EARNESTLY CONTEND FOR THE FAITH !! Jude 1:3Beloved ,when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation ,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. 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 2:1But 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. THEY ARE CALLED DAMNABLE HERESIES ! 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!! Gods people must stand without compromise for the divine inspiration ,authority and sufficiency of Gods 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 1:13Wherefore 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.2nd Tim. 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God ,a workman that needs not to be ashamed ,rightly dividing the word of truth. 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.The fact that the gospel is not popular is all the more reason for preaching it. The very fact that men cannot endure sound doctrine is all the more reason for seeking that they get it. It is not our responsibility to make it acceptable; it is our duty to make it available. *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. 6.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.1:19Holding faith ,and a good conscience ,which some having put away concerning the faith have made shipwreck. 1st Tim.4:1Now 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 !! 7.THEY ARE THE HOLY SCRIPTURES ! ALL SCRIPTURE IS INSPIRED BY A HOLY GOD ! The doctrine of the inspiration of scriptures is vitally important and a doctrine the devil attacks all the time. Biblical inspiration is the supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit on the Bibles writers,which guaranteed that what they wrote was absolute Truth.The Spirit is called the Spirit of Truth ! 8.THE HOLY SCRIPTURES ARE PROFITABLE !! 2nd Timothy 3:16All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine,for reproof,for correction ,for instruction in righteousness. A..DOCTRINE-Doctrine tells us what is right and true ! We need to know sound doctrine ! B..REPROOF-Reproof will tell us what is not right in our lives ! 2nd Tim.4:2 Preach the Word, be instant in season,out of season, reprove,rebuke ,exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (Many reject a message of reproof and rebuke.) C.CORRECTION-Correction tells us how to get right with God and we all need a message of correction in our lives ! Many are afraid of correcting when they preach for fear of offending people ! D.INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS-This tells us how to stay right and live a righteous life in this present world.(Titus 2:12) Brother David Cooke (Share post as the Lord leads)
Posted on: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 23:22:27 +0000
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