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NASB | Jude 1:3 ¶ Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Jude 1:3 ¶ Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I was compelled to write to you [urgently] appealing that you fight strenuously for [the defense of] the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints [the faith that is the sum of Christian belief that was given verbally to believers]. |
Bible Question:
How do you "contend for the faith"? Jude says that it is an urgent necessity. The need comes up when a new doctrine when a new doctrine comes along that is contrary to what we have received in scripture. In context, Jude is noting the doctrine that the grace of God allows us to lead immoral lives. It seems that paul had been accused of teaching this and he had made it clear (Romans 6) that they had misquoted him. On the contrary he had taught that the grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness (Titus 2). But now that doctrine was being preached and the church was to contend for the faith, apparently to keep such doctrines out. It may be fair to say that other false doctrines have come into the church since that time. So we may be called to contend for the faith again. Since "the servant of the Lord must not strive" (2 Tim 2;24) then how do we do it? How do we contend for the faith? |
Bible Answer: And is it not too late now? Jude seemed to be so concerned about the coming in of false doctrine, he put aside a discussion of salvation to deal with it. And even today it seems there are so many false doctrines to contend with, we hardly have time to talk about salvation. Can we effectively contend for the faith today? In that day it was the church to keep false dctrine out. But by this time it has taken root and infested and permeated the church. Is that stating it too strongly? Now it seems that anyone trying to root out false doctrine is, in a sense, on the outside, and reaching in. What many have tried to do is to start a new church and then to keep it pure. But what they are really starting is a new denomination and they are immediately infected with the sin of sectarianism. They are not able to keep the small group pure, and the larger church is left to go from bad to worse. Does Jude's exhortation apply to the church of today at all? Or is the church, as J.N. Darby says, beyond repair? Nevertheless, Paul says that Jesus has made provision "That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish". And Jude commits the church unto him that is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. So let it be. |