Contend For The Faith!

Jude 1-5

I. INTRODUCTION

Ia. The Book

Today we will start a three part series on the little but important book of Jude.  In this first message we will go through his introduction to the letter and get to the key command for which he wrote the letter.  I want to talk about what he called “our common salvation” and I want to bathe this talk in scripture, so I plan to tie together many passages today.  Hopefully you will be as blessed as I was in reading them this week.

First, a few facts about this tiny little book:

• Most Christians probably give the book little notice, due to
• its small size (one chapter of 25 verses) and location (end of letters – last stop before revelation),
• its obscure author (not a big name or apostle - not Paul or Peter or James or John – who is Jude?),
• its bullet-like use of OT references and references to extra-biblical strange stories
• even its very negative, condemning tone when talking about false teachers.

Have you studied Jude?

• Even historically, it was one of the later books to be accepted into the canon, along with 2 & 3 John, partially because of its non-apostolic origin.
• It is actually a very valuable book with an important command for all Christians – one that is very timely in our age (as in every age).  It also eloquently and beautifully describes the basis for the security of our salvation, with one of the most wonderful doxologies in the NT. 
• For this reason, its placement between the epistles and the final book of Revelation is very appropriate – sort of a last reminder of what we need to be careful about as we live in this age when there are false teachers all around trying to turn us away from the faith.
• Because of the emotional (nearly poetic) tirades against the false teachers and the piling on of obscure examples in the book we might come to the conclusion that it lacks structure and forethought – just an emotional outburst.  But a closer look reveals a large amount of forethought and organization.  In its 25 verses we actually will find a well-reasoned series of thoughts that are bound together in a very tight and organized structure, which shows a lot of work on the part of the author.
• The book of Jude shares over half of its basic content with the second chapter of the second letter from Peter, so it is generally thought that one of the two authors borrowed from the other, or that both of them wrote their letters at about the same time and from the same place to deal with the same pressing issues.

Ib. The Author

Jude 1:1-2  ¹ Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ.  ² May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

• As with most of the epistles the author follows the Greco-Roman ancient letter format of Author, Recipient, and greeting.  The author identifies himself as

• Jude.  Actually Judas (Hebrew Judah), a very common name (8 named that in scripture).  Popular because of the progenitor of the tribe of Judah but also the hero Judas Maccabeus.  (The name Judas lost most of its popularity outside Judaism because of the actions of Judas Iscariot and now “Judas” is as common in most cultures as “Adolf”)

• The brother of James.  James was the leader of the Jerusalem council (Acts 15:13), an important figure in the early church.  James was a half-brother to Jesus, so Jude also grew up with Jesus as a big brother.  (The two are mentioned in the gospels, for instance [Mat 13:55 NASB] "Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?”  It is interesting that neither James nor Jude mention this fact in their letters – their being children of Mary was not what gave them value – it was their relation to the Lord Jesus in salvation.  This is especially interesting because, as John points out in his gospel, when Jesus was doing his public ministry on Earth “…not even His brothers were believing in Him.” [Jhn 7:5 NASB].  Instead of using his family connections to “lord it over” the church he instead identifies himself as

• “Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ”.  He does not say “good ol’ Jesus’ favorite little brother.  No, he calls himself literally “a slave of the Messiah, Jesus”.  James says basically the same thing in his introduction.  In Christ we all bow together equally before the throne of love and grace, marveling in his acceptance of us.  How different is that from many modern televangelists and leaders of “Christian” cults who talk about their special visits and visions from giant glowing Jesuses who direct them to tell everyone about their special relationship.  How unlike the true humility of someone who has come to Jesus face to face, only saved by His undeserved grace, mercy, and love!.

Ic. The Audience

• The intended recipients of this letter are all Christians everywhere.  They are given a three-fold description by Jude:

• those who are called.  A favorite term of the apostle Paul, this speaks of what we call the effectual call of God.  There are two calls mentioned in the NT with respect to salvation.

