Contend:
1. struggle to surmount (a difficulty or danger).
2. assert something as a position in an argument.
The word contend means to agonize. Agony of spirit and love for the Gospel should be in the heart of every believer. Contending means to fight while standing on the very thing being assaulted. It means to stand against all who undermine it.
Jude1
[3] Beloved, 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. [4] For 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, and DENYING the ONLY LORD GOD,AND OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST..........................................................................................................................
[12] These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, TWICE DEAD, plucked up by the roots; [13] Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is
reserved the blackness of darkness for ever..........................,.................................................................
16] These are murmures, complainers,walking after THEIR OWN LUSTS; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having MEN'S PERSONS IN ADMIRATION because of advantage.
[17] But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
[18] How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time,who walk after their OWN ungodly lusts.
[19] These be they who separate themselves, sensual, HAVING NOT THE SPIRIT.
[20] But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
[21] Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
[22] And of some have compassion, making a difference:
[23] And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
[24] Now unto HIM that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
[25] To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Paul references the good fight in 2 Timothy 4:7 where he says, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." Fighting the good fight of the faith is also about perseverance and continuing, even when the road is hard and others stand AGAINST the truth of God's word.
Fighting the good fight of faith is also about making a choice - a choice to pursue God's will and a life of faith on a daily basis. It is about deciding to fight the temptations and factors that PULL AWAY from God and instead help us lean into HIM.
We can find strength in the fact of the prize that is found at the END OF THE RACE, (1 Corinthians 9:24). When we find ourselves lacking in endurance, we can use prayer to talk to God and find hope and in the study of his word.
How do we contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints? WE MUST KNOW WHAT THE FAITH IS !
By hearing the word of God and in our STUDY OF HIS WORD the Spirit BUILDS OUR FAITH UP as individuals. This helps us to understand what Jude said about contending for the faith which had been "once delivered." In other words, that which has been preached and entrusted to us in the form of God's Holy Word.
Godliness requires us to get to KNOW GOD AND HIS WORD in order for us to lead godly lives. Living a godly life means trying to live following God's will and framing actions in the way God would want.
The faith, which is the body of God's doctrine, does not change with the changing of times. It is not something that man has discovered or manufactured. It is the Spirit's revelation.The historic faith is the truth that clusters around the person and works of Jesus Christ.
The fundamentals of the faith are these:
1. The verbal inspiration of the Holy Scriptures.
2. The supernatural birth of Christ.
3. The sinless sovereign life of God manifested in the flesh.
4. Christ's substitutionary death on the cross.
5. Christ's physical resurrection from the dead and triumphant ascension to the Father.
6. The absolute necessity the new birth by the Spirit.
We are living in a day of tolerance; a tolerance of false doctrines creeping their way into our churches today. Our churches are compromising with modernism in united efforts to increase church attendance, therefore undermining the historic faith of the early church.
When we contend for the faith, we should not do so in contentious manner, even when we are contending with those who are false teachers. In these cases, Christians are to contend firmly yet in love. We must have an eye toward reclaiming false teachers, if possible, or gaining them for the faith if they have never truly been converted.
The message of Jude is vital for the twenty-first century. Error is rampant in our churches. Truth must be proclaimed and defended. This was Jude's burden and it ought to be ours to shoulder with him.
For our exhortation and personal edification.
1. struggle to surmount (a difficulty or danger).
2. assert something as a position in an argument.
The word contend means to agonize. Agony of spirit and love for the Gospel should be in the heart of every believer. Contending means to fight while standing on the very thing being assaulted. It means to stand against all who undermine it.
Jude1
[3] Beloved, 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. [4] For 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, and DENYING the ONLY LORD GOD,AND OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST..........................................................................................................................
[12] These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, TWICE DEAD, plucked up by the roots; [13] Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is
reserved the blackness of darkness for ever..........................,.................................................................
16] These are murmures, complainers,walking after THEIR OWN LUSTS; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having MEN'S PERSONS IN ADMIRATION because of advantage.
[17] But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
[18] How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time,who walk after their OWN ungodly lusts.
[19] These be they who separate themselves, sensual, HAVING NOT THE SPIRIT.
[20] But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
[21] Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
[22] And of some have compassion, making a difference:
[23] And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
[24] Now unto HIM that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,
[25] To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
Paul references the good fight in 2 Timothy 4:7 where he says, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." Fighting the good fight of the faith is also about perseverance and continuing, even when the road is hard and others stand AGAINST the truth of God's word.
Fighting the good fight of faith is also about making a choice - a choice to pursue God's will and a life of faith on a daily basis. It is about deciding to fight the temptations and factors that PULL AWAY from God and instead help us lean into HIM.
We can find strength in the fact of the prize that is found at the END OF THE RACE, (1 Corinthians 9:24). When we find ourselves lacking in endurance, we can use prayer to talk to God and find hope and in the study of his word.
How do we contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints? WE MUST KNOW WHAT THE FAITH IS !
By hearing the word of God and in our STUDY OF HIS WORD the Spirit BUILDS OUR FAITH UP as individuals. This helps us to understand what Jude said about contending for the faith which had been "once delivered." In other words, that which has been preached and entrusted to us in the form of God's Holy Word.
Godliness requires us to get to KNOW GOD AND HIS WORD in order for us to lead godly lives. Living a godly life means trying to live following God's will and framing actions in the way God would want.
The faith, which is the body of God's doctrine, does not change with the changing of times. It is not something that man has discovered or manufactured. It is the Spirit's revelation.The historic faith is the truth that clusters around the person and works of Jesus Christ.
The fundamentals of the faith are these:
1. The verbal inspiration of the Holy Scriptures.
2. The supernatural birth of Christ.
3. The sinless sovereign life of God manifested in the flesh.
4. Christ's substitutionary death on the cross.
5. Christ's physical resurrection from the dead and triumphant ascension to the Father.
6. The absolute necessity the new birth by the Spirit.
We are living in a day of tolerance; a tolerance of false doctrines creeping their way into our churches today. Our churches are compromising with modernism in united efforts to increase church attendance, therefore undermining the historic faith of the early church.
When we contend for the faith, we should not do so in contentious manner, even when we are contending with those who are false teachers. In these cases, Christians are to contend firmly yet in love. We must have an eye toward reclaiming false teachers, if possible, or gaining them for the faith if they have never truly been converted.
The message of Jude is vital for the twenty-first century. Error is rampant in our churches. Truth must be proclaimed and defended. This was Jude's burden and it ought to be ours to shoulder with him.
For our exhortation and personal edification.
