Contending for the faith

3 Dear friends, although I was eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I found it necessary to write, appealing to you to contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all. 4 For some people, who were designated for this judgement long ago, have come in by stealth; they are ungodly, turning the grace of our God into sensuality and denying Jesus Christ, our only Master and Lord.

Jude 1:3-4

Introduction

Once upon a time… …“A wolf found great difficulty in getting at the sheep owing to the vigilance of the shepherd and his dogs. But one day it found the skin of a sheep that had been skinned and thrown aside. So it put it on over its own pelt and strolled down among the sheep.

What do you think happened next? A lamb that belonged to the sheep, whose skin the wolf was wearing, began to follow the wolf in the sheep’s clothing. So, leading the lamb a little apart, he soon made a meal off her. And for some time he succeeded in deceiving the sheep, and enjoying hearty meals” (Aesop’s Fables).

That’s not a “They lived happily ever after” ending. What do you think the moral is? Appearances can be deceptive. Beware wolves in sheep’s clothing.

There’re wolves in the sheep pen! The wolves I’m talking about are false teachers. False teachers have infiltrated the church. If they haven’t infiltrated this church yet, you can be 100% certain they will soon. In our age false teachers and false teaching abound. They’re all around us. And so you need to be battle ready. Because the sheep these wolves seek to devour is you!

These wolves can be hard to spot. They look like us – wearing their Sunday best to church. They act like us – sitting in the front pew, saying hallelujah at all the right times. They sound like us – using the same words, the same Christianese. But they’re not us – And the consequences of not identifying false teachers and fighting against them will be terrible. Souls are at stake.

Jude writes, Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

Why not write about the glorious doctrine of salvation? Why is it so necessary to write about false teachers and false teaching? Why is it so urgent to write appealing to you to contend for the faith?

Because certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jude is sounding the alarm. “We’ve been infiltrated!” The enemy isn’t at the gate, he has breached the walls. We’re going to have to fight for the faith.

In this letter Jude gives us battle plans on how to engage the enemy. This morning though we’re just going to look at verses 3-4. The main idea in this text is a call to contend for the faith (3): 1.) Against false teachers (4a). 2.) Against false teaching (4b).

We are to contend for the faith

3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

Jude states his authorial intent. He was going to write about salvation. But present and pressing circumstances have changed his mind. He must write about the matter of the moment because it is necessary.

Can you hear the urgency in his appeal to believers to contend for the faith? The word translated contend is actually where we get the English word agonising from. Jude wants us to contest, wrestle, fight, struggle, strive. We are to agonise for the faith. The Amplified Bible interprets the word well as Fight strenuously for [the defence of] the faith. The New American Standard Bible translates the word as contend earnestly for the faith. I’ve seen some social media warriors paraphrase this as ‘be contentious for the faith’. Or ‘be argumentative for the faith’. That’s not Jude’s intent. We will see in a few weeks when we look at verse 17-23 that this contending isn’t Bible bashing.

As the pastoral staff and interns reviewed the sermon this week Daniel pointed out that the The faith here needs to be defined. The faith is the body of truth that we Christians believe. The faith is the apostles’ teaching that all Christians are devoted to (Ac 2:42). The faith are those doctrines essential to authentic Christianity. The faith is drawn from Scripture. The faith is clear in Scripture. The faith certainly includes the deity of Christ. Salvation by grace alone. Salvation through Christ alone. The substitutional death of Jesus. The literal resurrection of Jesus. Monotheism. And the Holy Trinity. This faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. This faith that false teachers attack.

Church, note this carefully. Contending is an every member-ministry. Jude isn’t writing to the pastor of your church. This letter isn’t addressed to Charles. To Jabu. To Isaac. To Mark. To our elders. Look at verse 1. The letter is written to those who are called. That’s all of us. And this command to contend in verse 3 is to those who are called Beloved. That’s all of us. And at the end of verse 3 the faith was delivered to the saints. That’s all of us. Jude is writing to us. He wants us to contend earnestly for the faith. You are to earnestly contend for the faith.

Jude is saying contend for the faith (3): 1.) Against false teachers (4a). 2.) Against false teaching (4b).

Against False Teachers

certain people have crept in unnoticed

Jude says false teachers are creepy. Literally, they “settle in alongside.” They come in by the side door. They’re sneaky. They’re cunning. They’re sitting in the pew next to you. They’ll be drinking a cup of coffee after the service chatting to you. They’re one of us. They’ve infiltrated us.

Jesus warned, while people [sleep], his enemy [would come] (Mt 13:24-25). Paul warned of, false brothers [infiltrating] our ranks (Ga 2:4). Paul said these false teachers use, human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit (Ep 4:14). Peter warned that there would be, false teachers among you. [Bringing] in destructive heresies (2 Pe 2:1-2). Jude says, They’re here! They’re among us.

Such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Co 11:13-14). Just like the Devil false teachers disguise themselves as men of God. They are pastors, elders, Bible study leaders. Wolves in sheep’s clothing.

who long ago were designated for this condemnation,

Believer, this is a great and glorious truth. Entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you (2 Pe 1:11). Not so for false teachers. They are condemned. Peter says, False Teachers will bring swift destruction on themselves… …Their condemnation, pronounced long ago, is not idle, and their destruction does not sleep… …The Lord keeps the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment… …The gloom of darkness has been reserved for them (2 Pe 2:1, 3, 9, 17). They are truly living their best life now. Because what comes next will be harrowing. They are moving steadily on towards their destruction and doom.

ungodly people,

What’s more, they live a counterfeit Christianity. They lack proper respect for God. They are irreverent. They wear a mask. With the mask on, they sit in the midst of the congregation. They’re members of the gathering. They teach at the assembly. But with the mask off, they don’t truly love God as God.

