It seems from my reading this morning that the keynote to this brief epistle is the word contend, which Jude sounds right after his opening salutations. 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 (3).
As I thought on this verse and particularly the singular word contend, I noted that contend is a strong word. It is a fighting word.
When one of our children was struggling to reach their potential in school a teacher suggested we have him tested. My wife contended for her child until the services needed were provided. Don’t mess with a mama bear!
Jude says we are to ‘contend for the faith’.
Before I can contend, I have to know the faith. I have to be strong and sure of the faith that I have. Implicit in the call…to contend is to know… to give effort to build a solid foundation in the faith so that I can contend from a place of strength and understanding. Once the core is strong, we must be ready to stand firm and contend for it against any and all, inside and out of the church, who seek to pervert it!
As I ponder this morning, the Lord has been impressing upon me the need for me to continue to build my faith and my faith muscles. Then I am to be willing to stand against those who seek to erode and change the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.
Lord, develop my faith muscles and my combat skills that I might be of service to Your body, contending for the faith You delivered in Your Word, through Your prophets, apostles and most importantly, through Your Son, Jesus, my Lord. In His name, I pray. Amen.
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