Contend Earnestly For The Original Apostolic Faith!

(All Bible quotations, except otherwise stated, are from the New Heart English Bible).

Jude 1:3 Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

The apostle Jude wrote to exhort Christians in his time to contend earnestly for the original apostolic faith, which was under threat, from both unbelievers and heretics. To contend means to struggle to surmount a difficulty, and to assert something as a position in an argument. Not only did Jude urge believers to fight to preserve the truth of the gospel from being corrupted by satanic agents, he admonished them to undertake this singular fight with utmost zeal and urgency! The stake was simply too high for Christians to slumber, while the enemy viciously attacked the very foundation of the faith!

The battle between truth and error is ageless and spills into every generation. Satan, the father of lies and God’s number one adversary, has always sought to corrupt and pervert God’s word to mankind, with the sole intent of deceiving and destroying humanity. He did that to Eve, by twisting God’s words in the garden of Eden, and brought suffering, sickness and death upon the human race thereby. He’s been at it ever since, aiming to derail and distort God’s plan of salvation and redemption for mankind, and to take as many men and women as possible with him to hell.

Genesis 2:16 The LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;

Genesis 2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die.”

Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Has God really said, ‘You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'”

Genesis 3:2 The woman said to the serpent, “Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat,

Genesis 3:3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.'”

Genesis 3:4 The serpent said to the woman, “You won’t surely die,

Genesis 3:5 for God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Genesis 3:6 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.

Genesis 3:7 The eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

Genesis 3:8 They heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Genesis 3:9 The LORD God called to the man, and said to him, “Where are you?”

Genesis 3:10 The man said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

Genesis 3:11 God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

Genesis 3:12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”

Genesis 3:13 The LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Genesis 3:14 The LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock, and above every animal of the field. On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.

Genesis 3:15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.”

Genesis 3:16 To the woman he said, “I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bring forth children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

Genesis 3:17 To Adam he said, “Because you have listened to your wife’s voice, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.

Genesis 3:18 Thorns also and thistles will it bring forth to you; and you will eat the herb of the field.

Genesis 3:19 By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve in his craftiness, so your minds might be corrupted from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we did not proclaim, or if you receive a different spirit, which you did not receive, or a different “good news”, which you did not accept, you put up with that well enough.

St. John 8:44 You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and its father.

St. John 10:10 The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

Revelation 12:9 The great serpent was thrown down, the old serpent, he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

Jude made his urgent call to arms in defence of truth because some Satan-inspired men had crept into the church, masquerading as angels of light, when they were in fact wolves in sheep’s clothing. Their purpose was to corrupt the nascent faith, adulterate the gospel message and devour God’s flocks thereby. These were men who once pretended to believe the truth and were accepted as part of the Christian brotherhood. Now, they were manifesting their true colours as ring leaders of lasciviousness, greed and worldliness. These men were ready to drag the church back into the world, and courageous men of faith were needed to combat them and stand up for truth, so that the truth of the gospel would continue, uncorrupted, to future generations. The battle was on for the soul of Christianity, and Christian warriors were needed, not only to defend the faith, but also to attack and put down every lie of the devil that was creeping into the church. Although the end of such perverters of truth is assured in the lake of fire, Christians must try to prevent them from dragging gullible but innocent souls along with them to that accursed place.

Jude 1:3 Beloved, while I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I was constrained to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

Jude 1:4 For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jude 1:5 Now I desire to remind you, though you already know this, that the LORD, having saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

Jude 1:6 Angels who did not keep their first domain, but deserted their own dwelling place, he has kept in everlasting bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day.

Jude 1:7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them, having, in the same way as these, given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the punishment of eternal fire.

Jude 1:8 Yet in like manner these also in their dreaming defile the flesh, despise authority, and slander celestial beings.

Jude 1:9 But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil and arguing about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him an abusive condemnation, but said, “May the LORD rebuke you!”

Jude 1:10 But these speak evil of whatever things they do not know. What they understand naturally, like the creatures without reason, they are destroyed in these things.

Jude 1:11 Woe to them! For they went in the way of Cain, and ran riotously in the error of Balaam for hire, and perished in Korah’s rebellion.

Jude 1:12 These are hidden rocky reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you, shepherds who without fear feed themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn leaves without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

Jude 1:13 wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved forever.

Jude 1:14 About these also Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the LORD came with ten thousands of his holy ones,

Jude 1:15 to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their works of ungodliness which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the hard things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”

Jude 1:16 These are murmurers and complainers, walking after their lusts (and their mouth speaks proud things), showing respect of persons to gain advantage.

Jude 1:17 But you, beloved, remember the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jude 1:18 They said to you that “In the last time there will be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts.”

Jude 1:19 These are they who cause divisions, and are sensual, not having the Spirit.

Jude 1:20 But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.

Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

2 Peter 2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, as false teachers will also be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master who bought them, bringing on themselves swift destruction.

