Earnestly Contending For The Faith

Greetings to each one of you in the name of Jesus. It's good to be with you today. For announcements, brother's meeting is going to be postponed this Wednesday.

It'll be something else but that will be announced. Ben will, I'm sure, send an announcement around. Birthdays, we have the one and only Caden, the big one three, one six, 16 years old.

That's a good age to be. God bless you, Caden, in the coming year. For a text for this morning's devotional, you can turn to the book of Jude.

The topic of this devotional is earnestly contending for the faith. I was blessed looking into this. What does it mean to earnestly contend for the faith? What is the purpose of it? What is the need for it? And I believe that is the main thrust of the book of Jude.

And so we would like to look at the whole book here, although partially our focus will be just on a portion of it. But let's begin reading in the book of Jude, chapter or verse one. There is only one chapter, verse one.

And it says, Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father and preserved in Jesus Christ and called mercy unto you and peace and love be multiplied. 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 you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not, but what they know naturally, as brute beasts in those things they corrupt themselves.

Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah. These are spots in your feast of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear, clouds they are without water, carried about of winds, trees whose fruit withereth without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame, wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts, and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. But beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, how that they told you, there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the spirit.

But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference, and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garments spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Savior be glory and majesty, dominion and power both now and forever.

Amen. So earnestly contending for the faith, and the only thing I can really do is read what it says in this passage and try to expound on it, giving you context in other areas of scripture, what is it referring to, and I believe that will help us to understand what it means, at least that was what helped me read it, compare, what is it talking about, when it talks about Korah, what happened there, when it talks about Cain, what happened there. So if I was to summarize this in a sentence, it would be, lawless men have crept in who will spoil you if you do not build yourselves up in and earnestly contend for the faith, and I believe that is true today as much as it was then.

It's nothing new, it's not a new thing that has come in, it was part of the church back then, and it says that it was men of old, for there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained. I believe what that is saying is that it was spoken of in the Old Testament, that in the last days mockers would come, in the last days there would be men who turned the grace of our God into lasciviousness. What does lasciviousness mean? To my understanding it basically means lawlessness.

Men who take the grace of God and say we are without law, we are under grace. I've heard that, I can't tell you how many times, from people who do not want to retain the law of God in their hearts, and they say we are under grace, therefore we do not have law, and they have this mentality of lasciviousness. Now, lasciviousness can be taken all the way into complete immorality and lawlessness where you have no regard for law whatsoever, whether earthly or spiritually.

In this case, I think it is referring to spiritual lasciviousness where you do not follow the law of God, and I don't believe it's necessarily referring to the Old Testament law. Maybe there's aspects of that, I don't quite understand it, but I believe we could all think of examples of people that we know who are lawless. It mentions Korah.

What was the significance of Korah? Rejection of authority, I believe, is the significance of that. If you look at the story of Korah and what happened, basically what they said is, it was Korah, Dathan, Abiram, they came to Moses and basically said, who do you think you are to be judge over us and be an authority over us? We're all good people, we're all holy, and we can fend for ourselves. I believe that's a very dangerous mentality that is in the church today.

I've heard it myself, I've semi-believed it myself, which is partly why I can say I know it's there. It's the mentality that I don't need an authority between me and God because I'm good enough on my own. It was a complete rejection of the authority of the church, you could say, because of the relationship of Moses.

It was God, then through Moses, and he preached to the children of Israel. In our day, it could be our elders, it could be pastors, parents. We have authorities in our lives, and we do well to bring ourselves under the authority of those authorities.

Turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. I don't know if they were actually saying, if they were saying things that denied God, or was it that they were denying the structure that God had ordained of authority and law. I tend to think that it's probably that, that when it says denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ, it was denying the authority of Jesus Christ.

And then, okay, so he warns them and says, just so you know, there's these people that have crept into this church unawares. They're already here. And this is not, I'm not saying that they're here.

That's not the point of this. But the point is that we should be aware, and it is out there in society, that men have crept in unaware who deny our Lord Jesus and live lawlessly. Let me continue here, and then I will give some examples.

He talks about these people as he compares them to Sodom and Gomorrah. They were lawless. They were given over to sexual immorality, going after strange flesh, and are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

Likewise, these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion. There's that thing of authority. They despise authority.

That's what that means. And speak evil of dignities. As near as I could figure out, that means speaking evil of celestial beings.

I don't know that we necessarily have that today or what exactly that would look like, but we know that the people that this is referring to despise authority. And the way I was thinking of this is not necessarily, there is a part of it where we need to look out for others, look out for those who do despise authority, look out for these people who will lead others astray, but also that we are not these people ourselves. So to me, it was convicting to look at this and say, do I despise authority? Do I have religion just because it's walking in its silver slippers and the wind is at my back and the sun is shining on my shoulders? We're going to look at that in a little bit.

Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, the Lord rebuke thee. Michael the archangel, with all the authority that he had, would not even bring a railing accusation against Satan, but said, the Lord rebuke thee. Now, I know many people who directly rebuke Satan as though they have all the authority, and I'm not quite sure what to make of that.

But it does bring to my mind this passage here, and I almost always think about it when I hear somebody say, oh, Satan, you get out of here, or something like this. They'll say something to that effect, just talking directly with Satan, like, I have all the authority. And in a way, I think we do.

But Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil and disputing about the body of Moses, he would not bring a railing accusation against Satan, because he had respect for God's authority. And Michael the archangel was putting himself under God's authority. He said, the Lord rebuke thee.

I think we do well to take note of that. But these speak evil of those things which they know not. I thought that was an interesting one.

I know that's a tendency of myself. If there's something that I have a negative opinion about for one reason or another, whether I know something about it or not, I will often tend to speak negatively of it. You hear a bad report about somebody.

It just happened yesterday, to be honest. My wife and I were discussing a certain author, and I was like, oh, I don't like this author, because of this and this and this. And then I was like, I'll look it up.

So I looked it up, and I couldn't find any evidence whatsoever for the things that I had just said. And I didn't know anything about it, but I was willing to speak negatively about this person. So just a confession.

It happened to me. It's a real part of our lives where you're willing to speak negatively about something that you don't know about. Just a caution, something that we should be aware of.

Maybe these have crept in more than we would like to think. Wall into them. Okay, and then it says, but what they know naturally as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

So that one, I couldn't quite understand it, but it seems like it's something like, even the things that you know, you're still corrupting them, because of this whole mindset of, I don't need authority. Yeah, I don't quite understand that part of it. In those things, they corrupt themselves, in the things that they know, in the things that they do know.

Woe unto them, for they have gone the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam, for reward, and perished in the game saying of Korah. I didn't really delve, I know there's many messages out there on the doctrine of Balaam. I know it's a well spoken about subject.

I didn't really delve into it, but just thinking about it, what was it? He was willing to curse God's people for a price. It was a religion of convenience. He was willing to walk in the ways of God, and bless God's people as long as it benefited him, and as soon as it benefited him to walk the other way, that's exactly what he did.

It reminded me of a quote from Pilgrim's Progress, a man by the name of Byans. He was talking with Christian and Hopeful, and they were talking about, it was after they had been by the filthy hill of Luker, and they were talking about whether or not, oh no, they hadn't come there yet. My bad, that was a future time.

So they're walking along and talking about whether or not religion can be used as a means to an end. In other words, are you religious for what you can get out of it, or are you religious because it is the right thing? And I'm thinking about this in the connection with Balaam and Cain. Cain sold his birthright when it didn't suit him.

He didn't have any regard for the structure that God had created in the family. So this is a quote from Pilgrim's Progress, and this is Byans speaking, and then he's referring to Christian and Hopeful. He says, they are for holding their notions though all other men are against them, but I am for religion insofar as the times and my safety will bear it.

They are for religion when in rags and contempt, but I am for him when he walks in his golden slippers in the sunshine and with applause. Very interesting. Something that's definitely stuck out to me from listening to Pilgrim's Progress many times.

In my mind, I think Christianity is in the sunshine and golden slippers and applause today, especially in the West and especially in the United States. Maybe not so much Canada, but when Jesus is preached from a political stage, I think Christians should be very wary of that. I believe, and I don't think this is speaking evil of dignities, but I believe that many politicians are adopting conservative and Christian thinking and speaking because it is walking in its golden slippers and because it is in applause, not because that is where their hearts really are.

So it's definitely occurred to me. It's very easy to follow the conservative and Christian valued politicians in what they say because we identify with the conservative and Christian part, but what we don't see is the walking in its golden slippers part and that as soon as it's inconvenient to be a Christian, many will abandon that faith. Woe unto them for they have gone the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward and perish in the gainsaying of Korah.

The gainsaying of Korah was when Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, as I said, they came to Moses and said, who are you to have authority over us? And they essentially said, we are all holy and we will have our own relationship with God and we don't need you. That, I believe, is an extremely dangerous attitude of rejection of authority and standing yourself up as being good enough with God that you don't need anybody else. But I would say there is no relationship with God without another brother, without the family of God.

You can't just have a relationship with God where it's just you and God and there's no relation to any other Christians anywhere. Now, that's not to say that you cannot be saved without having direct connections with other fellow believers, but there is no church, there is no kingdom of God without fellow believers. And the thrust of this section here, I believe, is that God will destroy those that have this attitude.

That's what happened to Korah and we will read further. These are spots in your feasts of charity when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear. Clouds they are without water, carried about of winds, trees whose fruit withereth.

Without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame. Wondering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these things, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts. In their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.

