Jude: You Could Have Been A Contender!

Jude 3b: I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith...

When we CONTEND, we are fighting to win.

Not every attack is a frontal assault.  Sometime the enemy is sneaky. He attacks where we are not looking for him.  Other times, the enemy is devious AND ATTACKS FROM WITHIN!

In Jude's letter, he encourages believers to fight the attacks to the faith that come from the inside.
Who is Jude?

• Brother of James and Jesus
• He became a believer after Jesus died and rose from the dead
• He wrote to all Christians but probably was aware of a specific problem

The problem:

• Unbelievers slipped into roles of leadership in some churches
• These people were deceiving Christians to live immoral, ungodly lives
•  These people denied the deity of Christ and his works

 Jude 3-4: Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. 4 For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.

How can we know if leaders in our church are not correctly teaching God's truths?

In verses 5 - 16 of Jude, God compares these people to others that he has condemned for their evil practices.  Think about these people that were condemned and why.

v.5 -  Unfaithful Israelites that were rescued from slavery in Egypt
v.6 - Fallen angels (demons)
v.7 - Sodom and Gomorrah

"They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire."

 v. 11 - Cain, Balaam, and Korah

 All of these were examples of murderous, greedy, rebellious, and spiritually proud people.
SPIRITUAL PRIDE MAKES US EASY TOOLS FOR SATAN.

They were also described this way:
v. 16 These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.

Jude said that when Jesus returned they would be judged.  But when Jesus returns, he will no longer be the suffering servant, instead he will judge all the living and the dead.

What can we do to be spiritually ready for the return of Jesus?

 In the next passages, Jude talks about how we can contend for the  faith.

 Jude 17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.
20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

What can we do to contend for the faith now and be ready for his return?
1. Be led by the Spirit
2. Build up spiritual muscles with prayer and God's Word
3. Enjoy God's mercy and be merciful to others
4. Strengthen your faith and the faith of others
5. Snatch people from the fire

What is one thing you are doing that will make you a powerful man of God?

Jude 24-25  To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Jude ends his letter by worshiping God.  Do you really enjoy giving God your worship?  How can you be more focused during times of worship?

Summary:  Be on your guard against people that want to destroy the church from within.  Strengthen yourself and others in the faith to protect against deceivers.