CONTEND EARNESTLY FOR THE FAITH Jude 3 Trend
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CONTEND EARNESTLY FOR THE FAITH Jude 3
Trend away from Controversy �Growing unwillingness and intolerance to speak out strongly… › Against immorality › Against materialism › Against false doctrine among us › Against denominational error �A general softness is growing! 2
JUDE 3 � CONTEND (epagonizomai): “signifies to contend about a thing, as a combatant (epi, upon or about, intensive, agon, a contest). . . The word ‘earnestly’ is added to convey the intensive force of the preposition” (Vine, I: 233) � Aggressively contest, cf. 1 Tim. 6: 12 � Things we must have in order to 3
A Good Understanding �Of our salvation, Jude 3 › Our salvation is connected to what we teach, 1 Tim. 4: 16; 2 John 9 › Understanding of our salvation and of the truth motivates us to contend for 4
A Good Understanding �Of the truth, Jude 3, 5 › The faith, Gal. 1: 11, 23; Rom. 1: 16 -17 › Cannot and will not struggle for something you do not understand or with which you are unfamiliar 2 Pet. 5
A Good Understanding �Of the subtle nature of error, Jude 4 › Unnoticed, Matt. 7: 15 -16; 2 Cor. 2: 17 › Beguiles hearts, Rom. 16: 17 -18 › Corrupts minds, 2 Cor. 11: 3 -4 › Brings into bondage, Gal. 2: 4 -5 › Spreads, permeates, penetrates, 6
Discernment 7 Phil. 1: 9 -11; Col. 1: 9 -11 �To know when to fight and when to compromise, 2 Tim. 2: 14 -19; 2 Cor. 11: 4 › When truth is at stake & souls are in danger – Earnestly contend, Acts 15: 1 -2; Gal. 2: 5, 11 -14 › When differences of opinion arise over liberties – do not press them to the
Discernment 8 Phil. 1: 9 -11; Col. 1: 9 -11 �To use zeal & perseverance in contending & not for selfvindication › Zeal for God moved Jesus, John 2: 14 -17 � Not pride, ego, selfishness, malice, etc.
Love for… �God and Christ, Matt. 10: 3439; 22: 37 › Otherwise, you will leave your first love, Rev. 2: 4 �Truth, Psa. 119: 124 -128 › Otherwise, compromise follows 9
Love for… �Souls, Rom. 10: 1 -3; Gal. 2: 11 › Otherwise, souls will stumble in darkness and be lost! � The Church, 1 Tim. 3: 15 › Otherwise, it ceases to support truth and be built upon Christ! 10
Jude 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered 11