• A general call to all sinners to repent.  The invitation goes out to all sinners, and all who respond are promised salvation.  All who reject this call will not be saved.  Paul in Athens said:  “[Act 17:30-31 ESV] 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."  Jesus told Nicodemus “[Jhn 3:16 ESV] 16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”  Paul told Timothy “[1Tim 2:3-4 ESV] 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

• The effectual call of believers to salvation. In the case of people who believe, God, in his mercy and through the Holy Spirit implants understanding and faith in people who are spiritually dead.  Paul calls the Roman Christians “[Rom 1:6 ESV] …you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ” and tells the Corinthians “[1Co 1:9 ESV] God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”  Peter warns “[2Pe 1:10-11 ESV] ¹⁰ Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall. ¹¹ For in this way there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 

• This effectual call includes the entire package: enlightenment, a change of heart, keeping the heart from falling away, and delivering us to eternal glory in his presence.  None of it is by our own strength or righteousness – only his power and glory – so ONLY HE GETS THE GLORY!  Paul says: “[Rom 8:28-31 ESV] ²⁸ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. ³⁰ And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. ³¹ What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”  and also “[Eph 4:4-7 ESV] ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call-- ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. ⁷ But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.”  To the Corinthians he wrote “[2Co 4:5-7 ESV] ⁵ For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. ⁶ For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”  And, at the end of this letter, Jude caps off his treatment of THE FAITH once delivered for all the saints with these wonderful words, ending with a hymn of praise: “[Jude 1:24-25 ESV] ²⁴ Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, ²⁵ to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”  It is ALL Jesus!  Amen!

• With Jude we are of course filled with praise and excitement about the wonderful news of God’s mercy and love, and the peace with God and peace of God that we experience because of his calling.  It is impossible that a redeemed soul would not be moved by this wonderful truth.  It is the ultimate humbling to the unsaved human soul, however, which cannot accept that (a) he is unworthy of the love of God and only worthy of hell, and (b) that his good deeds, such as they are, should not make God his debtor to forgive those myriads of sins that he may have committed in some “moment of weakness”.  But that is the case – we should give God the glory, often and with great amounts of genuine thankfulness.   Like Paul, when we realize the “surpassing grace of God” upon us, we should say “[2Co 9:15 ESV] Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!”

• But James gives two more descriptions of his recipients (actually, we will see that through his entire letter he presents things in groups of three):

• beloved in God. John MacArthur writes “God chose to save believers because He loved them.  Based totally on His sovereign pleasure and for reasons beyond human comprehension.  … Even when they were rebels, he chose them to be His children” As Paul told the Romans “[Rom 5:8 NASB] 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

• The word beloved is agapaō.  The passive participle in the perfect tense, indicating that “God placed His love on believers in eternity past with results that continue in the present and into the future.”  This agrees with Paul in Eph 1:4 “… he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us…”
• We already spoke of Paul’s exaltation of God’s love in Romans 8.  The apostle John also exulted with “[1Jo 3:1a NASB] See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. “, where “how great” actually translates a term meaning “from what country?”.  It is, as the song says :

Your love is amazing, Steady and unchanging

Your love is a mountain, Firm beneath my feet

Your love is a mystery, How You gently lift me

When I am surrounded, Your love carries me

• Is it not just icing on the cake that Jude adds “in God”? As Jesus said “[John 10:27-29 ESV] ²⁷ My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.” 

• Do you see the call, and the love that makes it happen?  Excited yet?  But wait!  There is more!

• kept for Jesus Christ. As we just read in John 10, we belong to Jesus.  As the Good Shepherd, he knows us (his sheep) and we know Him.  How do we know Him?  Remember the work of the Holy Spirit shining in our hearts to “give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”  See how it all works together, this mercy and grace of God?

