Verse of the Day 3/12
Jude 1:3 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. English Standard Version (ESV)
Our church has been going through the "Community Bible Reading Experience", reading through the New Testament over an 8 week period. We're heading down the home stretch in the final week of reading. Last week's reading included Peter's letters along with the short letter of Jude and the gospel of John.
Reading today's verse it was as if Jude were speaking to all of us to "contend" for this faith, contend for the Bible, the gospels that we've been reading day by day. John MacArthur writes that Jude wrote this letter for Christians, for us "to wage war against error in all forms and fight strenuously for the truth, like a soldier who has been entrusted with a sacred task of guarding a holy treasure".
In reading through the New Testament you will come across verses and passages that are challenging for us. Some may not be popular in this politically correct environment but our call, or challenge is to stand up for what we believe in, to put on the full armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18). This message the Bible was given once and for all to us to live by. It isn't to be added to, it stands as a complete unit, not to be modified or reduced.
These thoughts brought me to an old hymn, " Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus" and the following stanza in particular:
Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the Gospel armor, each piece put on with prayer;
Where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the Gospel armor, each piece put on with prayer;
Where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.
Read the verses from The Message below. May we heed Jude's call to contend for this faith as "a gift to guard and cherish".
Jude 1:3-4 The Message (MSG)
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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