Contend Earnestly for the Faith Beloved while I
Contend Earnestly for the Faith “Beloved, while I was giving all diligence to write unto you of our common salvation, I was constrained to write unto you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3)
The Book The Influence of Ungodliness • Ungodly: The chief word of Jude is “ungodly” which occurs 6 times (vv 4, 15, 18) • Sebo: “Ungodly” starts with a word that means “reverence, ” “awe, ” “worship” • Alpha Privative: The “a” on the front of it conveys idea of “no” reverence (eg. Atheist) • Ungodliness: “Glorified not God”; “neither gave thanks”; “vain in reasoning”; “senseless/ darkened hearts”; “worshiped creature”— followed vile passions (Rom 1: 21 ff)
Ungodliness Turning Grace into Lasciviousness • Imposters: Men crept in secretly—imposters who came to seduce/deceive (v 4) • Reject Authority: Deny “the only” Lord and Master—Jesus Christ (v 4) • Gnostics: Likely “gnostics” who claimed special enlightenment—direct knowledge • Flesh/Evil: Body inherently evil—thus indulgence adds nothing/does no harm • Grace/Lasciviousness: Grace is sometimes argued as license—even today ( v 4; see Rom 6: 1 -2; Gal 5: 13)
The Faith The Tradition God Handed Down • The Faith: “The faith” means “the gospel” which God delivered to the saints (Acts 6: 7; 13: 8; 14: 22; Gal 1: 23; 6: 10) • Delivered: What was “handed down”— meaning “traditions” (Mark 7: 13; Matt 15: 2, 6) • Tradition/Revelation: Here revelation of Spirit (1 Cor 11: 1; 2 Thess 2: 15; 3: 6; see Eph 3: 3 -5) • Once: The “faith, ” as Jesus’ death, was “once for all” delivered (Heb 7: 27; 9: 26, 28; 10: 10)
The Saints The “Holy Ones” Separated to God • Saints: Jude addresses the brethren as “saints”—likely for a reason • Holy Ones: The word “saint” literally means the “holy ones” • Separated Ones: Saints have come out of sin to be separate—clean and undefiled (2 Cor 6: 14 -7: 1) • Corinthians: Note what they were, what they became, and what they are to do (1 Cor 6: 9 -11; 6: 19 -20)
The Fight Contend Earnestly for the Faith • Contend: Begins with the word “agony”— then has preposition to “strengthen” it • Jesus/Paul: Root word used of Jesus’ struggle in Gethsemane and Paul’s own battle (Luke 22: 44; 1 Cor 9: 24 -27) • Fight: Paul used it twice: to “fight” the good “fight” of “the faith” (1 Tim 6: 12) • Earnestly: Jesus (John 2); Peter/John (Acts 2 -5); Stephen (Acts 7); Apollos (Acts 18); Paul (Phil 1: 16)
The Faith Read, Trust, Reverence • The Faith: The “sound doctrine” of the gospel we read, trust, reverence (Rom 10: 17; Acts 15: 7; 1 Tim 6: 3) • The Faith: What calls us out of darkness into light to be “holy ones”—saints (2 Thess 2: 1314; Pet 2: 9 -10) • The Faith: Truth that exposes works of the flesh as worthy of “second death” (Rev 21: 8) • The Faith: The authoritative will of God that will judge us (Rom 2: 16; John 12: 48)
Conclusion A Reminder of Judgment to Come • Remember: Israel in wilderness; Angels who rejected authority; Sodom/Gomorrah (v 5 -7); Cain/Balaam/Korah (v 11) • “These are They”: Rocks/love feast; Shepherds feed selves; empty clouds; carried by wind; autumn trees/no fruit or roots; waves foaming shame/filth; wandering stars headed for darkness (vv 12 -13) • Judgment to Come: Ungodly convicted of their ungodliness (Vv 15 -16)
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