• The word “kept” means “to observe, pay attention to, keep under guard, maintain”, and many translators believe that a better translation of the phrase would be “kept by Jesus Christ”.  Our salvation is secure because He keeps us.  The truth is that if it were up to us to keep our salvation, we would be out of luck.  But the call of God leads all the way, as Paul wrote: “[Phl 1:6 ESV] And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.“ Exult, then, and sing with the hymn writer:

Let Thy mercy, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love;

Here's my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above

Ic. The Greeting

• Continuing his tradition of groups of three, Jude’s greeting wishes three things for his readers:

Jude 1:2   May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

• After reading his threefold description of us, his readers, as called, loved and kept, this greeting follows pretty closely the truth he has already expressed – for those of us to whom the call extended mercy, driven by love, which keeps us at peace with God, Jude wishes that these qualities would be multiplied to us.  The word multiplied means to be increased – (implying) to the fullest measure.  Certainly we need a constant supply of God’s mercy, peace and love to not only get by in this life (on this fallen world) but also to live life to the fullest.  Try showing the patience of God to your neighbor without God’s peace in your heart.  Try passing on the love of God to others without remembering the depths of God’s undeserved love for you.  And try showing mercy to others without remembering his amazing mercy to us that called us when we were not even looking for Him.

• We cannot pass on any of the good attributes of God to others unless they are manifesting in our own lives.

II. Jude’s Purpose

• Jude is an unusual book in that it is the only one (that I know of) where the author admits that he sat down with the intention of writing one thing and ended up writing something else:

Jude 1:3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

• The original intention of Jude was evidently to write a treatise about salvation, which he was eager to do.  Actually the words translated “I was very eager” actually literally mean to “make every effort to” or “rush eagerly to”.  It was greatly on his heart, and just by his greeting we get a glimpse of what a magnificent document that would be.  But the Holy Spirit had something else in mind, and try as he might, James felt the necessity to make a different appeal.  (The word necessity literally means “to compress”).  He was squeezed by circumstances, or his concern for the church, or by the Spirit (probably all three) to make an appeal, with great urgency, for Christians to “contend for the faith”.

• When this book was written (probably AD 68-70) many of the original apostles were gone.  Paul had recently been executed by Rome and Peter would soon follow.  The second generation of church leaders was taking the reigns, and it was nearly time for final instructions.  The canon was being gathered and would soon close (John would finish the revelation some 20 years later as the last surviving apostle.)  As has happened since the beginning of time (including in the garden of Eden with the serpent), when God had given his words, Satan had been right there twisting and contradicting and trying to turn people away from the truth.  He has never changed his strategy of “has God said?”, and he enjoys success because of the sinful desires in the hearts of his hearers.

• Jude wished to appeal (parakaleō – exhorting, encouraging) that they (therefore we) contend earnestly for the faith.  This is a “powerful expression” which translates the word epagōnizomai (containing the word from which we get the English word “agonize”).  This is no light, part time, extra credit (if you have time) job, but an entrenched battle, hard work, an all-out effort.  The verb is a present infinitive, which means that we need to defend the truth continuously and vigorously. We must, like Paul and Timothy, “fight the good fight”!

• IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND JUDE’S DESCRIPTION OF THE FAITH.  It is “once for all delivered to the saints”.

• Delivered: We are not to sit, meditating and contemplating our navels, take drugs, have séances, seek secret knowledge from monks and hermits in caves in distant lands.  The faith was given by God, therefore seeking it from other sources than his word is wrong and an insult to Him.  Paul states “[2 Tim 3:16-17] ¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” And Peter agrees: “[2Pet 1:20-21 ESV] ²⁰ knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. ²¹ For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

• Once for all: the word “hapax” here refers to “something that is accomplished or completed one time, with lasting results and no need of repetition”.  Peter again: “[2 Pet 1:3]  His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,”

• To the saints: This “the Faith” was given in its entirety, by God, once for all, for his people, us.  It is his gift and guide, and we do well to keep and defend it and very poorly indeed if we lose, misuse, misplace it, or worse, allow it to be attacked or obscured within our own church.  Thus we need to agonize for the Faith.

III. THE Faith

W hat is it that unifies us together?  What makes us Christians?  THE FAITH.  No, I did not say “faith”.  We are saved “through faith” (Eph 2:8), God gives us faith (Eph 2:9, Romans 12:3), but faith is not a “force” that we used to gain favor with God.  And faith with the wrong object does not save.  If I believe that I can be saved by doing any amount of works I am in the same category as someone who jumps off a bridge because he believes wearing a superman cape makes him able to fly.  The truths of the universe are fixed, no matter how much we believe otherwise they will not change.