2 Peter 2:2 Many will follow their immoral ways, and as a result, the way of the truth will be maligned.

2 Peter 2:3 In covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words: whose sentence now from of old does not linger, and their destruction is not asleep.

2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them down to the lower parts of hell, and committed them to pits of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;

2 Peter 2:5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah with seven others, a proclaimer of righteousness, when he brought a flood on the world of the ungodly;

2 Peter 2:6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly;

2 Peter 2:7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was very distressed by the lustful life of the wicked

2 Peter 2:8 (for that righteous man dwelling among them, was tormented in his righteous soul from day to day with seeing and hearing lawless deeds):

2 Peter 2:9 the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment;

2 Peter 2:10 but chiefly those who walk after the flesh in the lust of defilement, and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries;

2 Peter 2:11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not bring a railing judgment against them before the Lord.

2 Peter 2:12 But these, as unreasoning creatures, born natural animals to be taken and destroyed, speaking evil in matters about which they are ignorant, will in their destroying surely be destroyed,

2 Peter 2:13 suffering the penalty as the wages of evil; people who count it pleasure to revel in the daytime, spots and blemishes, reveling in their deceit while they feast with you;

2 Peter 2:14 having eyes full of adultery, and who cannot cease from sin; enticing unsettled souls; having a heart trained in greed; children of cursing;

2 Peter 2:15 forsaking the right way, they went astray, having followed the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of wrongdoing;

2 Peter 2:16 but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A mute donkey spoke with a man’s voice and stopped the madness of the prophet.

2 Peter 2:17 These are wells without water, and mists driven by a storm; for whom the blackness of darkness has been reserved.

2 Peter 2:18 For, uttering great swelling words of emptiness, they entice in the lusts of the flesh, by licentiousness, those who barely escape from those who live in error;

2 Peter 2:19 promising them liberty, while they themselves are bondservants of corruption; for a man is brought into bondage by whoever overcomes him.

2 Peter 2:20 For if, after they have escaped the defilement of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in it and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

2 Peter 2:21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

2 Peter 2:22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “The dog turns to his own vomit again,” and “the sow that has washed to wallowing in the mire.”

Christianity has seen many great contenders of the faith, but none stands out like the apostle Paul, who was such a rugged, dogged and fearless Christian warrior. Paul was one man who placed the word of God and the gospel above his life, and was ready to die in defence of the gospel (which he did, beheaded by Emperor Nero for his unrelenting faith in Christ). He never shied away from a fight, as long as the integrity of God’s word was at stake. Paul not only fought with false ministers, he also challenged even more senior apostles in the ministry when they strayed away from the truth. His confrontation of apostle Peter (Cephas) was well-documented in the Scriptures, when Peter (Cephas), for fear of offending Jewish believers, hypocritically withdrew from eating with Gentile believers in Antioch. Paul’s frank and public condemnation of Peter’s hypocrisy and momentary lapse of faith was an extraordinary act of courage, as it saved the church from sliding into legalism. How we need such bold and fearless contenders of the faith today that biblical Christianity is literally under siege! How we need men who are ready to hazard their lives in defence of the gospel!

The Acts 21:8 On the next day, we departed and came to Caesarea. We entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.

The Acts 21:9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.

The Acts 21:10 As we stayed there some days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.

The Acts 21:11 Coming to us, and taking Paul’s belt, he bound his own feet and hands, and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit: ‘So will the Judeans at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and will deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'”

The Acts 21:12 When we heard these things, both we and they of that place begged him not to go up to Jerusalem.

The Acts 21:13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

The Acts 21:14 When he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, “The Lord’s will be done.”

Philippians 1:1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all God’s holy people in Christ Jesus at Philippi, together with the overseers and deacons :

Philippians 1:2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:3 I thank my God every time I remember you.

Philippians 1:4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy

Philippians 1:5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now,

Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me.

Philippians 1:8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight,

Philippians 1:10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,

Philippians 1:11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ —to the glory and praise of God.

Philippians 1:12 Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.

Philippians 1:13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ.

Philippians 1:14 And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.

Philippians 1:15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.

Philippians 1:16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.

Philippians 1:17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.

Philippians 1:18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,

Philippians 1:19 for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance.

Philippians 1:20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

Philippians 1:22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!

Philippians 1:23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;

Philippians 1:24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

Philippians 1:25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

Philippians 1:26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me.

Philippians 1:27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel

Philippians 1:28 without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved —and that by God (NIV).

Galatians 2:1 Then after a period of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me.

Galatians 2:2 I went up by revelation, and I explained to them the Good News which I proclaim among the Gentiles, but privately before those who were respected, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.

Galatians 2:3 But not even Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised.

Galatians 2:4 This was because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who stole in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage;

Galatians 2:5 to whom we gave no place in the way of subjection, not for an hour, that the truth of the Good News might continue with you.

