“I wanted to tell you about Jesus and his salvation, but there’s something even more urgent that you need to hear…” Did you know that a book of the Bible starts like that? It’s the little book of Jude, written by one of Jesus’ own brothers. He starts, “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” (Jude 3). In other words, “I wanted to tell you about Jesus and his salvation, but there’s something even more urgent that you need to hear: Contend for the faith!”
Why? “For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign Lord” (Jude 4). This was urgent. False teachers were slipping into Christian churches with two ungodly messages: 1) God’s love and grace makes it okay for you to live a sexually immoral lifestyle. 2) Jesus isn’t really the only Lord. He isn’t really the only way to heaven.
These words are just as urgent for us today. Ungodly people continue to slip into Christian churches and spread the very same lies: “God is love, so make love to whomever you want to whenever you want to. It’s all okay!” They pervert the grace of God into a license for immorality. But that’s not the worst lie: “There are lots of different paths to the same god. It doesn’t matter who you believe in, as long as you believe.” They deny Jesus Christ our only Lord! Do you know what happens to those who pervert God’s grace or deny Jesus? They “suffer the punishment of eternal fire” (Jude 7). This is urgent. This is serious!
So here’s Jude’s encouragement for you and me: “But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life” (Jude 21). How do we contend for the faith? By building ourselves up with God’s Word. By praying in the Holy Spirit. By trusting in God’s love and salvation as we wait for Jesus to come back for you and me. May Jesus give us his strength to contend for the faith!

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