Today few 'contend' for 'the faith' and defend the Truth of holy scriptures.The Greek word for 'contend' occurs only here in the New Testament.The word describes the intense struggle in a athletic contest.Jude calls us to action ,to be earnest and fervent in defending the true gospel.When the purity of the faith is being poisoned we need to show our love for the Truth by 'pointing out' the poison and warn the saints-'do not drink the poison'!! 2nd Peter 2:1"But there were false prophets also among the people ,even as there shall be false teachers among you ,who privily shall bring in damnable heresies ,even denying the Lord that bought them ,and bring upon themselves swift destruction."
1.The root word for contend is the word agony.The defense of the faith may be agonizing and costly but it is our duty to fight the good fight of faith!!
God's people must stand without compromise for the divine inspiration ,authority and sufficiency of God's holy Word.The faith refers to the 'whole body of doctrine' taught to us by Jesus and the apostles in the New Covenant.
2.When some teacher comes along with his new revelations which adds to or subtracts from the Holy Bible we must resist, renounce,reject and rebuke it openly. Titus 1:13"Wherefore rebuke them sharply,that they may be sound in the faith."
3.False doctrine is like a deadly poison that must be identified.We must speak the truth in love but we must never compromise.We must dare to take a stand even if it offends some and upsets others.Contending is not easy.It calls for hard work ,diligent study and a willingness to stand against anything that would pervert the gospel of Christ.
4.There is an onslaught of heresies that have invaded the Church.But today if you expose error you are called mean and judgmental and that you have a critical spirit.But true love does not tolerate teachings that hurt the sheep.
5.Today many embrace a shallow,sugary defective faith that does not produce godly saints but worldly church members who are still goats and not disciples of Jesus.The tolerance of sin and false teaching has corrupted many churches.They have very low,shallow views of who God is that ignore his majesty and holiness and the question is "where is the fear of God today?"
*Vance Havner said, "More preachers need fire in their sermons and more of their sermons thrown into the fire."
*A.W.Tozer said, "False teaching is falsifying of data on vital points about God ,ourselves,about sin and about Christ.1st any false teaching begins with a wrong concept of God.No one who hold to a right concept of God can go far wrong in anything else.All errors that have been made ,all start with a wrong view of the character of God."
Friends, those whose allegiance to Christ and the full New Testament Faith must never allow its message to be weakened by compromising it authority, distorting its truth or explaining away its power and promises.
1st Tim.1:19"Holding faith ,and a good conscience ,which some having put away concerning the faith have made shipwreck."
1st Tim.4:1"Now the Spirit speaks expressly ,that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith,giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils."
Very important to be sound in the faith in these last days !!
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