Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3).
Jude wanted to write about our common salvation. But God's Spirit urged him in another direction. People had crept in and were perverting the grace of God. Jude's encouragement was simple and direct. Earnestly contend for the faith.
How we need these words today.
In this age of tolerance, the message of Jesus is being covered over or altered to fit the times. As Jude wrote, the grace of God is being perverted. People are denying our only Master and Lord.
These are harsh words. But the Gospel is at stake.
Any message other than the one delivered to us through the apostles is no gospel at all. Today, there are a lot of phony, feel good messages floating around. These messages promise all sorts of things, everything but forgiveness of sins and new life through faith in Jesus.
People need Jesus. There is no salvation apart from him. And there is no other way to be saved than by his grace.
Jude, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, took a stand. And he wrote to inspire others to take that same stand. As Peter wrote, "…I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it" (1 Peter 5:12).
It is time for us to make a stand and contend for the faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints.
To make it known passionately and clearly that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him.
To fight fiercely for the Gospel.
People need the truth. Feel good messages will not do. Bending and perverting the message to fit the times will not do. Only Jesus. Only the message that is of "first importance: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures…" (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4). This is the message that saves.
Today, thank God that this message was delivered straight to your heart.
In Him,
Bob Christopher