#49d- Contending For The Faith?
<<< BIBLE CHAPTER SECTIONS: >>>
(English Standard Version)
Jude - Greeting - Judgment on False Teachers - A Call to Persevere - Doxology
COMMENTS and QUESTIONS
by J Neil Evans:
Read Jude yourself then …
Watch the Bible Project video Jude
As the half-brother of Jesus Judah had a ring side seat to the people Jesus attracted. Along with his other brothers Judah didn’t become a convinced follower of Jesus until after the Resurrection. He had seen people want to be around Jesus just for the feeling of excitement and notoriety. Being taught in the same home and schools as Jesus, Judah was very well educated in the Jewish Scriptures. When he did become convinced that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah, his life, like many others, was captivated by the salvation Jesus brought. As his life was transformed he longed to share the Glory of Jesus and the Good News.
But as Judah looked and listened to what was happening in the multiplying groups of Jesus’ followers, he became alarmed at what was happening. As he thought and prayed about what he saw he recognized that throughout all of Biblical history there were people who misunderstood, misused and misrepresented what God was doing. In his brief letter to the scattering Christians, he said that while he would like to talk about the wonders Jesus gave, but the urgent need was to challenge them to be aware of the imposters in their midst and to “contend for the faith” that had been “once for all delivered to the saints.” (:3) He saw people attaching themselves to churches for how they could use it for their own ends rather than how it could transform them.
In his brief letter Judah graphically described these infiltrators. They were: “ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (:4) For those familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures and traditions he reminded them of how God had consistently judged people who “relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.” (:8) They are people who: “blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.” (:10)
The great danger to the Church was not so much the actions of these kinds of people outside the Church, but the awful influence they could have on the inside. He warned them: “These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.” (:12,13) To be taken in by them would result in sharing their coming judgment. But the immediate effect of their presence in a church would be realized as well.
“These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.” (:16) And just as the Apostles had predicted, they would: “be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.” (:18,19)
Judah had told “those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ, the beloved ones,” (:1) to contend for the faith. He clearly described the need to contend for the faith. So then he described how to contend. Obviously they were to expose the imposters, but there is something even more important and fundamental in “contending for the faith.” The tendency is probably to simply try to get rid of troubled trouble makers. But Jude counsels: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” (:20-23)
To contend for the faith means to first and foremost work at building up, growing and deepening ones own LIFE in the unique faith the Bible teaches. This requires praying for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, immersing yourself in God’s Love, and humbly waiting for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus in which we find His Eternal LIFE. There is always the danger of being led astray by imposters, and it often happens when the focus is more on confronting detractors than on making certain our own heart and mind is growing in The Faith. In fact, rather than seeing imposters as the enemy, we ought to see them as victims of The Enemy and “have mercy on those who doubt.” The challenge is to, rather than war against categories of people, seek and depend on God’s guidance in how to appropriately deal with each particular situation and each individual. Jesus had the amazing ability (because He is God, of course) to say: “Woe to you!” with both justice and love. We should ask Him to help us do the same.
To keep us from the parallel dangers of pride and despair, Judah returns to the essence of the “salvation” about which he first desired to write. He reminds us of Who God is, what He is like, what He has done and what He will do for us. “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (:24,25) Essential to contending for The Faith is a constant awareness and thanksgiving that if there is any faithfulness in us, it is God’s doing and He Alone deserves the Glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, always, past present and future.
(English Standard Version)
Jude - Greeting - Judgment on False Teachers - A Call to Persevere - Doxology
COMMENTS and QUESTIONS
by J Neil Evans:
Read Jude yourself then …
Watch the Bible Project video Jude
As the half-brother of Jesus Judah had a ring side seat to the people Jesus attracted. Along with his other brothers Judah didn’t become a convinced follower of Jesus until after the Resurrection. He had seen people want to be around Jesus just for the feeling of excitement and notoriety. Being taught in the same home and schools as Jesus, Judah was very well educated in the Jewish Scriptures. When he did become convinced that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah, his life, like many others, was captivated by the salvation Jesus brought. As his life was transformed he longed to share the Glory of Jesus and the Good News.
But as Judah looked and listened to what was happening in the multiplying groups of Jesus’ followers, he became alarmed at what was happening. As he thought and prayed about what he saw he recognized that throughout all of Biblical history there were people who misunderstood, misused and misrepresented what God was doing. In his brief letter to the scattering Christians, he said that while he would like to talk about the wonders Jesus gave, but the urgent need was to challenge them to be aware of the imposters in their midst and to “contend for the faith” that had been “once for all delivered to the saints.” (:3) He saw people attaching themselves to churches for how they could use it for their own ends rather than how it could transform them.
In his brief letter Judah graphically described these infiltrators. They were: “ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (:4) For those familiar with the Hebrew Scriptures and traditions he reminded them of how God had consistently judged people who “relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.” (:8) They are people who: “blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.” (:10)
The great danger to the Church was not so much the actions of these kinds of people outside the Church, but the awful influence they could have on the inside. He warned them: “These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.” (:12,13) To be taken in by them would result in sharing their coming judgment. But the immediate effect of their presence in a church would be realized as well.
“These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.” (:16) And just as the Apostles had predicted, they would: “be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.” (:18,19)
Judah had told “those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ, the beloved ones,” (:1) to contend for the faith. He clearly described the need to contend for the faith. So then he described how to contend. Obviously they were to expose the imposters, but there is something even more important and fundamental in “contending for the faith.” The tendency is probably to simply try to get rid of troubled trouble makers. But Jude counsels: “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” (:20-23)
To contend for the faith means to first and foremost work at building up, growing and deepening ones own LIFE in the unique faith the Bible teaches. This requires praying for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, immersing yourself in God’s Love, and humbly waiting for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus in which we find His Eternal LIFE. There is always the danger of being led astray by imposters, and it often happens when the focus is more on confronting detractors than on making certain our own heart and mind is growing in The Faith. In fact, rather than seeing imposters as the enemy, we ought to see them as victims of The Enemy and “have mercy on those who doubt.” The challenge is to, rather than war against categories of people, seek and depend on God’s guidance in how to appropriately deal with each particular situation and each individual. Jesus had the amazing ability (because He is God, of course) to say: “Woe to you!” with both justice and love. We should ask Him to help us do the same.
To keep us from the parallel dangers of pride and despair, Judah returns to the essence of the “salvation” about which he first desired to write. He reminds us of Who God is, what He is like, what He has done and what He will do for us. “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.” (:24,25) Essential to contending for The Faith is a constant awareness and thanksgiving that if there is any faithfulness in us, it is God’s doing and He Alone deserves the Glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, always, past present and future.
Check out these LINKS:
Watch Bible Project summary of Jude
Read "Bible Words to Ponder" related to this week study
Read "The Gospel"