Earnestly Contend for the Faith

Earnestly contend for the Faith

(Jude 1:3) 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 or Judah is the  brother of Yeshua having the same mother.  Yeshua had 3 bothers, Jude, James and Simon.  We understand through the scripture that two of them James and Jude received Yeshua as Ha-Mashiach  after his resurrection.  James became the first Bishop of Jerusalem.  

In the text Jude uses a common Greco-Roman phrase “earnestly contend”. In our era we would use the phrase “be on your A game”.  During the height of the empires of Rome and Greece the two nations had become inter twined in a struggle for hegemony (dominance) as most nations have historically done in warfare, culture and commerce.  By 146 BC the Romans had prevailed. Each of those nations subjugated the Jews.  The Romans were efficient in conquering but they assimilated Greek culture into the Roman society in many ways.  One of them was in the arena of competition where men  competed or as used in the phrase above contended. Wrestling was one of those activities.  The wrestling that we see in the Olympics today is called Greco-Roman style wrestling. Paul uses a similar analogy when writing to the Ephesians whom he had evangelized himself and knew that they had received the true unadulterated Gospel but were being infiltrated by false doctrines said “(Ephesians 6:11-12) Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Here he uses the term “stand” meaning: to oppose, occupy a place, resist attack and to “wrestle” meaning; to engage in in a grappling struggle, in other words fight earnestly, and skillfully.

We are commanded to resist the attack of false teaching earnestly and to prevent it from diluting the true Gospel of Yeshua Ha-Mashiach.  Once you have activity and obediently heard the Gospel in faith and repented, you will receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. This is how you know that you have believed and have faith in the true Gospel of YHWH. (Ephesians 4:4-6) There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Paul call this work a warfare. The enemy attempts to dilute and diminish the gospel. How do you know that you are preaching and living the true Gospel.  “(Mark 16:17-18) And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” These signs.  A tree is known by the fruit that it bears.  This may not happen every day but to those who will believe, these signs will follow.  I contend against those scholars who say that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not needed today. They are needed even more since much time has passed since the first anointing of the Holy Spirit fell on men and women.  There has not been a diminishing of the anointing of the gift of the Holy Spirit but a diminishing of the adherence to obedience and faith and the tenets of true faith. Men are relying on doctrines and philosophies rather than allowing themselves to be led my the Holy Spirit of YHWH.  They follow personalities and denominations instead of Yeshua.  Instead of fellowship and relationship with the saints there is Sunday service and the entertainment offered up by a choir lifting up strange fire(unclean worshipers).

Jude explicitly describes the type of falseness that comes against the faith. Of course during their time there were the Judizers. The others are listed also in Paul’s letter to Timothy. They are False teachers covetous, anti-authority, worldly people devoid of the Spirit,  grumblers,  malcontents following their own passions, loud mouth boasters flattering people to gain advantage.   Faith and works  in idolatrous things, these days mostly self idolatry,  will draw you away from Yeshua and  wall of separation is developed obstructing the pathway back to YHWH.  Idolatry and the works of idol worship causes blindness. But there is hope, (II Corinthians 7:10) For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 

The Faith-refers to believing and doing.  

(James 2:19-20) Thou believest that there is one God? thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead

The enemy’s design is to keep you from preaching the Gospel, from laying on of the hands, from healing the sick, from speaking faith from praise and worship. He wants your concentration to be on worldly things especially self idolization and the present trouble, trial or illness. You must have faith in the promises of YHWH.  He knows your troubles and  he has already taken care of your earthly needs, he is in your tomorrow. Faith is a driving force,  a catalyst for transformation and miracles.  We should be in anticipation to see the work of YHWH in our lives and in the lives of others.  This is the way of The Faith. Faith will drive you to see things in the Spirit. To know things in the Spirit. Faith will cause new birth and wholeness which is where YHWH desires us to be.

Jude here explains that Faith came when the Apostles had fully understood and  recognized the Gospel of Yeshua then passed it on after they received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost to believers that came after them. Revelation,  understanding and application are critical in contending for the faith.  These are the tools with the armor of YHWH that you need to fight with earnest. It is seeing, hearing and doing, obedience to the  one and only true Gospel. We preach the and live the good news of Yeshua, not denomination or dogma.

Faith in YHWH will draw you closer to him in will and deed. Those who have strong faith in something are not just talkers.  They are determined and diligent about it.  Therefore Faith is an action word.  “(Proverbs 8:17) I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me”.  

Reference scriptures

(Proverbs 14:6) A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.

(Philippians 1:27) 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 ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;