Day 29 – Contending for the Faith

The Shepherd Calls Us to Contend for the Truth

There is a time to speak.

There is a time to teach.

There is a time to encourage.

And there is also a time to contend for the truth.

Jude gives believers a serious responsibility:

“Contend for the faith.”

But what does that mean?

It does not mean becoming hostile.

It does not mean attacking people.

It does not mean creating arguments for the sake of winning.

It does not mean treating those who disagree with us as enemies.

Biblical contending means:

standing faithfully for the truth God has entrusted to His people.

We are called to defend the Gospel without becoming enemies of the people who need to hear it.

This requires both courage and love.

We need courage because truth is sometimes unpopular.

We need love because the people standing on the other side of an argument are still people made in the image of God.

The goal is not to win every debate.

The goal is to remain faithful to Christ.

What Is “The Faith”?

When Jude tells believers to contend for “the faith,” he is not simply referring to personal confidence or belief.

He is referring to the Christian faith – the Gospel truth entrusted to God’s people.

It is the message concerning:

Jesus Christ.

His incarnation.

His death for our sins.

His resurrection.

His lordship.

His saving grace.

repentance and faith.

The teaching entrusted through Christ and His apostles.

The Christian faith is not something we invented.

We are not its authors.

We are its stewards.

God has entrusted His truth to His people, and we are called to believe it, live it, guard it, and proclaim it faithfully.

This means that Christianity is not ours to redesign according to the preferences of every generation.

We do not decide what the Gospel should become.

We receive the Gospel God has given.

We Did Not Invent the Gospel

This is an important principle for every generation.

The Gospel is not something we are free to redesign according to the cultural preferences of our generation.

We cannot say:

“This part is uncomfortable, so let’s remove it.”

We cannot say:

“People don’t like that teaching, so let’s change it.”

We cannot say:

“Our tradition says something different, so tradition must take priority.”

We cannot say:

“Modern culture has changed, therefore Scripture must change with it.”

The Gospel belongs to God.

It was revealed through Jesus Christ and proclaimed by His apostles.

Our responsibility is not to improve it.

Our responsibility is to preserve it faithfully.

This does not mean that every Christian expression, teaching method, translation, cultural practice, or communication style must look identical.

There can be legitimate differences in secondary matters.

But the central truths of the Gospel are not ours to rewrite.

The Gospel is not ours to edit.

“Once for All Entrusted”

Jude uses powerful language.

The faith was:

“once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.”

This reminds us that we are not waiting for a replacement Gospel.

We do not need a replacement Gospel for the modern world.

We need to faithfully proclaim the Gospel God has already given.

The answer to spiritual confusion is not inventing something new.

Often, the answer is a return to the truth we have neglected.

We do not need to invent another foundation.

We need to stand upon the foundation God has already given.

The Gospel Does Not Need Improvement

Human beings constantly want to improve things.

We improve technology.

We improve systems.

We improve communication.

But God’s Gospel does not need our improvement.

We need to understand it.

We need to believe it.

We need to live it.

We need to proclaim it.

We need to defend it when it is distorted.

But we do not need to rewrite it.

The Gospel is not ours to edit.

Why Did Jude Tell Them to Contend?

Jude did not issue this command because Christians should enjoy arguing.

He had a specific reason.

False teachers had entered among God’s people.

They were distorting the truth.

The danger was not simply that people had different personalities or preferences.

The danger was that the faith itself was being corrupted.

Jude therefore warned believers to take the truth seriously.

This is why Christians must know what they believe.

If we do not know the Gospel, we will struggle to recognise when it is being changed.

If we do not know Scripture, we can easily be impressed by confident voices that sound spiritual but teach something contrary to God’s Word.

Contending begins with knowing the truth.

You Cannot Defend What You Do Not Know

If we do not know God’s Word, we become vulnerable to every teaching that sounds religious.

Someone may speak confidently.

Someone may quote religious language.

Someone may have a large following.

