Contending for the faith

In the book of Jude, we are cautioned that certain individuals have infiltrat ed the church unnoticed, perverting God’s grace into a license for immorality. Jude’s message is clear: Christians must contend for the faith. One way to do this is by identifying these “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” Over the coming weeks, we’ll explore this book to better understand how to guard against these deceitful influences and their false teachings, even today.

Let’s start by examining Jude 1:1, which provides crucial context for Jude’s message. The verse reads: [Jude 1:1 NKJV] “Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ.” Notably, Jude refers to him self as a bondservant of Jesus rather than as Jesus’ brother. This is significant because, as recounted in John 7:1-5, Jesus’ siblings, including Jude, initially did not believe in Him. How ever, Jude’s identification as a bondservant reveals a profound transformation: he moved from skepticism to faith. This shift underscores his conviction that Jesus is indeed who He claims to be and that faith in Him is worth defending.

Jude’s personal journey from doubt to belief adds weight to his call for vigilance. He emphasizes that the faith worth fighting for is under threat, and he urges the early church-and us-to be prepared for this spiritual battle. Next week, we’ll discuss how to equip ourselves to effectively engage in this fight.