It is interesting that all through the New Testament the apostles often talk about “THE FAITH” as a particular and unique thing as distinct from other things, other beliefs, and systems.  When we see the definite article in front of it we need to pay particular attention.  What does scripture tell us about “THE FAITH”?

·         We see at the beginning of the church deacons were established to allow the apostles to devote themselves to preaching and teaching, so that “The word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7) 

·         On his first missionary journey, even being stoned and left for dead outside of one town did not stop Paul from preaching in the next towns, “strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.””  (Acts 14:22) 

·         The same was true on his second missionary journey, when, after recruiting Timothy, his team went to all of the churches in Asia minor so that “the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.” (Acts 16:5).  

·         Paul told the Corinthians “Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong” (1 Cor 16:13)

·         and warned them “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test? ⁶ But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test.” (2 Cor 13:5-6)

·         Paul said of his own Jewish people “before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.”  (Gal 3:23)

·         He told the Galatians: “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” (Gal 6:10)

·         He told the Ephesians that spiritual gifts were given to Christians for a reason: “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; ¹³ until we all attain to the unity of the faith” (Eph 4:11-13a)

·         Paul told the Philippians he believed he would not be put to death in his upcoming trial because “, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,”  (Phil 1:25)

·         Paul referred to his convert Timothy as “my true child in the faith” (1 Tim 1:2)

·         He told Titus to “Greet those who love us in the faith.” (Titus 3:15)

·         He told Timothy “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim 5:8)

·         He said of his own conversion that others were amazed that “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy." (Gal 1:23)

·         At the end of his life – finishing the course involved keeping the faith – from loving his appearing:  “⁶ For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. ⁷ I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;”  (2 Tim 4:6-7)

These references to THE FAITH come with several admonitions and warnings:

·         Jude tells us “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.” (1:3)

·         Paul tells the Colossians: “²¹ And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, ²² yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach-- ²³ if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, was made a minister.” (Col 1:21-23)

·         Paul warns Timothy about loving the world’s lusts and riches ”For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs..” and also ²⁰ “O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called "knowledge"- ²¹ which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith.” (1 Tim 6:10, 20-21a)

·         He said that when churches appointed Deacons that they “must be men of dignity, not double-tongued, or addicted to much wine or fond of sordid gain, ⁹ but holding to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience..”  (1 Tim 3:8-9)

·         He was even stronger with Elders, who should always be: “ holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”  (Titus 1:9) Why do elders need to be able to do this?  “¹⁰ For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, ¹¹ who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach for the sake of sordid gain.¹³ ... For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, ¹⁴ not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth. … ¹⁶ They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.” (Titus 1:10-11, 13b-14, 16)

Why contend against false teachers for THE FAITH?  There are people who actively try to oppose it:

·         At the start (on his first missionary journey) we see Paul being opposed in Salamis by a false prophet named Bar-Jesus “⁷ who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence. This man summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the magician (for so his name is translated) was opposing them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith” (Acts 13:6-8)

·         About the other end of the church age Paul warns us “the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doc-trines of demons,” (1 Tim 4:1)

·         In 2 Tim 3:2-9 Paul warns about these false teachers, saying they are “⁷ always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸ …[they] also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith.”

So, THE FAITH was revealed to us by God, THE FAITH made us into a family, THE FAITH unifies us, THE FAITH gives us our progress and joy, THE FAITH gives us a clear conscience, THE FAITH is THE TRUTH.

THE FAITH will be attacked, so we need to stand firm in THE FAITH, to be strengthened in THE FAITH, be obedient to THE FAITH, hold to THE FAITH, test our selves to see if we are in THE FAITH, and to continue in THE FAITH (which demonstrates the reality of our salvation)

We need to beget others in THE FAITH, preach only THE FAITH, teach (and be taught) THE FAITH, contend for THE FAITH, and correct those who stray from THE FAITH.

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