Jude 3 – …it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
The thrust and theme of the small epistle of Jude is for believers to stand up, or “contend for the faith.” The damnable doctrines (vs. 4), dirty deeds (vss. 7-8), and deceitful dissertations (vs. 16) are all around us. The need of the hour is for Christians to be serious about God and stand up for the truth and Christ.
The first thing we must do to counter the evil around us is to build up (vs. 20). If you don’t take the time to build upon the foundation of Christ, the world, the flesh, and the devil will tear it down. Some tools for building are: the Bible, preaching, prayer, and church fellowship. Ungodly influences, entertainment, and ideologies will certainly destroy what has already been built.
Next we need to pray up (vs. 20). You will not survive this Godless culture without prayer. You need to talk to God, not just about God! We need to pray in order to confess our sins, ask for help, and pray for others.
Verse 21 exhorts us to keep up. Just like a fine-tuned car, your spiritual life must be checked and examined continually. If you become negligent with spiritual things, you will eventually fall.
Part of contending for the faith is spreading our faith. What good is the truth to someone if they have never heard it? We are to help others up (vs. 23). Everyone doesn’t know the Bible like you. Everyone isn’t reminded of biblical truth every Sunday. Everyone isn’t going to heaven when they die. We must have compassion (vs. 22) and compulsion (vs. 23). What will happen to lost sinners if we don’t try to help them?
Finally, one day we are going up (vs. 24). We have been preserved in Jesus Christ (vs. 1) and one day we will be presented to Jesus Christ (vs. 24). Until then let’s “contend for the faith!”
