v. 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.

Devotional:

Have you ever been eager to do something and yet knew there was something more pressing that needed to be done before you could do the thing you actually wanted to do? That’s what Jude is saying here. He wants to talk about the endless riches of grace which abounds for the Church through the Good News of Jesus Christ, but instead, he has to “contend for the faith.” See, in Jude’s time, there were severe distortions of the message of Jesus being shared in order to manipulate and deceive people away from the purity of the gospel and persuade them into the ways of religion. Religion is a “do this, not that” set of rules which push you to believe you can do enough, good or bad, to merit God’s feelings toward you, but that is not true to the Gospel. The Gospel is an invitation into an abiding personal relationship with your heavenly Father who loves you and sent His Son on a rescue mission to save you.

Our salvation through faith in Jesus Christ guarantees our victory over sin and death for all eternity, and it also guarantees God’s enemy is at work against us which means we are in a fight contending for this faith.

“Just because the brilliant Commander in Chief promises victory on the beaches doesn’t mean the troops can throw their weapons overboard.” – John Piper

A fundamental truth which accompanies being a Jesus follower is we are always at war with an enemy who wants to steal, kill, and destroy us (John 10:10). We don’t have the luxury of throwing down our weapons and taking a long nap while we wait for Jesus to finish His mission to rescue sinners and redeem His creation. We have to pick up the armor of God every day to wage war in Jesus’ name contending for the faith until the day its fullness is realized.

Our faith is threatened every day through conduits such as the media, the higher education system, and generational sin to name a few. It is a truth war and we are in the crucible of human history contending for the Truth who is the person of Jesus Christ. He is not our truth we made up, He is the truth given to
us by God and through whom we live and breathe.

This truth was “delivered to all the saints” and is unchanging. The truth we know by name, the Old Testament saints knew by faith. The truth we know by faith is the same truth the apostles saw walk out of that grave in Jerusalem more than 2000 years ago.
This truth stands the test of time against all cults and lies which would seek to destroy it. Whether it be the lies of the American dream, the false revelations of the Koran or Book of Mormon, or the temptation to believe the distortions of prosperity as a gospel, it is imperative for the believer to stand on the truth of
Jesus Christ. When we do so, we are well equipped to give a defense and wage a Holy war of prayer and preaching against these demonic forces at work. Anyone who claims to have received a new revelation which is in addition to or in opposition to the Word of God given through the prophets and apostles
stands in direct opposition to God Himself.

We stand with God and on His Word. Let us not be deceived or led astray but let us hold fast to the sword of truth as we engage our enemy for the glory of our God.

REFLECTION:
How has your faith been threatened in the last month?
In what ways is the Holy Spirit challenging you to contend for
the faith? What’s your next step in doing so?