Verse of the Day 12/10
Jude 1:3-4 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. 4 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. English Standard Version (ESV)
Today's verses once again come from the daily read through the Bible plan. Like yesterday's verse, it comes from a short, one chapter book/letter with the purpose of urging us to keep and hold onto our faith. Yesterday we were called to "watch yourselves" to be aware of false doctrines, false messages that can creep into the church. Today's urging is for us to "contend for the faith', to stand up, to take a stand against those same false doctrines and to hold onto the gospel which was delivered "once and for all" to the saints.
This "faith" that is to be contended for , John MacArthur writes, "is the whole body of revealed salvation truth contained in the scriptures. Here is a call to know sound doctrine, to be discerning to sort out truth from error, and to confront and attack error." He continues and points out that this faith, once for all delivered was "God's revelation delivered once as a unit, at the completion of scripture, and is not to be edited by either deletion or addition. Scripture is complete, sufficient and finished."
Whenever we hear of or read of a revelation, a "new message" from God, that is held up as authoritative, warnings should go off in our minds. We should hold it up against what we have learned from the Bible and if there is any disagreement, to hold and contend for the truth's expressed in the Bible that we have come to know and trust.
The Message (below) put's it 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."
This being watchful, this contending has to do with our walk, growing in our faith. Henry Blackaby writes, "The longer we serve God — the more intimately acquainted with Him we become. When God has access to our heart, mind, and soul through years of fellowship and worship, He allows us to see more of His activity and to be more involved in His miraculous work. Stay alert! God is at work all around you!"
Jude 1:2-4The Message (MSG)
1-2 I, Jude, am a slave to Jesus Christ and brother to James, writing to those loved by God the Father, called and kept safe by Jesus Christ. Relax, everything's going to be all right; rest, everything's coming together; open your hearts, love is on the way!
Fight with All You Have in You
3-4 Dear friends, I've dropped everything to write you about this life of salvation that we have in common. 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. What has happened is that some people have infiltrated our ranks (our Scriptures warned us this would happen), who beneath their pious skin are shameless scoundrels. Their design is to replace the sheer grace of our God with sheer license—which means doing away with Jesus Christ, our one and only Master.
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