Right there I think is a very key part, that last part, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage, basically means being a respecter of persons so that you can benefit. I like you because of what you're going to do for me. I think that is the position of many in this world who claim the name of Christ, who are walking in Christianity because it is in applause, because it is walking in its golden slippers, with the sunshine on their shoulders, because of advantage.

I keep going back to the political world because I think that is greatly influencing conservative Christian daily life. We follow the news, we're like, oh yes, this is my side of politics, and we cheer when the conservatives are ahead, and we boo when the liberals are ahead. Okay.

Having men's persons in admiration because of advantage, I think the reality is that many politicians are admiring of conservative values because of the advantage that they can wield, and we need to be aware of that. And what we also need to know is that these men who have crept in unawares will be destroyed. I'm not necessarily saying that these politicians are going to be destroyed, or the people that are creeping into the church, but in the end, their worldview will be destroyed.

In the end, these people will be destroyed. Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. But beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the spirit. Sensual basically means worldly. They who separate themselves, that means cause division.

We need to be aware of that. They cause division. They are worldly, having not the spirit.

There's the big warning. So there's an admonition in the beginning, beloved, and this is the beginning of Jude. Beloved, when I wrote unto you the common salvation, ye found it needful to exhort that you should earnestly contend for the faith, and here's the big reason.

He gives them the big reason. You have all these people who are turning the grace of God into lasciviousness. He goes on to describe them and give examples and comparisons.

He compares them to Balaam and to Korah and to Cain. He compares them to Sodom and Gomorrah, raging waves of the sea, murmurers, complainers, and then he says, but ye beloved, and now he says back to you, you beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life, and if some have compassion, making a difference, and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Another example of the mindset who says that we are all good enough before God, one of the recent popes said, all religions are a path to reach God.

Some are Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Christians, they are all different ways to God. That's an example of in the quote-unquote church of God, how these ideas have crept in unawares. That was the pope of the Catholic church that said that.

That has great influence in the world, in the minds of many quote-unquote Christians. The attitude of we're all good enough by ourselves. There's a song out there that says, whether I'm right or whether I'm wrong, I gotta be me, I gotta be me.

I'll go it alone, that's how it must be, I gotta be free, I gotta be free. The idea of lawlessness or lasciviousness is about freedom. I want to be me, I want to do my own thing, I want to be my own man.

Don't tread on me. But it is a worldly attitude, as it says here, they, these be they who separate themselves sensual, not having the spirit. It's a worldly attitude.

The thing that these people are seeking with this lascivious attitude is freedom. But we as Christians know that freedom comes when we put ourselves under God's authority. Freedom does not come as a driver when you're driving on the road by going however fast you want.

That's how bondage comes. Caden might be driving pretty soon, but I can tell you right now, freedom does not come by going however fast you want. Freedom comes by putting your own limits on your own freedoms.

If you do not limit your own freedom, your freedom will be taken away by a higher authority. And you can see that by how the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. So what does it mean to build yourselves up in the most holy faith? What does it mean to earnestly contend for the faith? Let me read some parallel passages that speak about this, and I believe it helps give us an idea of what that means.

Let's turn to Philippians 1. Philippians 1 and reading in verse 27 to 30. Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, and that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel, and in nothing terrified by adversaries, which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation and that of God. For unto you it is given on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now here to be in me.

Paul had just listed some of the afflictions that he has in being in bondage. For unto you it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake. If we are truly living for God, I believe we will suffer for his sake.

What does it mean to earnestly contend for the faith? Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ, that whether I come and see you or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind, striving together for the faith of the gospel. I believe that's one aspect of what it means to earnestly contend for the faith, striving together for the faith of the gospel. There is a togetherness in earnestly contending for the faith.

It cannot be done alone. It must be done as a group. Another cross-reference to this would be Colossians chapter 2. Colossians 2 and reading from verse 4 to verse 10.

It says, And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words, for though I be absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

For in him dwelleth the of the Godhead bodily, and ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. I believe that is one of the keys to being built up in the faith and earnestly contending for the faith. Ye are complete in him.

Find your completeness in Christ. Put yourself under the Christ, rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. As ye have therefore received Christ the Lord Jesus, so walk ye in him.

The gospel is simple as it refers to it in Jude. It refers to it as the common salvation. It's not a nuanced and hidden thing, but it's speaking of the salvation of Jesus Christ.

It's not complicated as it says here. Beware of any man, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit. Speaking big complicated things, making it sound like the gospel is complicated, it is simple.

Rooted and built up in him. So that's to conclude. Put yourself under God's authority.

Be rooted in Christ Jesus, not in politics, not in world affairs, not in finding your own freedoms, not in being lawless, but putting yourself in subjection to God's authority, putting your own restraints on your own freedoms. And that will bring you true freedom, and that will allow you to be built up in the faith, earnestly contending for the faith. So may God add his blessing.

We will not be having Sunday school.