Jude 1:3 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.
Definition of “contend” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/contend
: to strive or vie in contest or rivalry or against difficulties
: struggle
Jude tells us here that he felt it needful for him to write and exhort followers to “earnestly contend” for the same faith that the elder saints had. But why did he feel that this was needful? Because, evidently some had lied concerning this subject. They must have told followers that they did not need to ‘strive’ or ‘contend’ for the faith? If we go on to the next verse…
Jude 1:4-5 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 will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that The Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt (who knows that “Egypt” refers to “sin” for God’s Children?), afterward destroyed them that believed not.
So, what is this faith that Jude speaks of here, and how do I get it? Do I already have it? How can I tell if what I believe truly merits “common salvation” in the sight of God?
Let’s first define what “faith” really is:
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Definitions of “substance” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/substance
: essential nature
: a fundamental or characteristic part or quality
: ultimate reality that underlies all outward manifestations and change
: practical importance : meaning, usefulness
: physical material from which something is made or which has discrete existence
Definition of “hope” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hope
: to desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment I hope she remembers. hopes to be invited
: to expect with confidence :trust
Definition of “evidence” https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/evidence
: an outward sign
: something that furnishes proof :testimony
Is this the same “faith” that Jude spoke of? Yes. Keep reading…
Hebrews 11:2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
Here is an example of faith in action:
Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son
Genesis 22:8 And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.
Now Abraham said this before he saw the ram caught in the thicket. Thus meaning, that Abraham told his son Isaac this revelation by his faith in God’s Word.
Genesis 22:9-13 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And The Angel of The LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And He said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
We see here that Abraham hoped in God’s Righteousness, and the substance of God’s Righteousness (which was really there the whole time), this substance was made manifest in Abraham’s life when The Angel of The Lord called unto him, and he then turned and found the sacrifice that he spoke of in faith to his son Issac, when he had told him, “God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering”. Until that time, however, Abraham patiently continued to perform and carry out what God commanded of him to do. This is exactly how God’s Grace will work in our lives if we truly have faith in His Word!
Galatians 5:5 For we through The Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Romans 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
This is what the Gospel of Christ truly tells us…
Not to merely believe on a man that walked this earth many years ago, but to believe in Jesus Christ! He is The Word of God that was made flesh, crucified unto sin, and risen again in God’s Righteousness! He walked here on earth to set an example for us; that we should die unto sin, and also be resurrected in His righteousness! Not our own righteousness which is as “filthy rags”, for As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one – Romans 3:10.
The ‘reality’ is that The Word of God does not teach us that we are saved in an instant of time. Rather, it teaches that “Grace” is a repentance process, followed by spiritual conversion were God imparts the gift of His Spirit within us, and then we continue through the ‘cleaning’ process that removes sin from our lives, yielding God’s Righteousness. This is why we need to ‘trust’ or have faith in God. It is, after all, His work in us!
Colossians 2:12 Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through The Faith of The Operation of God, who hath raised Him from the dead.
Now we know that many people in this world nowadays will tell you that all that you have to do is believe in Jesus – this is true BUT, to truly “believe”, we must understand that Jesus IS The Word of God. And, not just part of it, but He is ALL of God’s Word.
1 John 5:18-19 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but He that is begotten of God keepeth Himself, and that wicked one toucheth Him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
Why not read it for yourself?
If you are sincerely concerned about your life, I would recommend that you read God’s Word for yourself. You should get a good old KJV bible (which is the least altered of the English versions), and read it thoroughly! If you do this, you are likely to find, by The Grace of God, that God’s Word is a book of instructions. These are not any ordinary instructions either – they instruct a Child of God in His Righteousness!
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by Inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That The Man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
Sounds like this journey will take a lot of faith!??? That’s why I said to read God’s Word. Hearing His Word is where true faith in The Operation of God comes from:
Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by The Word of God.
Faith involves obedience, just like Abraham had before God.
James 2:20-23 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
Just how ‘big’ is your faith? Do you have enough to believe in God’s plan for salvation? How much faith will it truly take to cure a man from sin?
Jesus said “Why reason ye these things in your hearts? Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?” – Mark 2:8b-9
Do you really believe in the power of God?
Which would be harder to do? Move a mountain by simply speaking to it, or cure a man from sin by believing in and following God’s instructions? If I asked, “Do you believe that God can move mountains?”, most would say, “YES!”? How hard would it be, then, for Him to remove a few small sins from your life? – silly question – He’s God!
Mark 9:23 Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.
Matthew 17:15-20 Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to Me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
What is “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints”?
So, again, the faith that God takes pleasure in finding in an individual is faith in His ability to save us, not IN our sin, BUT FROM our sin.
1 John 1:4-7 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. This then is the message which we have heard of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us FROM ALL SIN.
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith (true belief in God’s Way) is the substance (it’s tangible/useful) of things hoped for (our heart’s desire toward God), the evidence (reality) of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:3 Through faith (true belief in God’s Way) we understand that the worlds were framed by The Word of God (realize the “substance”), so that things which are seen (evidence/reality) were not made of things which do appear.
Truth = Reality.
Reality is ‘real’; whether we can see it, or not
Matthew 13:15-16 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
“Real Faith” brings “Real Results”
in the lives of those that truly believe in Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior! It removes sin from our lives; both our inner being, and thereby resulting in God’s Righteousness being manifested in the lives that we live in this present world. -For His sake, and His Glory
Titus 2:11-12 For The Grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world
James 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Philippians 3:12-15 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
2 Peter 3:10-12 But the day of The Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of The Day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
James 2:18-19 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.
Ephesians 6:23-24 Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God The Father and The Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all them that love Our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.
rob@INTRUTH.site