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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]. |
Subject: What do we believe? |
Bible Note: My experience tells me you’re correct. Only a small percent of Christians read the Bible. Many say, “The Bible says” and do not know what it says exactly, or where. It is sad, and frustrating, to try to share with someone who knows not, and knows not that he knows not, and is not willing to listen. Sadder still is the issue of salvation. Pastors tell me that they think 60 to 80 percent of the people in church are unsaved. But what can we do about it? We should preach the Gospel, in the church, but for many reasons, we’re afraid or disinclined to do that. One must often fear to put forth scriptures, even in this place. One who has not taken the time to read your statement, mush less the scriptures, can come on to opine and to oppose. But I suppose that is the way it has been, as I remember Paul’s experience. Acts 18:5,6: “Paul devoted all his time to teaching the word of God. He assured the Jews that Jesus is the Messiah. But they opposed him and insulted him”. Come to think of it, they also opposed and insulted the Messiah. What percentage of the Christian church has ever read the entire Bible? A small one. A small one. He said, “Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?” (Mark 12:24). What percentage of the people are saved? A small one. There is no way to calculate, that I know of. The fact there are 4 different types of ground does not mean that each type gets an equal percentage. There are two ways, one narrow, one broad, and they are not equal in the numbers traveling them. The number of unsaved reading the Bible may be small because people who are not saved may not understand what they read. They may discontinue reading it, because they do not understand it (1 Corinthians 2:14). What can we do to change things? How can we encourage more people to be saved? To read the bible? To obey it? I was going to say that God knows, but I am thinking that not even God knows. What can he do, more than he has done? He has provided salvation, at tremendous cost. He has given us his Holy Spirit. He has given us his word. He has given us the privilege of sharing it. What more can he do? I believe it is incumbent on us to clarify in our own minds and clearly state what the Lord has given us to believe. We must not be satisfied to disagree. We must not be satisfied to believe what is right in our own eyes. We cannot repeat the error of doing what is right in our own eyes. We must think again, and read again before we speak. We must give a clear and unified message to the world. |