- Fight: The Book of Jude
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Devotion provided by NewSpring Church
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. -Jude 3-4
What gets you fired up? Maybe it’s a political party, a sports team, or time with family. When we love something or someone, we passionately defend it. For Jude, the thing that fired him up, the thing he passionately defended was Jesus’ reputation and message.
When people teach things about Jesus that aren’t true, Jude says we should “contend for the faith” that was entrusted to us (Jude 1:3). To contend means to affirm, maintain, argue, even insist. The Message paraphrases verse 3 this way: “I have to write insisting—begging!—that you fight with everything you have in you for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish…”
Our salvation is a gift, and Jude encourages us to fight with courage and patience for others to hear the same message and receive the same gift. To do that we need time with Jesus, speaking to Him in prayer and learning about Him in the Bible. We will never passionately defend someone we don’t know. And we can never distinguish lies from truth without time in His Word.
The Bible says if we endure with Jesus, we will reign with Jesus. But if we deny Jesus, He will deny us (2 Timothy 2:12). If we aren’t defending Jesus, we’re denying Him.
Jesus’ reputation and teaching are worth defending. Just think about where you were before you met Jesus and how your life has changed. Can anything else matter more? It’s time to go on the offense and contend for the faith. He is worth it!
Reflect:
- On a scale of 1 to 10, where is your passion level for seeing others meet Jesus and know the truth about Him?
- Is there an area of your life where you struggle to stand up for what you believe in? What is it about that place or those people that makes you fear speaking up?
- What’s one way you can contend for the faith this week?