Someone may quote Scripture selectively.

Someone may appear impressive.

But the question remains:

What does Scripture say?

This is why we studied the Bereans earlier in this journey.

They listened carefully to Paul’s teaching.

But then they searched the Scriptures to examine what they had heard.

Their examination was not an expression of rebellion.

It was an expression of spiritual seriousness.

They wanted to know whether what they were hearing was true.

This is biblical discernment.

We compare what we hear with Scripture.

And we follow the truth.

Contending Begins With Knowing the Truth

Before we can identify error, we need to know truth.

A bank worker learns to identify counterfeit money primarily by becoming deeply familiar with genuine currency.

In the same way, Christians should become deeply familiar with Scripture.

Know:

the Gospel.

the character of God.

the person of Christ.

the meaning of grace.

the seriousness of sin.

the call to repentance and faith.

the work of Christ.

the teaching of the apostles.

the message of Scripture.

The better we know the truth, the easier it becomes to recognise what contradicts it.

This is why Bible reading is not merely a devotional habit.

It is part of spiritual preparation.

A Christian who knows Scripture is better equipped to recognise deception.

Contending Does Not Mean Fighting Everyone

This distinction is essential.

Some Christians think they are defending the faith whenever they argue with someone.

But winning an argument is not the same as defending the Gospel.

You can win an argument and lose your witness.

You can prove someone wrong while failing to show them the love of Christ.

You can defend truth with the wrong spirit.

You can speak accurate words while being motivated by pride.

That is not the model Scripture gives us.

The Gospel does not call us to become professional arguers.

It calls us to become faithful witnesses.

The goal is faithfulness, not victory in every conversation.

Truth and Love Belong Together

We have already considered the command to speak the truth in love.

That principle applies here as well.

We need:

truth without hatred.

conviction without arrogance.

boldness without cruelty.

clarity without insults.

courage without pride.

The Gospel is powerful enough to stand without our anger.

Truth does not need hatred to strengthen it.

And love does not require us to abandon truth.

We can disagree firmly while remaining respectful.

We can identify false teaching without humiliating the person who believes it.

We can challenge error while remembering that we ourselves live by grace.

A mature Christian learns to hold conviction and compassion together.

Jesus Contended for Truth

Jesus never compromised truth.

He confronted hypocrisy.

He corrected false teaching.

He exposed religious corruption.

He warned people about judgement.

He called people to repentance.

But He also showed extraordinary compassion.

He welcomed sinners.

He healed the broken.

He wept with those who suffered.

He forgave.

He served.

He loved.

Jesus never separated truth from love.

His compassion did not make Him silent about sin.

His courage did not make Him cruel.

His authority did not make Him arrogant.

This is our model.

We defend the truth while remembering the person standing in front of us is someone made in God’s image.

The aim of Christian correction should ultimately be restoration and faithfulness to God, not humiliation.

Contend Against Error, Not Against People

There is a difference between saying:

“That teaching contradicts Scripture.”

and saying:

“You are worthless because you believe that.”

The first can be necessary.

The second is destructive.

Our disagreement should be directed toward ideas, teachings, interpretations, and practices—not toward the human dignity of the person involved.

We should never forget that the person we disagree with may be someone Christ is calling to Himself.

A Message for the East

This is especially important when addressing religious traditions.

If we believe that certain practices or teachings have moved away from Scripture, our response should be to open Scripture faithfully and invite honest examination.

We should never say:

“Those people are our enemies.”

Instead:

“Let us open Scripture together.”

Let the Word speak.

Let people examine.

Let people ask questions.

Let people discover what Scripture actually teaches.

The goal is not to humiliate people.

The goal is to lead people toward truth.

We Must Be Careful With Tradition

Tradition can contain valuable history and wisdom.

But tradition must never become more authoritative than God’s Word.

Jesus Himself warned religious leaders about traditions that could make the Word of God ineffective.

Therefore, when examining any teaching or practice, we should ask:

“Is this clearly taught in Scripture?”

