(Each Saturday, a faith leader offers a personal perspective in this space. To become part of this series, email religion@recorder.com)
By PASTOR DAVID LEVANDUSKY
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 which was once delivered unto the saints.”
Christian believers were called saints or set apart ones from the lifestyles of the world around them. Contending for the faith was the body of truth that was taught to them by Jesus, by the Apostles, by the Church leaders who all believed in the scriptures and not deviating from them or changing them.
As in Jude’s day, we are finding in our modern days of this church age, false teachers who are teaching that what was once evil is now good and what was good is now evil. Immorality is not wrong but that it is now OK and they are bringing confusion and doubts about what Jesus and the Apostles wrote concerning how we as Christians, followers of Jesus, ought to live. When Jude, the half brother of Jesus, wrote these words, he was describing how false teachings and heresies were trying to creep into the church. Jude 1:4 says, “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness (unbridled sensuality), and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. And into the church this is happening in our day. From denying that Jesus is God in the flesh revealed to us, His crucifixion, resurrection and ascension the only means for our salvation, and promoting immoralities, and the church accepting them, as Jude and Peter proclaimed, they are setting themselves up for God’s judgment.
In the last days of the church age Jesus said, When the Son of Man comes will he find faith on the earth. The Bible says “in the last days men will depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons.” And those doctrines of demons are being taught in many churches today. Yet the Bible tells us to speak against them and “earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints.”
The faith once delivered unto the saints was not only doctrinal teaching but also holiness living. God said “Be you holy for I the Lord your God am Holy.” It is time for the church to preach holiness in Christian living and stop compromising with the worldview and “contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints.” The Apostle Peter describes the same issues as Jude in 2 Peter ch. 2. 2 Peter2:1. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privately shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2Pe 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious (harmful) ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
In contrast to these compromising times, Jude writes, in Jude 1:20, But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Jud 1:21, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And Peter concludes: 2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
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