“Beloved, using all diligence to write to you of our common salvation, I have been obliged to write you, exhorting [you] to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints” (vs. 3).
BORNE along by the Spirit, Jude sat down to write. His own heart was filled with the joy of God’s salvation; and as he put pen to parchment, he would have been glad to write of this salvation common to every saint. But verbal inspiration, however derided by unbelieving men, is ever affirmed in Scripture. So here the apostle is not left to himself as to the form or subject of his letter. The same Holy Spirit who caused him to give all diligence to write, directed his mind as to the theme he must dwell upon. Not the common salvation, precious as that is, was to be his line. A note of warning and exhortation it was, that the Lord would have him give. Therefore he writes to urge earnest contending for the faith already delivered, and that once for all. For the force of the word “once” is such as to debar all thought of repetition.
The faith here is not faith by which we lay hold of the salvation of God. It is the truth as to that salvation, with all that accompanies it. This abiding faith has been given never to be added to. No new revelations will be vouchsafed to complete the truth given by divine inspiration through the apostles of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Jude, as John, turns the saints back to “that which was from the beginning.”
Evolution in theology there may be, for theology is simply the reasoning of man’s mind as to the things of God. But evolution in regard to the truth, the faith once for all delivered, there is none. God has given His last word on the subject. For this we are called to contend.
It will be seen at once how this simple expression shuts out all the pretentious claims of new prophets, seers and revelatory. Impious are the claims of latter-day enthusiasts who make bold to declare themselves sent of God to add unto His words. Be the signs and wonders that accompany such pretensions as remarkable as those of the Antichrist yet to come, the simple-hearted believer turns away from them all, and exclaims with holy confidence, “The faith has been once for all made known. Neither assumption nor miracle shall induce me to accept any additions to it.”
It was for lack of this that in the last century so many thousands of the unwary were attracted and ensnared by the specious claims of Mormonism, which even yet, though in its decadence, numbers its converts by hundreds yearly. Angelic agencies and mystic plates—if all said about them were true, instead of palpably false—still would authenticate nothing. The faith once delivered needs neither angelic nor human additions. It is perfect and complete; and the man of God will refuse all other and newer revelations.
To the apostle Paul it was given to complete the Word of God. He was the chosen servant to whom the mysteries hidden from past ages were made known (Col. 1:24-2724Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: 25Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:24‑27)). Having thus completed the outline of divine teaching, he can write, “Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Gal.1:8).
Jude adds no new doctrine to what had already been set forth, but exhorts those who had received so sacred a deposit, to contend earnestly for it; even as John, in the Revelation, sets forth no additional line of teaching, but shows what the outcome is to be in regard to the conflict between truth and error, carried on so long.
It will be seen at once how fitting it is, therefore, that Jude’s letter should be so placed in our Bibles as to form a preface to the book of Revelation; for such indeed it is. He gives a graphic and solemn picture of the evils (already springing up among the saints in those early days), which in Revelation are portrayed in all their hideous development.
That the second letter of Peter bears a close resemblance in many particulars to that of Jude is apparent to all careful readers: so much so that some, who never look below the surface, have surmised that one might be but an imperfect copy of the other. To the spiritually-minded there are, hover, marked differences despite the striking similarity. Peter warns of false teachers, corrupting those who are not established in the truth. It is false doctrine, damnable heresies, which, if not refused, will bring upon the recipients of them swift destruction. But Jude has especially before him the ungodliness that results from the giving up of the truth. The grace of God turned into lasciviousness is that which he warns against.
Men may belittle sound doctrine, and ridicule as an antiquated notion that a system of belief is of any importance in regard to a man’s behavior; but Scripture shows that there cannot be proper behavior apart from soundness in the faith. The couplet:
“For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight;
He can’t be wrong whose life is in the right,”
expresses what is in the minds of many, but the life will never be in the right unless the truth of God is accepted and bears sway in the inward parts; therefore the need, in a day of abounding vagaries like the present, to heed such an exhortation as Jude here is inspired of the Holy Spirit to give.
The word is addressed, not to leaders alone, but to all the called in Jesus Christ. Each one is responsible, in a time of departure from the truth, to contend earnestly for all that God has revealed. Were the mass of Christians thus guarding the treasure committed to the whole Church, evil-workers and false teachers would be unable to obtain foothold; but it is because of the indifference of those who are content to be called the laity, that ungodly men are able to entrench themselves so strongly in that which bears the name of the Church.
To the saints as a whole the faith was delivered. To such the exhortation is addressed to contend earnestly for it. The believer is thus viewed in his soldier character: he is called upon to fight for what is in God’s sight of such prime importance. As a Shammah, defending a patch of lentils, the food of God’s people (2 Sam. 23:11, 1211And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. 12But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory. (2 Samuel 23:11‑12)), so the Christian should boldly defend the truth against all enemies.
It is well to remember that it is one thing to contend; quite another, to be contentious. “The servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient; in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (2 Tim. 2:24-2624And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. (2 Timothy 2:24‑26)). These verses indicate the spirit that is to characterize the one who would contend for the truth.
Firmly, yet with tender compassion for those being led astray, he is to stand for all that God has revealed. When a bad, carnal spirit takes possession of one, he is powerless to help or bless others. And it should ever be remembered that in contending for the faith, the soul of the sinner has to be thought of likewise. It is not enough to uphold the doctrines of Christ, the behavior must command the truth which the lips proclaim. The phrase in Ephesians 4 is, translated “speaking the truth in love,” has been literally rendered, “truthing in love.” We do not have the participle form of the word in English, as in Greek; consequently it is awkward to so express it; but it gives the exact meaning. It is far more than speaking the truth that is in question. It is the truth lived out in all our ways. ‘Unless this be characteristic of the one who contends for the faith of God’s elect, the utterances of his lips will be but vain.