“He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that HE MIGHT DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL.” (1 John 3:8) So we will understand just how very much Jesus intends to BLESS US, He says, “I have come that they may HAVE LIFE (zōē: godly life), and that they may have it more ABUNDANTLY (in all its fullness).” (John 10:10)
There are so many distractions in this world, that are forced on us, to separate us from our relationship with Jesus. I can assure you from living the first 29 years of my life, without Jesus, was so miserable! My only “relief” came when I was either drunk or high. That was 48 years ago, now the wonderful joy of the Lord is my AWESOME RELIEF. So, what do we have to do to maintain this joy? Jude tells us “Beloved, it was NEEDFUL FOR ME to write to you, urging you that you should EARNESTLY CONTEND FOR THE FAITH which was once delivered to the saints.” (Jude 1:3) Jude is concerned because “the faith”—the Christian message of the gospel—is under attack from false teachers who are spreading dangerous heresies, even more so in our day. Jude urges us to contend for the faith against those who seek to UNDERMINE AND ERODE IT. The Greek word Jude chooses, translated “contend earnestly,” describes an athlete STRIVING WITH EXTREME INTENSITY to win the victory in a competition. Which means for us, we need to STRIVE EXTREMELY to make sure we deliver the “TRUTH” of God’s Word.
We need to keep in mind that Jesus said, “I am the way, THE TRUTH, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) Paul believed this so he told the Corinthians, “I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be CORRUPTED FROM THE SIMPLICITY THAT IS IN CHRIST. For if he who comes preaches ANOTHER Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a DIFFERENT spirit which you have not received, or a DIFFERENT gospel which you have not accepted…” (2 Corin. 11:3-4)
DO NOT PUT UP WITH IT, STRIVE FOR THE FAITH…
-Bill Stockham