What does it mean to strongly contend for the faith Jude 3-4

 Jude 3.  " What does it mean to earnestly contend for the faith?"

   A classic book which I was unacquainted with was one of the rewards of seminary education that I had in 2003.  I was fortunate to be chosen to go to get another degree in the Army .  I was blessed to be able to go and teach Army Soldiers with it in ethics.  I uncovered some liberalism at Princeton Seminary,  but overall was impressed with many of the people and teachers I met.  One taught a course on the Lutheran who died at the hands of the Nazis before the Americans liberated the prison, Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  He is well known in many Christian circles, The Cost of Discipleship, 1949. I will admit I never heard of it until 2003.  He writes about the Sermon on the Mount:

" Grace is costly...because it is God's grace in Jesus Christ...Is the price we are paying today with the collapse of the organized Churches anything else but an inevitable consequence of grace acquired too cheaply?... We poured out rivers of grace without end, but the call to rigorously follow Christ was seldom heard."

Jude 3 asks us to "earnestly contend for the  faith which was once delivered unto the saints."  What does it mean to do this?  This was a bit of an eye-opener for me as the word contend is really not what I thought the Greek means.  It does not mean to argue.  That gets us nowhere.

The word is actually the English agonize epagōnízomai (from /epí, "focused on" and 73 /agṓn, "a contest, competition") – properly, to contend (literally, "struggle upon, appropriately"), i.e. with skill and commitment in opposing whatever is not of faith (God's persuasion).

Then I remembered one of my life verses. 2 Tim.2:24 , " And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowleding of the truth..." This word is also used in I Cor. 9:25 where the Apostle talks about running the race but the one that is temperate runs with discipline (self).

This was an aha moment a moment of why we see so few we talk to get it.  We either ignore their questions, unheard problems and thoughts we cannot hear.  Instead we are argumentative which appeals to no one. 

2. And what should we as the "beloved" in Christ talk about strongly struggle/agonize  with others and ourselves about? Jude appeals to the saints ( people of God) that they should contend earnestly for "the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."

the faith Acts 2:42 " And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."

That which has been delivered . I Cor 15:1-3.  "  I received it and delivered it unto you."

Green- " Apostolic teaching , not whatever be the current fad...is the hallmark of authentic Christianity."

2 John 9-10 The doctrine of Christ. 

How does this square with those who cheapen Christianity by saying it is just a set of propositions we say yes to?  Michael Green, "  Christianity is .... a vibrant, vital personal relationship with Jesus which inflames, invigorates and permeates every aspect of political, social, and personal life."

Why lastly do we need to strive patiently for the faith once delivered unto the saints? 

3. " For certain men crept in unawares...." lit " had slipped in secretly"  It was a serious problem because it was not easily detected., subtle.

We will discuss this next week .  What was the heresy?  False teachers had crept into the church according to Jude. 2 Peter if you doubt Jude says it this way, ch 2.

"But there were false prophets among the people, ....damnable heresies, denying the Lord that bought them ...."

It was a teaching of do what you want as long as you say certain words , such as, " I am a Christian."  But I can do whatever and believe what I want.  Sound familiar?

A favourite word of Jude's is ungodly.  vs 15, " their ungodly deeds"  vs 18 ," their illicit desires"

Conclusion----Strive earnestly in our own hearts and in the speaking to others of the faith that has been once delivered   , the faith of the Apostles, not some made up fantasies.

Bonhoeffer again tells us," ...grace is costly, precisely because it is pure grace, because it is God's grace in Jesus Christ....Blessed are those who, in the knowledge of such grace, can live in the world without losing themselves in it. In following Christ their heavenly home become so certain that they are truly free for life in this world."