Contending Faithfully: Are You Running The Race?

The Bible says that Christians have a duty to examine themselves and their faith. In the epistle of Jude, the author explains that he initially intended to write a general letter of encouragement on the topic of the salvation we share. Instead, he felt compelled to urge his readers to contend for the faith. This means defending and fighting for the faith, which is God's truth and the gospel. It is not about being contentious, but it does mean not allowing false teachings to go unanswered.

Contending for the faith is different from defending it

Contending for the faith is not just about lofty theological matters or apologetics; it also pertains to the practical purity of God's people and how we live our everyday lives. It is about striving together as one for the faith of the gospel.

To contend for the faith, we must:

• Build ourselves up in the faith by reading and studying God's Word.
• Pray in the Holy Spirit, allowing us to understand God's truth and not be deceived by false teachers.
• Keep ourselves in God's love by living in faith and obedience to God and loving others.
• Wait with hope, living every moment with the expectation of Jesus Christ's return.

By contending for the faith, we fight against our own:

• Misuse of grace.
• Rejection of healthy and holy church authority in favor of spiritual experiences or false authority that is not from God.
• Attitudes that foster caring only for personal interests.
• Harmful words, such as grumbling, fault-finding, arrogant words, and flattery.
• Attitudes that elevate following your own way of life instead of following Christ.

Contending earnestly means defending and fighting for the faith

Contending earnestly for the faith involves several disciplines:

• Building oneself up in the faith by reading and studying God's Word to know and understand it better.
• Praying in the Holy Spirit for guidance and protection from deception.
• Keeping oneself in God's love by living a life of faith and obedience.
• Waiting with hope, living every moment with the expectation of Jesus Christ's return.

Contending earnestly for the faith requires a personal examination of one's spiritual life. It is about proving oneself and testing one's faith to ensure it aligns with the distinguishing characteristics of a true and sincere Christian. It is a call to all believers, not just Christian leaders, to defend the truth of Jesus Christ vigorously.

In conclusion, contending earnestly means defending and fighting for the faith by striving with extreme intensity, just as an athlete would in a competition, to win the victory for "the faith" – the gospel and truth of Jesus Christ.

The faith is God's truth; the gospel; His word

"The faith" is a specific faith, referring to God's truth, the gospel, and His word. It is not just any faith or a faith of one's choice. It is the saving truth of Jesus Christ and His teachings, as outlined in the Bible. This faith was "once for all" delivered and entrusted to God's holy people, and it is to be defended and fought for.

The Bible stresses the importance of contending for the faith, which involves both spiritual development and living out one's faith in everyday life. This includes reading and studying God's Word, praying in the Holy Spirit, obeying God's commands, and loving others. By doing so, believers can grow spiritually and defend against false teachings.

Contending for the faith is not just about lofty theological matters but also about the practical purity of God's people. It is about striving for holy living and persistent service, defending the gospel, and running the race of faith to get the prize. It is a personal battle against one's own temptations and a collective effort with other believers to keep the faith pure and undefiled.

As such, "the faith" is something to be obeyed, contended for, and defended earnestly. It is not open to new revelations or interpretations but is grounded in Jesus Christ as the Messiah, the Son of God, the Word made flesh.

The faith was delivered by Jesus to his apostles and disciples

The Christian faith was delivered by Jesus to his apostles and disciples during his personal ministry on Earth. Jesus promised his apostles that after his departure, he would send the Holy Spirit to help them remember all that he had taught them and to supplement his teachings with further instruction. This promise was fulfilled on the first Pentecost following the Lord's ascension.

The apostles, and those who received the gifts of prophecy and tongues through the laying on of the apostles' hands, became God's delivery system for the faith. This continued throughout the first century, and the result has been preserved in the Bible.

The faith was delivered "once for all" and was intended to be completed once for all time and all people. This is important because many false prophets have claimed to have received additional revelations. However, the faith has already been determined by Jesus himself, and any new, continuing, or special revelations of "truth" are to be rejected.

The faith that was delivered by Jesus to his apostles and disciples is grounded in Jesus Christ. He is the Messiah, the Son of the living God, God with us, the Word, and God made flesh. This faith is expressed through holy living, to which all believers are called.

As followers of Christ, we are called to contend for the faith, defending and fighting for it. This means winning hearts and minds for the Lord and not allowing false teachings to go unanswered. We must be ready to speak for the faith when it is spoken against and to correct those who would use it for their own advantage.

Contending for the faith is not just about lofty theological matters but also about the practical purity of God's people and how we live our everyday lives. It is about running our own race and fighting our own temptations faithfully. It is about nourishing relationships with those who uphold the faith and not feeding relationships with those who would smear the Lord's name or treat His grace as a pass to sin.

By contending for the faith, we are answering the call to be disciples of Jesus Christ, following in the footsteps of the apostles and disciples who first received the faith from Jesus himself.

The faith was delivered once for all

The phrase "the faith was delivered once for all" is found in the epistle of Jude, which was written to Jewish Christians living in Jerusalem. Jude initially intended to write a letter of encouragement about salvation, but he ultimately felt compelled to address a more pressing issue: the defence of the Christian faith.

Jude's use of the phrase "the faith" refers specifically to God's truth, the gospel, and His word. It is not just any faith or a matter of personal choice. This faith was delivered by Jesus to His apostles and disciples during His earthly ministry and is to be obeyed and contended for.

The use of "once for all" in Jude's epistle is significant. The Greek word "hapax" indicates that the delivery of the faith was completed once for all time and all people. This delivery was not meant to be repeated, and any claims of additional revelations or new truths should be rejected. Jude emphasizes that the faith "was once for all delivered to the saints" or "handed down to the saints," underscoring that it is not subject to change, revision, or addition.

The faith, as delivered once for all, includes the content of what Christians believe, such as the Gospel message and the moral teachings of the apostles. It is found in the sacred Scriptures, which provide all the doctrine necessary for instruction.

Jude's urgency in writing about contending for the faith stems from the presence of false teachers and prophets who were spreading dangerous heresies and immoral teachings. These individuals were distorting the grace of God to justify immoral behaviour and denying the deity of Christ. Jude calls on believers to defend the truth of Jesus Christ and His teachings vigorously, not holding anything back in this spiritual battle.

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