We have observed one of the commands for the Christian life is to fight the good fight of faith. We have come to the book of Jude, finding that we have been called to contend for the faith (vv. 1-4) and having been shown how to contend (vv. 5-7). Now, we will begin to dig deeper and understand what we are contending against. Verse 15 sums it up well, “all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way”. What we contend against are those who are ungodly practicing ungodly deeds in an ungodly way. With this in hand, there are some important factors to take into account when contending against such people. First, these people had their own agendas. They did not submit to authority but rejected authority (verse 8). By rejecting true authority, they were ultimately following the agenda of the evil one, the devil (verses 8-9). We see this in the dispute between Michael the archangel and the devil. The important thing to note here is while Michael did say, “The Lord rebuke you!”, he did not bring an accusation to the forefront. In other words, he left judgment to God. In contending for the faith, we remember ultimate judgment does not come from us, but from God. A second insight of these ungodly people is that they have been around since the days of old. From Cain in Genesis 4 to the examples of Balaam and Korah, greed, error, and rebellion have permeated the hearts of the ungodly. They were even prophesied about (verses 14-16) and still are deceiving (verse 12). Yet, their end is fruitlessness, shame, and darkness (verse 13). Their focus and goal is their own gain. They are selfish in their motives and actions. They don’t desire to make much of God; they desire to make much of self. Beware of such people! They are ungodly, those who abide in ungodly works and with ungodly motives. They are not working for the gospel; they are working against the gospel. That is why we must contend for the faith. That is why we must understand who we contend against. We need to be aware of such people and to understand they are being used by the devil himself. So, let’s contend for the faith.
Reflection Time:
- Why is it important to know who we are fighting against when we contend for the faith?
Entrusted By GOD Ministries 
Hmm…
I liked your series on Jude. But I’d like to make suggestions. I would have incorporated more cross-Scriptural references. Whenever I teach on a book of Scripture, I always cross-reference other Scripture, because Scripture interprets Scripture, and it builds a more holistic picture.
In the future, you may want to consider other passages. The first is Eph. 6:10-18. This is important for two reasons: 1) it demonstrates that we need to be “prayed up”, as it were, or prepared to contend for the faith, and 2) that our primary enemy isn’t the unbeliever himself/herself but the powers of darkness, which most assuredly battle with them against us. Ephesians 6 can apply to spiritual warfare in its many forms, both when confronting demons in the middle of the night and when evangelizing to unbelievers. Preparation and acknowledgment of the supernatural aspects of warfare, which is a big component of evangelism.
2 Cor. 10:3-6 is another important passage. It rings similar to the message in Eph. 6, which is that we war not with flesh and blood, nor with weapons of flesh and blood. This is critical in our understanding of contending for the faith. We must be prepared to destroy the strongholds of thought, the strongholds of worldviews. We tear them down from the foundation using wisdom, discernment, and knowledge.
2 Tim. 2:23-26 demonstrates how we approach evangelism. Gentle. Patient. Kind. And we are reminded that they are snared by the Devil in verse 26. Again, our ultimate enemy is the Devil and his minions. 1 Pet 2:15-17 further illustrates the kindness approach. Honor everyone. When we are kind, gentle, patient, and honoring, we “silence the ignorance of foolish people” (v. 15).
Supernatural warfare. Lofty opinions and strongholds in the heart. And we approach it all wearing the Armor of God, having prayed and asked for strength and guidance, and with kindness and gentleness, being patient and not getting roused into argument.
Of course, these posts were not necessarily purely about Apologetics or Evangelism but about Jude itself. Still, contending for the faith, in the context of Jude, can always be strengthened by cross-Scriptural references. Let me know your opinion. Love you, bro!