“EARNESTLY CONTEND FOR THE FAITH, BECAUSE TIME IS AT HAND”

Jude 1:1-4 (KJV)  “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. 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. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

I would like to share with you today what I believe Jude was talking about here in this book that he has written. I think at this time it would be beneficial to remind ourselves as to who Jude was. He only identifies himself as the servant of Jesus Christ and the brother of James. I like to let the WORD of GOD be the authority of all things and then look and study other writings, what some call profane writings, and let them be the side notes of a statement of proof. In Matthew 13:55 (KJV) the Holy Spirit tells us this fact as his own countrymen discuss who Jesus was: “Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?” So we see that Jude was the brother of James and the half brother of JESUS. So you might ask the question, why didn’t Jude just say I am the half-brother of JESUS. Well, I believe it could have been out of REVERENCE for JESUS the CHRIST and also that Jude did not want anyone to think that he was claiming any part of being DIETY. There could have also been an element of shame there on Judes’ part, because at the first he and his brothers did not believe that their oldest brother was the MESSIAH. While JESUS “WALKED” in Galilee, which simply means that HE had begin to take HIS ministry into HIS homeland, so in John 7:3-5 (KJV) it is recorded in the Bible: “His brethren therefore said unto him, Depart hence, and go into Judaea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest. For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself to the world. For neither did his brethren believe in him”

In the book of Mark and the 3rd chapter in verse 21 it is recorded also in the (KJV) “…And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.” Now before we judge his friends and family too harshly, let’s remember they were not privy to the facts that Joseph and Mary knew.

Jude wrote to those who had been “SANCTIFIED” by the FATHER and “PRESERVED” in JESUS CHRIST and “CALLED”. Each one of us that have been “BORN AGAIN” by our BELIEF(FAITH) in the sacrifice on the cross by JESUS have been “SANCTIFIED” or made HOLY or “CLEANSED”. Each one of us have been “PRESERVED” or “SEALED”. And each one of us have been “CALLED” or “APPOINTED” as a special SAINT to carry the GOSPEL to the WORLD! That’s why Jude also said that “…ye should earnestly contend for the faith…” He said that we should do as Paul said “…fight the good fight…” “…run the race…” “…finish the course…”, why you may asked? Because Jude said in the 4th verse: “For there are certain men crept in unawares,…”. These that are teaching false doctrine are out to destroy the GOSPEL or dilute it so much that it will come to nothing, they have only a “…a form of GODLINESS but deny the POWER of it…”.

Listen my brothers and sisters in CHRIST there is POWER in the “BLOOD”, there is POWER in HOLY SPIRIT, there is POWER in the WORD of GOD, and there is the available POWER in every “BORN AGAIN” believer. Release that POWER that is in you and let it do the WORK that GOD has made it AVAILABLE for. Do not quench the SPIRIT of GOD but allow HIM to speak and live through you. Paul said in Romans 12:1 (KJV) “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of GOD, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” If you have been “BORN AGAIN” place yourself in HIS service, begin or return to “…earnestly contending for the FAITH” by being available to be used by HIM, because time is running short, TIME IS AT HAND, be about your FATHER’S BUSINESS!