The Faith Once Delivered
Jude 1:3-4Jude had wanted to write a letter on the theme of salvation. However, he shelved that plan and wrote this letter of correction and warning to the Church... because certain false teachings were taking root. Ideas that could lead them into trouble!
Judeurged them [and you] to "contend for the faith once delivered to the saints". Today we'll break down that phrase and see if we can gain insight into what Jude was getting at.
What Were the False Teachers Teaching?
The exact arguments of these false teacher is not specified. We only hear Jude's side of the dispute.Here are some things we can piece together about the false teachers:
- They questioned the reality of judgment, condemnation, and destruction... whichwas leadingto disobedience and sin. Jude's response inverses 5-7 lists 3 biblical examples of God's judgment which were meant to serve as an example for future generations.
- Their teaching was based on dreams [vs 8]... not through careful reasoning from scriptural foundations held in common.
- Because on what Jude says about grace, they must have taught God's patience and mercy meant immoral behavior did not lead to condemnation.
- They spoke ofJesus in word but deniedHim in deed. Possible teachingthat if you havethe right spiritual knowledge... what is done in the flesh is irrelevant.
- In verses16-17 they are characterized as disrespectful, fault finders, complainers, and scoffers... makinglight of certain aspects of biblical instruction presumingthey had something better to offer.
False teachings are foretold“long ago”: in the OT, in the teachings of Jesus, and in the epistles of the apostles themselves. False teaching was an expected phenomenon throughout the history of God's people [Israel, and the Church].We have to be prepared for it.
Identifying and Avoiding False Teaching
Jude exhorts believers to stick with the truth originally taught instead of new ideas. Does this mean all new ideas bad? Wasn't the teaching about Christ's atoning sacrifice a new idea at first?
Jude’sreasons for rejecting these new ideas:
- theywere out of sync with the balanceof the written word of God. Note: the apostlestaught about the new covenant using the existing writings of Genesis to Malachi.Proper teaching about the new covenant is in harmony with the OT.
- these new ideas about how God is dealing with human beings would lead them into immorality and disobedience to the God who saved them. Standards of obedience and moralitywhich are clearly spelled out in the written word.
Matthew 7:15-16- if someone says God is full of mercy, acceptance, and love... you wouldn't refute that. However, false teachers will use the same words and phrases but mean something different by them. But, if the way those concepts are taught leads to accepting all sorts of sexual shenanigans into a Church, or a society... practices which the bible clearly condemns... then youshouldquestion the teachings of such people.
PROBLEM:fruits often take time to make themselves known... that time lag gives bad behaviortime to take root... andbecome bad habits whichare hard to break... so testing every new idea by waiting on the fruits has risks involved.Here is where “the faith once delivered comes into play”.
Most new ideas are not new... they are the same old ideas dressed up with new clothes. Stripped down to the basics, most of these alternative ideas are found in scripture... the bible also records the results. These lessons of cause and effect are given to us by God as lessons for our instruction.
God’s word properly taught lets you see trouble in advance and avoid it. Without having to go through the painful and dangerous process of trial and error.This is what Jude means when he writes of "the faith that was once delivered to the saints"... which we are to "contend for". Let's break down that phrase.
The Faith
Faith [pistis] has more than one application in scripture: 1) the act of believing and 2) the content of what is believed.
Faith has wrongly been construed as irrational/unreasoning belief. I disagree and I think its a dangerous idea that can lead people into weird places.
Hebrews 11:1Faith has wrongly been construed as irrational/unreasoning belief. I disagree and I think its a dangerous idea that can lead people into weird places.This application of faith could also be thought of as trust.
- PROVIDENCELet's say I trust God to take care of me in a trial or test. I have no proof He will take care of me until He does so. But I trust Him... Why? because of past performance. He has helped me in the past.
- REVELATIONI have faith in His word in areas where I do not understand or cannot explain... because of past performance. For example,He has provided and then fulfilled prophecy.
I project what I know with certainty… onto that which I cannot know with certainty. Because its the same God operating in both instances.
Acts 17:31[KJV assurance, proof, pistis] the fact of the Jesus' resurrection [attested to by over 500witnesses] gives me ground for faith that I too can and will be raised.
So, my trust and confidence in God is built up by prayer, trial, personal deliverance, experience etc.But it is largely based on my interaction with the scripture.
Judedoesn't say faith [pistis] he says ... "the faith" [o pistis]. The definitive article indicating he means the content of what is believed Acts 14:22.
Acts 6:7the faith is something which can be proclaimedand taught, Romans 10:8-10 teaching of "the faith" [content] builds up a persons "faith" [trust].
Contend Forthe Faith
This means we struggle, strive, fight for etc.. With words we defend the faith... with words of persuasion we promote the faith. Jude does just that in the main part of his letter.
