1. Contend For The Faith Jude 1-7

2. 1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: He wanted for them: 2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.

3. Beloved,(those who were Sanctified, Preserved and Called ) 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 (for all NKJV) delivered unto the saints.

4. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, (unnoticed) who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, a. turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, b. and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this,

5. EXAMPLE # 1) how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not

6. 6 And (Example # 2 )the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

7. and 7 Even as (Example # 3 ) Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them a.Admah b.Zeboiim (Deut. 29:23) ( Both cities located near to Sodom and Gomorrah ) in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

8. Deut. 29:23 (When the Covenant was renewed in Moab..Moses spoke to the people..of what would happen to them if they turned from God, ) 23 And that the whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown, nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, like the overthrow of Sodom, and Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboim, which the Lord overthrew in his anger, and in his wrath:

9. Contend For “THE FAITH” Contend - Fight for the Faith From the Believers Study Bible: “contend earnestly” is related to the English word ‘agony.’ The term is associated with strife and combat of a most vigorous and determined variety.. We are at war.The Faith is being attacked. We must attack with vigor,even to the point of agony, for “the faith once delievered unto the saints”. Be vigilent- Be watchful. Mtt.26:41

10. i. "The faith" doesn't mean our own personal belief, or faith in the sense of our trust in God. The phrase the faith means "The essential truths of the gospel that all true Christians hold in common." The faith is used this way in a number of N.T. scriptures:

11. Acts 6:7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to “the faith.”

12. Acts 13:8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.

13. Acts 14:22 22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

14. Acts 16:5 5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

15. Acts 24:24 24 And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ.

16. Romans 1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

17. Col. 2:7 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

18. "The essential truths of the gospel that all true Christians hold in common." We must contend earnestly for the truth. "The faith is the body of truth

19. I Tim. 1:2 As Paul wrote to Timothy: Unto Timothy, my own son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

20. Acts 2:42 Acts 2: 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

21. Rom. 6:17 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.

22. Gal. 1:23 23 But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.

23. "Once for All" (Once for all for all time!) Yet, men have ‘crept in’ and left the Doctrine of Christ, THE FAITH..and today we Have Mohammed offered his Koran. Joseph Smith his Book of Mormon. Sun Moon his Divine Principle. People today who come up with new Revelations, new translations, new versions… And THE FAITH Is neglected, replaced, or Completely forgotten!.

24. Rom. 1:8,9 "There is no other gospel, there will be none. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

25. . Jude taught that” the faith “has been once for all delivered to the saints. God's revelation concerning the doctrinal content of our faith is finished. The church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20).Ephesians 2:20 Anyone who comes along and claims to have a new word from God to add to the faith once for all delivered to the saints is against Scripture.

26. People Today: Most people want to believe in the faith they make up as they go along and decide is right for them. More people believe in "the faith that is in their heart" than the faith once for all delivered to the saints

27. Truths Worth Dying For Men who left the Catholic church because they did not believe in transubstantiation.. that the bread turns into the actual body of Jesus in communion!

28. From 1555 to 1558 Queen Mary, the Catholic ruler in England, had 288 Protestant reformers burned at the stake—men like John Rogers, John Hooper, Rowland Taylor, Robert Ferrar, John Bradford, Nicholas Ridley, Hugh Latimer, and Thomas Cranmer.

29. And why were they burned? they did not believe in transubstantiation.. (that the bread turns into the actual body of Jesus in communion!)

30. Why should Christians Contend for the faith? Just as in the days of Jude, men creep in and teach false doctrine!.

31. Illustration: If we are saved by grace, then it doesn't matter what we do morally. In fact when a Christian sins, it only serves to magnify the grace of God. So they turned the grace of God against the commandments of Christ and in effect denied the lordship of Jesus. “Turned the grace of God’ into permission to live Licentious lives. !! The more you sin, The more grace!...Rom. 6:1,2 May it never be!

32. These certain men had received something of the grace of God. But when they received it, they turned it into an excuse for their lewdness

33. Turning the grace of God into lewdness!.. Someone has said: The idea behind the ancient word lewdness is sin that is practiced without shame, without any sense of conscience or decency. Usually the word is used in the sense of sensual sins, such as sexual immorality. But it can also be used in the sense of brazen anti- biblical teaching, when the truth is denied and lies are taught without shame.

34. Someone is quoted as saying: These words of Jude show that there is a danger in preaching grace. There are some who may take the truth of God's grace and turn the grace of our God into lewdness. But this doesn't mean there is anything wrong or dangerous about the message of God's grace. It simply shows how corrupt the human heart is.

35. And deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ: These certain men deny the Lord Jesus Christ. They do this by refusing to recognize who Jesus said He was, and therefore they also deny who God the Father is also.

36. Three examples that show the certainty of God's judgment against the certain men.

37. #1 verse 5 The example of the people of Israel. But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe...

