a_Nextmessage02

a_previous02

jdglogo1

Message 24 - By Jerry D. Green

Contending 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 (the true “…doctrine of Christ…; which our faith must be in, if we are to be saved [II John 1:9].) which was ONCE (at one time) delivered unto the saints.”

 

FAITH is simply believing in some one or some thing. THE FAITH of Christ is the pure, true, unadulterated “…doctrine of Christ…” which one must believe; must place their faith in, must trust in, to be saved.  Why was Jude so concerned about THE FAITH which was ONCE delivered to the saints? Verse 4 explains:

Jude 1:4

“For there are certain men crept in unawares (unnoticed by the simple), who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

The method which the antichrists (plural) always use to get their beguiling message or messages into the church (II Corinthians 11:3-4) is to come in looking pious and harmless (Matthew 7:15), then they chip away, little by little, bit by bit (again, unnoticed by the simple) until they have completely corrupted the truth of the gospel, rendering it powerless to save a soul.  Jesus does tell us, however, that “the (spiritually) wise” can know them “by their fruits” (Daniel 12:10; Matthew 7:16-20). It actually depends on whether a person loves the truth, or no.

This was already the case in John’s day (I John 2:18), as well as in Jude’s day.  How much more is it today, over nineteen hundred years later. This was the reason Jude exhorted the church to earnestly CONTEND for the faith, which was ONCE delivered to the saints. What does he mean by contend? Strong’s Greek Concordance says contend (in this particular text) means to “struggle for.” The English definition (according to the American Heritage Dictionary) is basically the same, “to strive in opposition to, or against difficulties; to struggle;” NOT AGAINST SIN, but against deceiving devils who come in to spy out our liberty which we have IN Christ, and would bring us once again into bondage to both sin and the devil. Yes, that is exactly what we are in, a life or death struggle against the spirit, and spirits of antichrist; against the powers of darkness of this world. Accordingly, the apostle Paul exhorts us to:

Ephesians 6:10-18

“…be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” And to “Put on the whole armour of God (For what reason?), that ye may be able to stand against the WILES (the travesties; the trickery) 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. Wherefore (brethren), take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand (the onslaught of the lie of decption) in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of FAITH (THE FAITH), wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the (rightly divided) word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.”

No, it is not a flesh and blood struggle, but it is a very real spiritual struggle. And these spiritual struggles can sometimes be just as arduous as a physical struggle. What are we so arduously contending for? The TRUTH of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which was once delivered to the saints; which is the GRACE of God unto us. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). It is always “the true gospel” which the devil purposes, with all his means, to blind our hearts and minds to; because it is only “the true gospel” that will bring true salvation and true deliverance to those who truly believe.

A blatantly false gospel, false god, or a false, far out doctrine, is not as likely to deceive as a perverted (mingled) gospel, which, retains some semblance truth.  It was the pure truth (pure gospel) which the apostles of our Lord, Jesus Christ, suffered, and strived so diligently to preserve (Jude 1:17-19; II Peter 3:2); and so should we.  More specifically, the true gospel will always retain the truth of those things which transpired in the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of the Lord, Jesus, the Christ, AND HOW IT PERTAINS TO OUR LIFE today. It is through faith in the true “gospel of Christ,” that we are made partakers with Christ, of all the goodness of God the Father (John 1:16).  Let’s look at some scriptures and see what some of these wonderful benefits are.

I Corinthians 15:1-4

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also YE ARE SAVED, IF ye keep in memory WHAT I preached unto you, unless (otherwise) ye have believed in vain. For I delivered (preached) unto you first of all that which I also received (by revelation), how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

The believing of the true gospel of Jesus Christ IS our salvation.

Romans 5:8

“…(For) God commendeth His love toward us (gave His Son on the cross), in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

I Peter 3:18

“For Christ also hath once suffered (suffered once, for all eternity) for (our) sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.”

Galatians 1:3-4

“Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave Himself FOR OUR sins, that He might DELIVER US FROM this PRESENT EVIL WORLD, according to the will of God and our Father.”

Galatians 6:14

“But God forbid that I should glory (in anything), save (except) in the CROSS of our Lord Jesus Christ, by… (which, and by whom, this PRESENT EVIL) …WORLD is crucified unto me, and I unto… (this PRESENT EVIL) WORLD.”

Titus 2:13-14

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave Himself for US, that He might redeem us FROM all iniquity, and PURIFY (us) unto Himself a peculiar people (His own special people), zealous of good works.”

Hebrews 13:11-13

“For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest FOR SIN, are burned without (outside) the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that He might SANCTIFY the people (from their sin) with HIS OWN blood, suffered without (outside) the gate (of the walled city).  Let us go forth therefore unto Him without (outside) the camp, bearing His reproach (of the cross; Exodus 29:14, 33:7).”

Hebrews 13:20-21

“Now the God of peace, that brought (raised) again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect (complete) in every good work to do His will, WORKING IN YOU that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

I Peter 2:21-24

“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to him (God, the Father) that (who) judgeth righteously: who His own self (Jesus) bare OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BODY on the tree (on the cross), that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed (For more about the healing Peter is speaking about in this verse, read JDG Message 10.)”.

Galatians 2:20

“I am (and we are) crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet (it’s) not I, but (it’s) Christ (who) liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith (the true gospel) of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”

I Peter 4:1-2

“Forasmuch then as Christ hath SUFFERED (died) FOR US in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh (died physically) hath CEASED from sin (Likewise, we should understand that our old man of sin, the sin nature, died in union WITH HIM on that cross); That he (we should) no longer… live the rest of… (our) time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.”

 II Corinthians 5:14-15

“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead (Romans 5:15): And…He died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him (Jesus, the Christ) (who) died for them, and rose again.”

Galatians 5:24

(For) “…they that are Christ’s HAVE crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (thereof).

Romans 6:1-12

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised… from the dead by the… (by the determinate judgment or decree) of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

For if we have been planted (buried) together in the likeness of his death, we… (have) also (been raised together) in the likeness of his resurrection: KNOWING this, that OUR old man IS crucified with Him, that the body of sin (the whole or entirety of sin [both committed sins AND our old sin nature which causes us to commit sins]) (would) be destroyed, that henceforth we… (would) not serve sin. For He that is dead is freed from sin. Now IF WE BE DEAD WITH CHRIST, we believe that we shall also live with Him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.… (LEST) sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” (For a better understanding of what’s being said here, please read JDG Message 26; “Let Not, or LEST?”)

Whether you are a sinner who has never sought after God in your entire life, or a religious sinner who has struggled against sin for all of your entire life; stagger “…not at the promise of God…” (Romans 4:20; John 8:30-36).  Believe the true gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16) and God will save you, deliver you, and make you FREE indeed FROM ALL your sin, in, and through, His Son, Jesus, the Christ (I Corinthians 1:30).

JDG Message 24 - Contending for THE FAITH

-------------------------------------------------------------------

TOP of PAGE

NEXT MESSAGE

PREVIOUS MESSAGE

JDG MESSAGES

Keith Surface MESSAGES

Leroy Surface MESSAGES