Book of Jude #4
A. JUDE 1:3?4.
1. Warning against false teachers. Notice he did not say "contend
for the A faith." Not pick out a faith, or just any old faith,
from among many faiths.
a. There are many faiths and many supposed gods in the world from
which people can choose to worship. None of them are acceptable
to God.
(1) He said, Contend for THE Faith. HO PISTIS, THE
FAITH, The definite article is present and that defines it as
the one and only faith. And because it is in the noun form, Ho
Pistis means "a set of beliefs or system of faith."
The doctrine that is to be believed to the exclusion of all other
doctrines or beliefs.
(1) It is the only faith acceptable to God, Because it is the
only faith that has been given by God. It is the only faith given
to mankind by God and it is the only faith He accepts.
(a) There is only ONE faith. Eph. 4:4-6. Let me explain this.
(1) Unity of the Spirit means that there is to be no division.
Christ established only one Church. My arm does not go across
town and start growing another body just because it doesnt
want to be a functional part of my body. Thats heresy and
God condemns it. There is only one Holy Spirit and he does not
cause division in the church which is the Body of Christ. Division
is caused by a spirit, but it is by an evil spirit and not Gods
Holy Spirit. There is only one hope of Salvation. And you are
called to that hope in only one Way. Only one Jesus.
Only one faith or doctrine and only one thing to be believed.
Only one baptism
by which your sins are forgiven. Only one real God among many
imagined and
counterfeit gods. And this one God is over every thing and everything
and
everybody in creation is accountable to Him.
(2) And this faith He has given to us is The ONLY Faith that has
been once for all
been delivered to the saints.
(1) ONCE is the Greek Word "HAPAX" It means "something
that does not need to be repeated. It is stated only once
(or a single) time (numerically or conclusively).
(2) Thats not my conclusion. Thats the definition
given by all Greek scholars.
(3) The faith has been stated, declared, given to the world, and
will not be revised. Once stated it stands forever. And if you
disbelieve it, If you reject it you will loose your soul. Once
for all delivered faith means there is no additional revelation
after the apostles died.
(4) Jesus told the apostles in John 16:13. The Holy Spirit taught
the apostles all the truth there is to know about how to be saved
and worship God. There is nothing else to be taught. 2 Tim 3:16?17.
If you are complete, If you are thoroughly equipped, what else
do you need?
(3) In this All Truth Book, called the Bible, you
have everything you need for religious instruction, and you need
nothing else. This book teaches you The Faith for which you are
to contend. And it teaches that faith in its entirety.
(1) We are to CONTEND. A word used of Gladiators.
They fought to the death.
(2) Earnestly is added to show the intensive force of the contending.
(3) Contending earnestly indicates the importance of defending
the faith and the dangers to it.
(4) Any religious group, with post-first century, creeds, doctrines
or revelations are marked up-front as false religions. They are
teaching the doctrines of demons.
(1) Yes, it is possible for people today to teach doctrines of
demons and present them as the Gospel Truth of Gods Word
in order to deceive even the elect.
(2) Both Jesus and Paul emphatically tell us of that reality in
, Mark 13:22-23 and
1 Tim. 4:1?2.
(3) 1 John 4:1.
(4) 2 Tim. 4:1?4.
b. Our charge is clear and it is absolute. Test the spirits, seek
the truth of Gods Word
and contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered
to the saints.
c. Acts 20:32.
. Spur - 3/25/2001 am
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