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Are You Willing to Fight for It?

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Jude wrote in verse 3 of his epistle, “Beloved, 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.” Jude changed the subject of the epistle. False teachers, who are described beginning in verse 4, were creeping into the church and trying to persuade Christians to believe a false, compromising message rather than the true message of Christ. What initially was to be a treatise on the common salvation was changed to an encouragement to strive for the faith because of the threat of this false teaching. Preachers and teachers may have plans for what they will address, but because of more pressing needs may need to change their subject in order to protect the body of Christ.

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Jude encouraged Christians to contend earnestly for the faith. We may strive about politics, how our business is conducted, how we spend our money, or any number of subjects, but one subject that ought to be at the forefront of our efforts is the faith. In Jude 3, “the faith” refers not to one’s personal conviction, but rather to the system of faith, the body of truth that is revealed in the New Testament: the Gospel. It is used this way in other verses such as, Acts 6:7, where “a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith,” and Galatians 1:23, where Paul describes how some heard that he preached “the faith which once he destroyed.”

It is the Gospel that God uses to save people; the devil makes all sorts of attacks against the faith because of its saving power (Rom. 1:16). Many people seem to think Christianity is exclusively enjoying the blessings of being in Christ without having to struggle or strive for anything. While we ought to rejoice in our blessings as Christians (Phil. 4:4), we must also fervently fight for the faith because many would change the Gospel into a different message that cannot save (Gal. 1:6-9; 1 John 4:1). Jude 3 is a call to arms, not just to preachers or elders, but to every single Christian. While contending earnestly for the faith can be done in a public forum such as a debate, it certainly is not limited to such. Contending for the faith occurs when a Christian goes to the workplace and stands for God’s word amidst co-workers who are in misbelief or unbelief. It occurs when a Christian wife has an unbelieving husband but stands for biblical principles when he tries to go against them. When parents explain the scriptural reasons why they will not allow their children to act, dress, or attend an event that would identify them with the world rather than with Christ, that is contending for the faith.

The faith was “once delivered” to the saints. “Once” is not used in the sense of “once, twice, etc.,” but rather conclusively as some versions translate it “once for all” (NKJV). The word in the original translated “once” is the same word found in 1 Peter 3:18, where Christ “once suffered for sins,” indicating once for all time. Jesus will not and does not need to suffer the agony of the cross many times over; His death on the cross is a sufficient payment once for all time for all who will be saved (Heb. 5:9; 9:26). The Gospel was given once and for all to the first-century prophets and apostles (Eph. 3:5). It is the only saving message until the end (2 Thess. 1:8). Will you defend it?

 

-Mark Day

The Invitation

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I recently read the following from an online resource regarding the invitation that is extended at the close of the sermon:

“Here it comes. The preacher is wrapping up his sermon, people are putting away their Bibles and grabbing the song book, and then the singing starts. The preacher stands at the front of the congregation scanning the crowd for any responses. You make sure not to make eye contact with him, not wanting him to confuse your errant glance as guilt. The song ends. The preacher walks disappointedly to his seat and the worship service ends with a prayer. Sound familiar? …If your church is like mine then you probably see this most Sundays…I am not saying that we should not provide people with an avenue to voice their hurts, ask for prayers, or ask to be baptized. We need to allow people to do this. My question is: Is a public invitation the best way to do this? I’m thinking no.” For the full article see https://start2finish.org/tbh-invitation-still-effective/

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The writer closes his article by saying in part: “I am not saying I have all the answers or that I am even right. But I do see a problem that needs help. You might completely disagree with me and that’s fine.”

There have been others also who have said the invitation after the sermon is not needed and should not be offered. I firmly disagree.

First we need to recognize the invitation is the Lord’s invitation. This is what Jesus did. Matthew 11:28-30, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest…”. The Bible closes with an invitation. Revelation 22:17, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely”.

Second we need to recognize the purpose of the invitation. The invitation is an exhortation from a servant of God for the unforgiven to receive forgiveness of sins by obeying the Gospel (Romans 10:17; John 8:24; Luke 13:3; Mathew 10:32; Mark 16:16) or an erring Christian to return to the Lord by confessing, repenting and praying (Acts 8:22). While the Lord’s invitation is always open, this may be what someone needs to hear to respond at that time or it may plant the seed to bring about obedience later.

Imagine if you will that you are one that had never heard the truth of God’s Word and one Sunday you come to worship with the Lord’s church. As you sit there you are impressed with the simplicity of the worship and the book, chapter, and verse preaching from the pulpit. Listening intently to the sermon you wonder, What must I do to be saved? The preacher concludes his sermon, steps down from the pulpit and without another word, the congregation begins to sing. There you sit without a word of how to have your sins forgiven.

Do we not recognize the importance of this time when we all pause together to encourage someone to come to the Lord; the invitation. Remember in Revelation 22:17 “the bride” says “Come”, that is the church.

How can a faithful preacher “reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:2) and neglect to offer an invitation to the lost that need salvation and not remind the faithful of God’s Plan of Salvation? It is always appropriate and right to exhort people to obey God.

 

-Jerry D. Sturgill