Contending For the Faith

Have you ever been reading the Bible and felt like the voice of God was screaming out at you from the pages? I’m not talking about a loud audible voice that can be heard with the natural ear but rather an inner voice, which has an urgency and forcefulness attached to it. During these times you can’t possibly doubt who is speaking or what God is saying. This has been happening to me recently. Today, while I was reading through the book of Jude, the words ‘contend’ and ‘entrusted’ gripped my heart. It wasn’t at all a gentle prompt from God, and my attention was immediately apprehended. My spirit cried out in response, ‘I hear You, God, loud and clear. Now please help me to obey You.’

In today’s scripture Jude was exhorting the believers to contend for the faith. The word ‘contend’ means to defend vigorously. There’s not even a hint of passivity in this directive. It would take the believers all their might to contend for the faith; it wouldn’t be a half-hearted effort. Secondly, he reminded them that this precious gospel had been entrusted to them by God. In the first letter to the Corinthians, we read Paul reminding his listeners that those who had been given a trust from God needed to prove faithful (1 Corinthians 4:2). These words were not only instructions given to the early Church, but also apply to all who would follow in Christ’s footsteps, down the ages. Just like Jude’s audience, we’re surrounded by false teachers, who masquerade as servants of righteousness. These teachers water down the gospel by their compromise, or negate its power by daring to preach it in ways foreign to the way the apostles received it. They present a ‘different Jesus’ and a ‘different gospel’ and the masses are in danger of being led astray as a result. The apostle Paul exclaimed that ‘their end will be what their actions deserve’ (2 Corinthians 11:4 & 15).

I exhort you to read God’s word. Obey God’s word. Live God’s word and present it to others in all its fullness. Contend for the faith that has been entrusted to you.

Prayer: Father God, we want to be faithful children who hear Your voice and obey it. Help us to be good stewards who contend for the faith and stands against anything that contradicts or diminishes its power. We declare that we’re not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it’s the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. Amen.