"Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints." (Jude 3, NASB)
Strong's says that the word translated, "contend," speaks of "a contest, competition, literally, 'struggle upon appropriately, i.e. with skill and commitment in opposing whatever is not of faith.'" And be sure of this, that, "the faith," is nothing less than what the Bible calls, "the faith of Jesus." This, "contend," has been the call of the Church from the beginning. And through the centuries the call, the mandate has only grown more and more urgent. The subtleties, the deception, the alluring demons to which the majority of humanity has yielded have only increased their warfare against, "the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ," against the People of Jesus Christ.
The exhortation of the Holy Spirit in Jude has been waking me at nights, causing me to pray with more intensity. The battle is raging, "heavenly places," are ablaze with the bomb bursts of the cosmic struggle. It is the goal of Satan to see mankind, "suffering the vengeance of eternal fire,..the blackness of darkness forever." Now the declaration of Jesus from the Cross, "It is finished," decreed the completion of man's salvation, hence, the theological statement, "Christ's finished work of the Cross." That battle is over, won, and deliverance from, "eternal fire,..the blackness of darkness forever," is guaranteed to anyone who surrenders his life to Jesus Christ, walks/abides in Jesus Christ. The final deposing of Satan and his demon forces, however, is yet to come (see Revelation 20:7-10). This is the reason for the call in Ephesians 6 to continue in the fight.
So today, my friend, I ask you to join me to, "contend for the faith...." This does not mean to put opposers to the sword as Mohammed, or to argue, split over whether the Second Appearing of Jesus Christ will be pre, mid, or post Tribulation, or any such contention. But there is a jealousy for the Truth, Who is Jesus Christ. It is a "love-jealousy," a love for Jesus and His Supremacy in the Universe. It is also a "love- jealousy" for humanity, a love for humanity which will fight in prayer, in "declarations," in preaching, teaching, serving so that they may escape, "the vengeance of eternal fire,..the blackness of darkness forever," that the world will hear and see in us, the Church, the loving, saving, delivering, healing, keeping power of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Father, in Jesus' Name, Holy Spirit power, release in me, "contend for the faith." Amen.
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A revelation on racism in America: www.jerberwash.blogspot.com
Unreached People Group of the day: www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