And if it is not, we should be careful about treating it as though God Himself commanded it.

Age does not make a teaching automatically true.

Popularity does not make it true.

Cultural importance does not make it true.

A teaching must ultimately be measured according to God’s revealed Word.

Scripture must remain the final authority.

We Must Not Add to the Gospel

The Gospel is centred upon Jesus Christ.

The Gospel is centred upon Jesus Christ.

Therefore, we must never turn salvation into a system of human achievement.

We should never tell people:

“Christ is not enough; you also need our system.”

“Christ is not enough; you need our tradition to be accepted by God.”

“Christ is not enough; you must earn your salvation.”

No.

The Gospel points us back to Christ.

Our salvation does not rest upon our religious performance.

It rests upon what Jesus Christ has accomplished.

Christ is sufficient.

We do not add human requirements to the finished work of Christ and call those requirements the Gospel.

Grace is not a reward for religious performance.

Grace is God’s undeserved favour toward sinners, and salvation is received through faith in Jesus Christ.

We Must Not Remove From the Gospel Either

Contending for the faith also means refusing to remove truths that have become uncomfortable.

We cannot proclaim:

grace without repentance.

salvation without Christ’s lordship.

forgiveness without the seriousness of sin.

eternal life without judgement.

faith without transformation.

The Gospel must remain the Gospel.

We do not add to it.

We do not subtract from it.

We faithfully proclaim it.

Repentance does not purchase salvation.

Obedience does not purchase salvation.

Good works do not purchase salvation.

But genuine faith in Christ produces a life that increasingly responds to Him in obedience.

Grace saves. Faith receives. Christ transforms. Obedience follows.

The Gospel Is Worth Defending

Why should we contend for the faith?

Because the Gospel concerns eternal things.

This is not an argument about a minor preference.

It concerns whether people understand:

who God is.

who Jesus is.

why humanity needs salvation.

how salvation is received.

what Scripture teaches.

If the Gospel is corrupted, people can be led away from the truth that gives life.

That is why Jude’s warning matters.

Contending Requires Courage

Sometimes defending truth will cost us something.

People may misunderstand us.

People may criticise us.

People may reject us.

People may call us old-fashioned.

People may say:

“Why can’t you just accept everything?”

But faithfulness sometimes requires standing when standing is unpopular.

The apostles understood this.

They continued proclaiming Christ even when they faced opposition.

Faithfulness does not guarantee approval.

Remember:

Our goal is not to be popular. Our goal is to be faithful.

Courage Must Be Joined With Humility

We should never assume:

“I am right because I am passionate.”

Passion does not prove truth.

Confidence does not prove truth.

Popularity does not prove truth.

Even sincerity does not prove truth.

God’s Word must remain our standard.

We must continually examine ourselves through Scripture.

We should be willing to say:

“Lord, correct me too.”

The person defending the faith must remain teachable.

Biblical conviction and humility can exist together.

In fact, genuine conviction should make us more humble because we recognise that truth belongs to God, not to us.

Contending Includes Living the Truth

Our defence of the Gospel is not only verbal.

Our lives should support our message.

If we proclaim:

Christ transforms lives,

but live in bitterness and pride, our testimony is weakened.

If we proclaim:

Christ teaches forgiveness,

but refuse to forgive, people will question our message.

If we proclaim:

Christ teaches humility,

but constantly seek recognition, our words lose credibility.

The Gospel should be visible in us.

Our doctrine and our conduct should not continually contradict one another.

We proclaim Christ with our lips and increasingly reflect Christ with our lives.

Faithfulness Is More Important Than Winning

We are not responsible for making everyone agree with us.

We are responsible for being faithful.

Paul preached.

Some believed.

Others rejected him.

Jesus preached.

Some followed.

Others rejected Him.

Our task is to faithfully proclaim truth.

God handles the results.

This frees us from the pressure to manipulate people into agreement.

We do not need to shout louder because someone disagrees.