This becomes the main theme of Jude’s letter: Ungodly false teachers are sensual and deny Jesus Christ (4). They lack true revelation, defile their flesh, reject authority, and slander glorious ones (8). They are blasphemers and self destructive (10). They are discontented grumblers, live according to their desires, are arrogant, flatters (16). They are scoffers (18). They cause divisions and are worldly, and do not have the Spirit (19).

Jude is saying contend for the faith (3): 1.) Against these false teachers (4a). 2.) Against their false teaching (4b).

Against False Teaching

who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality

The word translated as sensuality referred to any excess or lack of restraint. This is shameless excess, indecent behavior, sexual excess. Lewd sexual immorality, uninhibited licentiousness. Grimy sexual debauchery. These men pervert grace in that they sanction sin, in their own lives and in their disciples. Instead of teaching that grace cancels the penalty of sin, breaks the power of sin, and will one day eradicate the presence of sin, they teach that grace gives license to sin. They sin so that grace may abound.

Church, the gospel is a call to discipleship. A call to follow Jesus in submissive obedience. The gospel frees us from the power of sin that we might live God glorifying lives. But churches today are too often concerned with filling pews than filling heaven. And so any profession, whether or not the person shows any evidence of actual commitment to Christ, is affirmed as a salvation testimony. Faith is reduced to an intellectual exercise. Faith is no longer surrender to Christ as Master and Lord, it’s watered down to accepting a few basic facts about Him. An type of acceptance which results in no heart change. And this is evidence by no life change. “Easy-believism.”

These corrupt wolves teach a corrupt gospel fit only for goats. They teach unrighteousness as righteousness. they pervert the grace of our God into sensuality.

and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

False teachers don’t walk around with a shirt that says, I hate Jesus on it. No, they use all the right lingo. They talk of God and Jesus and the Spirit and salvation and faith and atonement and resurrection. They just put their own meanings on every word. They distort. They twist. And in so doing they deny Jesus Christ. Your soul, your eternal life, depends upon what you believe regarding the Person and work of Jesus Christ.

The word Master, δεσπότην, is where we get the English word despot from. A despot has undisputed ownership and absolute, unrestricted authority. The Greeks refused the title to any but the gods. In the NT δεσπότην and κύριον are used interchangeably of God (Lk 2:29-30. Ac 4:24). Jesus is One who has legal control and authority over His subjects.

The word Lord, κύριον, describes the supreme One. Jesus is sovereign and possesses absolute authority, absolute ownership and uncontested power.

False teachers always end up undermining the Person or work of Christ. They bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them (2 Pe 2:1).

Jude is saying contend for the faith (3): 1.) Against these false teachers (4a). 2.) Against their false teaching (4b).

Application to believers

Church, there are wolves in the sheep pen! If false teachers haven’t infiltrated this church yet, or this church in a while, you can be 100% certain they will soon. The greatest threat to our church isn’t persecution from the outside. It’s false teaching producing unbelief and false living appealing to carnality.

Not sure what I mean when I say false teacher or false teaching? Here are some examples: T.D. Jakes says that God eternally exists in three manifestations, not three persons. Creflo Dollar says because we are created in the image of God, we are little gods. Steven Furtick says God broke the law for love, He broke His own law in order to save us. Benny Hinn sells the gospel on TBN. Kenneth Copeland sold healing for a pretty penny. Mormonism says God revealed new scripture to Joseph Smith that supersedes the Bible. Roman Catholicism says we are justified by faith, but not by faith alone. Shembe is not the way. ZCC tea cannot heal you.

False teachers are on the best seller shelf at your local CUM bookstore. False teachers are on the airwaves daily on TBN, Daystar Television Network, Faith Broadcasting Network. False teachers preach from the pulpits all across our city this morning. Church, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world (1 Jn 4:1).

Men, you are to contend for the faith in your household. Moms, as you raise your children. Bible study leaders, in your small group. Elders, protect this pulpit. Church, counterfeit Christians find it too easy to infiltrate Christian communities. We hand over responsibility for knowing the faith to our pastors too quickly. You’re not ready to contend for anything because you don’t know anything. The Christian life is an informed life. We know the truth, and the truth sets us free (Jn 8:32). Take charge! Join a small group Bible study. Get after knowledge. Join the Bible reading program. Hide God’s Word in your heart. We need to take discipleship seriously. Are you a new believer? Who is discipling you? Speak to an elder to get connected to a mature believer. Are you a mature believer? Disciple someone. Don’t allow the Great Commission to make disciples degenerate into the Great Omission.

Application to unbelievers

I realise that not everyone here this morning is a believer. A saint. How might this message apply to you?

There is a warning to you in this text. The text talks of judgement. Jesus will judge those who pervert the gospel. And you can be sure that the false disciples of false teachers will face the righteous judgment of holy God.

Friend have you not yet received forgiveness for your sins? Is judgment coming for you? This morning recognise your desperate need. Turn from your sin and turn to Christ. Confess your sins and embrace the Saviour. Call on the name.