However, Jude's idea of contending for the faith also means remaining true to the way of life which "the faith" teaches Jude 1:20-23, 1 Timothy 6:11.
Having faith [in the sense of trusting God] never over-rides our need to continue living according to the written instruction and content which is "the faith" once delivered.
Delivered
The false teachersclaimed inspired"dreams"... their own imagination or thoughts.
Human minds are able to discern certain truths just by observation of the creation. However, truths about judgment, or eternal life don't begin with human reasoning. These truths begin with information deliveredfrom God to humans.
Flesh and blood minds focus on predictable pathways... sex, acquisition, and freedom. Flesh and blood creatures want to reproduce... they want to gather supplies for their own survival and that of their kin... they also want to be free. That's the way cats think, that's the way humans think.
Our ability to think about judgment, or eternal life come from the spiritual component God has put in all humans (not the holy spirit but the spirit in man).
Jude zeroes in on sexual immorality. So, lets think of an example of how fleshly priority of sex might intermingle with ideas about judgment to yieldweird results: "God made me with these promiscuous desires... so He must be okay with my desires or else He would not have made me this way. So my desires must be good in His sight".
Thereasoning seems logical and rational from a flesh and blood perspective. Our only reason for questioning this type of thinking is by comparing it to the revealed truth delivered to us from God. Which says, the fruits of that thinking is forbidden… so the tree is bad.
Takeaway:If a line of reasoning leads us into behavior that violates God's commands... the error is in the reasoning, not the command. The command is truth which has been delivered.
Once For All
After the revelation that comes to us through Jesus Christ there is no further revelation to be had Hebrews 1:2.
- He is the last word on atonement, redemption, and eternal life Hebrews 9:11-12.
- He will not keep coming over and over to prove these points to successive generations of humanity Hebrews 9:25-26. What we have been given is sufficient for salvation.
This final revelation of God through Jesus Christ has been written down for you. We have this in the form of a book, the bible. After this there is nothing more to be said. So, you need to know what's in this bible and what is not.
We might wish God would appear and give us definitive answers about contemporary issues (social media, climate change, mental disorders) but He does not. Otherwise,He would have to come over and over, again and again to each generation with their particular circ*mstances.
Some argue the bible is out of date, or out of touch, with contemporary issues. But the underlying questions lurking beneath our contemporary issues are the same: how should I apply judgment here, what is the best way to put forgiveness or mercy into action here, do I trust God at His word?
Changing and Adapting What has Been Delivered
It is rare that false teachers show up with all new material that has fallen out of the sky into their laps [Islam and Mormonism are notable exceptions]. False teaching is usually distortion and manipulation of the what has been delivered.
Revelation 22:18-19some false teaching comes from adding to what is given. Some false teaching comes from taking away.
Adding to What Has Been Given
Galatians 1:6-9does this approach mean there is no development of doctrine?
We can grown in our comprehension of the truths that were once delivered. New insights are already present within the original presentation of the gospel just waiting for us to tease them out. We might tease them out by:
- Applying to current situation- ex. how might the ancient controversy over meat offered to idols help us address contemporary conflict in the Church
- Taste and see- living and experiencing the faith. I learned a lot about God might feel toward his children by experiencing parenthood myself. Trial & sufferingteach us about perseverance & trust.
- Contemplation- this is popular but also dangerous. It needs to be balanced by interaction with other people within God's Church.
What is not acceptable is when people take an appealing idea that is foreign to the bible... then search high and low to find vague scriptures that can be used as a proof text. Teachings like the trinity, the immortality of the soul, the Sunday Sabbath fall into this category.
Taking Away From What Has Been Given
2Corinthians 11:2-4many people have come along and taught about a Jesus different from what is found in the written record. Many times by overemphasizing one facet of who He was, and what He taught... and leaving out other aspects of His character and teaching which are less convenient.
Teaching Jesus who is accepting, and inclusive... is not wrong... but its incomplete. A half truth can be the same as a lie. Jesusalso advocated standards of purity and faith we find difficult to imitate. He is also the instrument of God's wrath, He will rule with a rod of iron, He will condemn some to eternal death.
Teaching an incomplete version of Jesus can lead you into all sorts of error.
Romans 16:17-19don't let people convince you give up the obedience to God which is clearly spelled out in the “faith once delivered”.
Holy People - The Saints
The saints simply means those who are called, chosen, and set apart by God for His special purpose. The congregations of Ephesus, Corinth, and Colossae were still called saints in spite of the sin and conflictamong them.
The truth is not held in secret by a small group of elites who are especially rigorous in their religious observances… dished out to you as needed.
The truth has been given to each and every one of you. Its yours to have... its yours to keep... and Jude tells you to "contend for the faith once delivered to the saints".