We do not need to insult people because they reject our message.

We do not need to compromise truth because we fear rejection.

We simply need to remain faithful.

Faithfulness is more important than winning.

Contending for the Next Generation

One of the greatest responsibilities of the Church is to preserve the Gospel for the next generation.

If we remain silent, confusion can fills the space.

We must teach children and young people:

the Bible.

the Gospel.

the identity of Christ.

the meaning of grace.

the seriousness of sin.

the hope of salvation.

And we must teach them how to examine what they hear.

Not simply:

“Believe because I told you.”

But:

“Open the Scriptures. Know the truth. Follow Christ.”

We want the next generation to know why they believe.

We want them to know the Gospel well enough to recognise when it is distorted.

We want them to love Scripture.

We want them to know Christ.

And we want them to be courageous enough to remain faithful when their faith becomes unpopular.

The Open Gospel Must Be Faithful

This is at the heart of our entire journey.

We are not trying to create a new Gospel.

We are trying to open the Bible and let the Gospel speak.

We want people to see:

Christ alone.

Grace through faith.

Scripture as the foundation and final authority for Christian faith and practice.

The glory of God above all.

And we want to encourage people to examine everything carefully.

Not because we fear questions.

But because truth has nothing to fear from honest examination.

The Open Gospel must never become our message instead of God’s message.

Our task is simply to open the Scriptures, proclaim Christ, and faithfully point people toward Him.

Contending Is an Act of Love

At first, contending may sound confrontational.

But consider this:

If you know that something is dangerous, and you warn someone about it, you are showing love.

If you know that a teaching leads people away from Christ, and you gently explain why, you are showing love.

If you see the Gospel being distorted and remain silent when love requires you to speak, silence may not be faithfulness.

Therefore:

Sometimes love says, “This is not what Scripture teaches.”

But love continues:

“Let us look at what Scripture actually says.”

Christian love does not rejoice when someone is defeated.

It rejoices when truth is understood and people are drawn toward Christ.

That is why our motivation matters.

We contend because we love Christ.

We contend because truth matters.

And we contend because people matter.

How Should We Contend?

1. Know Scripture

Read it.

Study it.

Meditate on it.

Test what you hear against it.

2. Know the Gospel

Be clear about salvation through Christ.

Know what Scripture says about sin, grace, faith, repentance, the cross, resurrection, and the lordship of Christ.

3. Speak truthfully

Do not exaggerate or misrepresent someone else’s position.

Do not attack a position that the other person does not actually hold.

4. Speak with love

Remember the person, not merely the argument.

The person in front of you is not merely an opponent.

They are someone made in God’s image.

5. Remain humble

Be willing to be corrected by Scripture.

Do not assume that passion makes you right.

6. Refuse hatred

We can reject false teaching without hating people.

We can disagree without dehumanising.

7. Remain faithful

Do not change truth simply to gain approval.

We can disagree without dehumanising.

8. Pray

Before difficult conversations, pray.

Ask God for wisdom, courage, humility, and love.

The goal is not simply to defend a position.

The goal is to remain faithful to Christ.

The Invitation

Perhaps there is a truth you have been afraid to stand upon.

Maybe you have remained silent because you were afraid of rejection.

Or you have accepted a teaching simply because it was popular or traditional.

Perhaps you have realised that you know more about religious traditions than you know about Scripture.

Perhaps you have also realised something more uncomfortable:

Maybe you have been so focused on correcting other people that you have forgotten to allow God’s Word to correct you.

Today, the Shepherd invites you to return to the truth.

Open Scripture.

Examine what you believe.

Test what you have been taught.

Do not be afraid of honest questions.

Do not be afraid of truth.

But do not approach Scripture with arrogance either.

Come with humility.

Ask God to teach you.

Ask Him to correct you.

Ask Him to expose error in your thinking.

Ask Him to strengthen your confidence in what is true.

And when you discover something that needs to change, have the courage to obey.