Contend for the faith.

3/21/2018

Here is an excerpt from the book, The Warnings of Jude.

 

Jude 1:3 (KJV) 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.

Jude begins in this third verse by saying "I gave all diligence to write unto you." Jude was greatly troubled by what was going on in the churches. The False Teachers that had arose to pervert the gospel to lead men and women into false beliefs and away from the truth of God's word. Pagan idols had come into the churches, along with these pagan idols the teaching of Gnosticism was coming into the churches as well.

In the book A Summary of Christian History it states; "The roots of Gnosticism may be found in Jewish writings like those of Philo of Alexandria (20 BC - 40 AD)." "Gnosticism was a search for salvation through knowledge." "Gnosticism attempted to explain the nature of evil, the nature of God and his relation to the world, and the present order of existence." All of these things were coming against the newly founded churches and new Christian believers. The devil was trying to destroy the faith of new born saints, something had to be done.

When Jude speaks of giving all diligence to writing to the Christians, he is saying I have thought much, prayed much, on how to best address the problems that are among you. He then stresses the fact of a common salvation. There was much contention, each faction in the church said their belief and their ideals were the right ones. Does this remind you of the church today? Jude's epistle in this third verse is trying to bring everyone back to the knowledge that we are saved by a common salvation; common in the fact that we are all saved the very same way.

Salvation comes through repenting of our sins, the acceptance of salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Jude was grieved in his heart at what was happening. Paul was also very concerned that the church was suffering from the on slot of the enemy. Paul wrote to the Galatians "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:"

Used by permissin of the author: David Wilson