
feel free to "argue religion" but do it with love and concern, for God and for
man (Ephesians 4:15). "The faith" has many enemies who will gladly speak against
it. Will you speak for it?
The Reason To Contend For The Faith
There are good reasons to be a contender for the faith. Even today, many are
seeking to turn the grace of God into licentiousness, as they were when Jude
first wrote the words of this admonition (Jude 4). These ideas of moral
relativism must be answered. Failure to defend the faith is a denial of the Lord
and betrays His love for us (2 Corinthians 5:11;14-15). Does the love Jesus had
for you control you so that you will respond when duty to His kingdom calls?
Jude reminds disciples that there are times when godliness will be ridiculed,
but that the end result of this kind of disobedience is destruction. This is
still so today. Can the Lord count on you to do this necessary thing? To
"contend for the faith"?
By Jon W. Quinn
From Expository Files 9.10; October 2002