38. The Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt: Jude reminds us of what happened in Numbers 14. God delivered the people of Israel out of slavery in Egypt. They went out of Egypt and without unintended delays came to a place called Kadesh Barnea, on the threshold of the Promised Land. But at Kadesh Barnea, the people refused to trust God and go into the Promised Land of Canaan. Only Joshua and Caleb of men over 20, were able to Go into the land of promise!..The others died in The wilderness.

39. Those who doubted and rejected God at Kadesh Barnea paid a bigger price than just not entering the Promised Land. They also received the judgment of God. Psalm 95 describes how the Lord reacted to them: “For forty years I was grieved with that generation, and said, "It is a people who go astray in their hearts, and they do not know My ways. So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest" (Psalm 95:10-11).

40. 2. Jude (6) The example of the angels who sinned. Angels who did not keep their proper domain:These angels at one time stood in the immediate, glorious presence of God - and now they are in everlasting chains. If God judged the angels who sinned,how much More us!

41. Isa. 14:12-14 Isaiah 14:12-14 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.

42. 3. (7) The example of Sodom and Gomorrah. As Sodom and Gomorrah: These two cities (and the cities around them) also stand as examples of God's judgment. Their sin - which was most conspicuously homosexuality, but included other sins as well - brought forth God's judgment

43. Sodom and Gomorrah were blessed, privileged places. They were situated in a blessed area: it was well watered everywhere... like the garden of the LORD (Genesis 13:10).

44. Having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh: Jude refers to the account in Genesis 19, where the homosexual conduct of the men of Sodom is described. Ezekiel 16:49 tells us of other sins of Sodom: Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. Sexual depravity was not their only sin, but it was certainly among their sins, and Jude makes this plain.

45. The sins described in Ezekiel 16:49 show that Sodom and Gomorrah were indeed prosperous, blessed areas. You don't have fullness of food, and abundance of idleness if you don't have material blessings. But despite their great blessing from God and material prosperity, they sinned and were judged.

46. Suffering the vengeance of eternal fire: In Genesis 19, Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed with fire from heaven. But that wasn't the end of their judgment by fire. Far worse than what happened in Genesis 19, they suffered the vengeance of eternal fire

47. We must Contend for the Faith!!

48. The way you contend is as important as the content of your arguments. You can win with your logic and lose with your life.

49. There is a faith once for all delivered to the saints. This faith is worth contending for. The faith is repeatedly threatened from within the church by professing Christians. And without by those against the Lord. It is the duty of every believer to contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints.

50. The Need Some will deny the all-sufficiency of the Scriptures. Remember: One time for all time! Revelation was not to be repeated, nor was there more to be revealed later on!

51. 1. To the Elders of the church at Ephesus.“I have not shunned to declare ‘the wholeCounsel of God. “ Acts 20:27 2. Peter. 2 Pet. 1:3 ‘all things that pertain unto life and godliness’ If we have all the counsel of God and All things that pertain unto life and godliness, what else is there?

52. Contend for the Scriptures: God’s Word contains ‘the faith’ once for all delivered. It will teach us what God wants and how we can be acceptable unto Him.! When people want to add to, or take away, Or mix truth with error, WE MUST CONTEND FOR THE FAITH!

53. Today: Some today have reasoned just like Jude said: “The more you sin, the greater the grace of God is to you”. You may hear them say: “God is too loving, His grace is too wonderful, to condemn us when we are so sincere.” Yet, those of us who know the Bible what it teaches about the grace of God…

54. Titus 2:11-12 11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

55. 1. Denying ungodliness 2. Denying worldly lusts 3. Living soberly 4. Living righteously 5. Living godly in this present age!! And God’s word has not changed concerning all those things!!

56. Today We often face people who deny the authority of God and Jesus. a)They don’t respect God’s word!..Do many things contrary to the pattern. B)They set up other standards of authority for what they believe or do..A synod, B.Convention C.Council D.Pope;Bishop;Minister; or themselves.

57. Those who belong to God and respect His Authority Matt. 28:18-20 Eph. 1:22-23 Col. 1:18

58. What does God give us to contend with? Eph. 6:13-18 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

59. 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

60. How? Eph. 6:13-18 1. Girded with truth 2. Breastplate of righteousness 3. Feet shod with the gospel of peace 4. The shield of faith 5. The helmet of salvation 6. The sword of the Spirit, the Word of God 7. Watching with all prayer

61. The call to ‘contend for the faith” Is not a license to engage in ‘contentions’ and outbursts of wrath. Gal. 5:19-21; I Cor. 3:1-3 Use the weapons of our warfare: 1. The Word of God..applied FIRST TO OURSELVES and then to others. 2. With the Christ-like qualities that will win people over to the obedience to Christ.

62. What side are you on? The battle is raging…where do you stand? Have you submitted yourself to God and His Son and made them both Lord and Christ!. Have you obeyed the authority from Heaven?

63. Let us all CONTEND EARNESTLY FOR ‘THE FAITH’