Galatians 2:6 But from those who were reputed to be important (whatever they were, it makes no difference to me; God does not show partiality to man)-they, I say, who were respected imparted nothing to me,

Galatians 2:7 but to the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcision, even as Peter with the Good News for the circumcision

Galatians 2:8 (for he who appointed Peter to be an apostle of the circumcision appointed me also to the Gentiles);

Galatians 2:9 and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, Jacob and Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised.

Galatians 2:10 They only asked us to remember the poor-which very thing I was also zealous to do.

Galatians 2:11 But when Cephas came to Antioch, I resisted him to his face, because he stood condemned.

Galatians 2:12 For before some people came from Jacob, he ate with the Gentiles. But when they came, he drew back and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.

Galatians 2:13 And the rest of the Jewish believers joined him in his hypocrisy; so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

Galatians 2:14 But when I saw that they did not walk uprightly according to the truth of the Good News, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live as the Gentiles do, and not as the Jews do, how can you compel the Gentiles to live as the Jews do?

Galatians 2:15 “We, being Jews by birth, and not Gentile sinners,

Galatians 2:16 yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh will be justified by the works of the law.

Galatians 2:17 But if, while we sought to be justified in Christ, we ourselves also were found sinners, is Christ a servant of sin? Certainly not!

Galatians 2:18 For if I build up again those things which I destroyed, I prove myself a law-breaker.

Galatians 2:19 For I, through the law, died to the law, that I might live to God.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

Galatians 2:21 I do not make void the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!”

2 Timothy 4:6 I’m already being poured out like a sacrifice to God, and the time of my death is near.

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith.

2 Timothy 4:8 At last the champion’s wreath that is awarded for righteousness is waiting for me. The Lord, who is the righteous judge, is going to give it to me on that day. He’s giving it not only to me but also to all those who have set their heart on waiting for his appearance (CEB).

To be able to contend for truth, we must know and understand truth. You can’t defend what you don’t know. Jesus taught that people err because they don’t know the Scriptures. It’s only by studying the Scriptures thoroughly that we can show ourselves approved unto God. That’s the only way we can learn to rightly divide the word of truth and sniff out error. Paul commended the Christians in Berea for being more noble that their counterparts in Thessalonica, because they took time to search the Scriptures to find out whether what Paul preached was true or not. They didn’t just take Paul’s words for it, despite the abundance of signs and wonders that accompanied his ministry. The Bereans needed Scriptural proof to confirm what they heard, and that really made them stand out. Anyone so grounded in the scriptures would be hard to deceive and is a much-feared soldier in the battle for the faith! The Lord Jesus commended the Christians at Ephesus because they were not afraid to test the teachings and lifestyles of those who claimed to be apostles, and ended up confirming them to be liars! That’s the only way to escape from, as well as defeat, Satan’s army of wolves in sheep’s clothing parading everywhere, looking for whom to devour. Jesus himself defeated Satan by applying the word. If you don’t know the scriptures, Satan will manipulate and deceive you at will!

Mark 12:24 Jesus said to them, Is not this the reason for your error, that you have no knowledge of the holy Writings or of the power of God? (BBE).

2 Timothy 2:15 Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (AKJV).

The Acts 17:10 The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Beroea. When they arrived, they went into the Jewish synagogue.

The Acts 17:11 Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

The Acts 17:12 Many of them therefore believed; also of the prominent Greek women, and not a few men.

Revelation 2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: “He who holds the seven stars in his right hand, he who walks among the seven golden lampstands says these things:

Revelation 2:2 “I know your works, and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and have tested those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and found them false.

In conclusion, the Christian faith has been under relentless attacks from Satan’s hordes since inception. The enemy’s goal is two-fold—to prevent the gospel from spreading further, or to corrupt and adulterate it if halting its spread is impossible. And so, the battle for the soul of Christianity has raged on since the first century, with Christian warriors called upon in every generation to stand firm in the defence of the gospel from both unbelievers and heretics alike. Some great warriors and defenders of the faith, like apostle Paul, have heeded this call to spiritual arms down through the ages, and some have had to pay the supreme price as a result. Now, the baton has been handed down to us in this relay battle, and we’re called upon once more to contend earnestly for the faith that was once delivered to the saints. The myriads of erroneous and false doctrines in Christendom, along with the heretical sects projecting them, shows that we’re indeed in the last days as prophesied in the Scriptures, when demons would swing open the floodgates of hell, to unleash all manner of false doctrines upon the church, with the aim of deceiving and derailing many from the true faith. Christianity needs bold, fearless and courageous warriors now more than ever, to recover and preserve the purity of the original apostolic faith. To be able to combat error, believers need to be grounded in the Scriptures, and to rightly divide the word of truth. It’s only when we’re armed with the sword of truth that we can rightly confront and defeat all agents of darkness tinkering with and distorting God’s word and his plan of salvation for mankind. May God inspire our hearts with true love and courage for him and enable us to be true soldiers that will be ready to lay down our lives in defence of the gospel. May we be single-minded in lifting high heaven’s banner in this battle to rescue the souls of men and women from eternal damnation in hell.

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