Contend for the Faith

 

“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:3-4 NKJV)

There is an all-out attack from the world against true Christians. The world in which we live is hostile to holy living, and each believer must walk carefully not to be ensnared by its sinful offerings.

Adding to our struggle are sinful infiltrators, those who creep into our churches to sow seeds of ungodliness. This they do by stealth. They do not openly deny the Lord for then they would not gain entrance. Instead they deny the Lord by holding to doctrines contrary to the faith. Their primary denial comes in the form of antinomianism, which means literally against law.

They turn the grace of God into lewdness. Paul warned us not to do such a thing in the Book of Romans.

“Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Ro 5:20-6:2 NKJV)

The thought was, if grace abounds because of sin; why not sin all the more. To this Paul said certainly not, or as some versions put it: God Forbid! However, this same error is embraced more than one might think.

Some men find an income or a place of importance in the church. Their real motive is not to promote Christ, but to secure a place of comfort for themselves.

With their own lives laced with sin, they play down the need for repentance and magnify God’s love. This is how they turn the grace of God into lewdness. They would never say, “Go ahead sin,” but neither will they say, “The soul that sins will die” (Ezek. 18:20). Repentance is never given its true meaning. Instead converts are encouraged to believe as if they can add Christ to their lives without turning from sin. However, the Bible clearly warns of such hypocrisy.

“For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.” (Heb 10:26-27 NKJV)

The fact that grace requires nothing but faith gives the deceiver’s arguments a ring of truth. However, faith without works is dead. No one must clean himself up to be saved, but to say you love the world and love God is not possible. “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. . . .” (Mt 6:24 NKJV)

So, friends, contend earnestly for the faith. Do not buy into the lie that you may keep your sin and live. You must keep His commandments to live. They must be dear to you. While perfection is not realistic, we must strive for it.

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, [which is] your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what [is] that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Ro 12:1-2 NKJV)