Every Friday morning I attend a Men’s Group associated with our church. We meet at IHOP. Eat breakfast, drink coffee, and discuss a chapter of God’s Word. The Letter of Jude was our text today. While it is a short letter, just one chapter, it is hard hitting and presents a good reminder.

What was Jude’s purpose?

To motivate the church to contend for the faith. He writes,

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. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Our Day

In our day, we need Jude’s message. God’s grace is perverted. Jesus is denied as Master, Lord, Savior, and Christ. Sensuality runs rampant. I am not talking about secular society. These things are happening in our churches.

Homosexuality is accepted and praised. Preachers bend to cultural norms. Social Justice and Liberation Theology take the place of the true gospel. The Bible is reduced to passages we like. Passages that don’t offend or call us to repent, as committees decide whether or not Jesus really said what the author of the Gospels wrote. The inherency and inspiration of Scripture is denied. And there is much more taking place in our churches.

For that reason, we need Jude’s message. His appeal to contend for the faith. We need to take a stand on God’s Word. See it as our only authority. And call people in our churches to repent.

If we don’t, disaster awaits. Jude likens those preaching another gospel to the angels in heaven who rebelled against God, those in the wilderness who thought they couldn’t take the promised land, Cain, Balaam, and Korah (8-11). He calls these people hidden reefs (12). Lying in wait to rip a massive hole in our churches when we least expect it, if that hole hasn’t already started.

Challenge

So want you take a stand for the gospel? Want you contend for the faith? Want you be willing to stand on God’s Word, even if it is unpopular? That is Jude’s message for his church and our church today.

Question for Reflection

1. How will you contend for the faith this week?

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