Jude 1:3-4 3Beloved, 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. 4For 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.
The Job of the christian is to contend for that original doctrine that was once delivered to the saints. Contend means To strive; to strive against; to struggle in opposition; to use earnest efforts to obtain, or to defend and preserve. So, we must know the truth, stand on it, and live it out in order to fulfill this mandate. We must be trained in the scriptures in order to correct and teach others. Jesus commands His disciples to teach all nations to observe everything He has commanded.
The problem: There is an all out assault on the Word of God and the true doctrine once delivered to the Saints. There is opposition on every side and the christian world has been taught to believe in lies. The overall church has miserably failed to train the next generation the foundational truths and doctrine which accords with Godliness. And because of this we have heresy taught from the leadership in almost every christian institution. This is why God commands his people to contend for the truth and cast down everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God.
Wage the good warfare 1 Timothy 1:18-19 18This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; 19Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: (We are commanded to fight with the sword of the spirit, pray for everything, and being one we are victorious in all the Lord’s Battles!)
Paul contended with sinners in the streets Acts 17:16-17 16Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. 17Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. (Paul disputed with people in public. Define disputed - Contested; opposed by words or arguments; litigated. Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:)
Instructing those who oppose themselves 2 Timothy 2:25-26 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. (All the truth in the Bible confirms itself. So those with a bad understanding oppose themselves. Even though they see the contradiction, they settle, make excuses, and end up never praying through it.)
False Teachers bring in damnable heresies 2 Peter 2:1-6 1But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 4For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 5And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
Psalms 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. (Everyone has a good understanding know that his commandments are not suggestions, they are mandatory in order to be saved.)
False doctrine cannot deliver from Sin John 8:31-36 31Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 34Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (What did the truth set them free from? Sin! False doctrine keeps you from being free from sin! John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.)
False doctrine makes every generation twice as bad Matthew 23:15 15Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
Bad doctrine is like leaven. Matthew 16:12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. (Leaven starts off small. Looks like no big deal. But it grows and takes over and ends up shipwrecking their faith.)
Keep contending for the Doctrine Timothy! 1 Timothy 4:6-16 6If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. 7But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 8For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 9This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 10For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. 11These things command and teach. 12Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 15Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 16Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. (We are saved by believing the truth. The truth is God’s Word. Doctrine is truth taken from God’s Word to teach to others.)
Paul was an example for all 2 Timothy 3:10-17 10But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 12Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 13But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. 14But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them.
Know when to wipe the dust off your feet Acts 13:48-52 48And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed. 49And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region. 50But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. 51But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium. 52And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost. (This is not saying anytime you have resistance to give up and leave. The apostles and prophets always had a rebellious people to preach to. But once persecution gets so bad and you have gotten the word out you can leave in peace knowing you have done your duty to warn them and give them the truth!)
The living Way
Paul was persecuted for the living way! Acts 24:14-16 14But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets: 15And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust. 16And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
His way is perfect Psalms 18:30-32 30As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him. 31For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God? 32It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. (God makes our way perfect. Does He do this by telling us lies and giving us standards we cannot keep? No, He gives us the bold face truth so we can cut straight to the chase and be saved. Don’t play games on God! Be serious and disciplined and you will grow quickly, be fruitful, flourish, and be ready when Christ gets back!)
A New and Living WAY!!! Hebrews 10:19-20 19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh.
Ask God for the Old Path Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. (They not only say, we will not walk in that way. They contend that it is impossible and unnecessary for salvation. But we walk in that old path, which is the true way of holiness in the Spirit!)
Who will teach the true doctrine Isaiah 28:5-10 5In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, 6And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. 7But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. 8For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. 9Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: (Just like then, people today are drinking wine and strong drink and cannot see clearly. But the remnant will be focused and determined. The Lord will be their strength! Even so, there is a high price for preaching exactly what the bible says because people don’t believe it.)
We are zealous for the purity and perfection of the house of God!
Psalms 69:9 For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me. (We unashamedly suffer reproach for the name of the Lord in order for God to have a pure church. Colossians 1:27-29 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: 28Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 29Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily. It’s all about having a chaste virgin bride for King Jesus. A spotless holy people for the Holy One of Israel!)
Be zealous for righteousness Isaiah 59:17 He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. (Put on the mind of Christ and redeem the time. Make a huge difference in the little time you have.)
Do you remember this House in its former glory? Haggai 2:3-4 3Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glory? and how do ye see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing? 4Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts: (God is doing the same thing today! Bringing back his people to be established in His Holy Ways by His Holy Word!)
The House of the Lord shall be glorious Isaiah 2:2-5 2And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. 4And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. 5O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.
Closing Instructions
Preach the full counsel Acts 20:25-32 25And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. 26Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. 27For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 28Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. 32And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
Turn away from false teachers and contentious religious people 1 Timothy 6:3-6 3If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; 4He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, 5Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 6But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Gotta be blameless to carry the gospel 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 3Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: 4But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, 7By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; 9As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; 10As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. (Give no offence in anything, that the ministry be not blamed means that you don’t do anything that would cause people to stumble or blaspheme the word of God and the doctrine we carry.)
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