Jude purposed to write a letter dealing with the doctrine of salvation.  This Epistle would be the 26th book of the New Testament.   The Holy Spirit directed him to write an essay instead on the importance of contending for the faith in light of the growing number of false teachers and heretical views in the first century.  The third verse of the Epistle of Jude mentions this need along with the thesis of his exhortation:  “that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”

    An Explanation:  The term earnestly contend occurs only here in the NT.  The root of the word occurs 7 times and is translated “to strive” (1 Corinthians 9:25), “to fight” (1 Timothy 6:12,
2 Timothy 4:7), and “to labor fervently” (Colossians 4:12).    The root of this verb is our English term “agony.”   Believers are called upon to strive, to fight and to fervently labor in the battle for truth.   The term “faith” has the definite article and refers to the body of truth delivered to the believers by the Apostles (cp. Jude 17).  The term “delivered” has the sense of something being handed down, or passed along.  This participle is also in the past tense and there is an adverb just before it translated “once.”   This word means once for all time and is used of the once for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  The adverb, along with the past tense participle, indicate that the faith, [the body of doctrine), was delivered and is not still being delivered.   This is an important truth for believers today.   God has already delivered the truth, He has already spoken, and He is not giving new revelations today (Hebrews 1:1-3).  We have this “more sure Word of prophecy” (2 Peter 1:19),
in the Bible, God’s Word.  

    An Exhortation:  It is clear from our verse in Jude 3 that we are to be contenders for the truth of God’s Word.   In our desire to contend, we must [1] Speak the truth in love, [2] Strive for what is right, [3] Separate from apostasy and compromise, and [4] Stand in the day of battle.   These four statements summarize the obedient believer’s duty to contend.   We must boldly and courageously set forth what the Bible says, (Ephesians 4:15), and we must be militant about it
(1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 4:7).   This will necessitate identifying and rebuking apostates and graciously dealing with erring brothers in the matter of Biblical separation (2 Corinthians 6:14, Ephesians 5:11, 2 Thessalonians 3:16).   When the lines are drawn in battle, we must declare our stand for truth (Ephesians 6:12-18).   In our contending for the Faith, we must be gracious and not mordacious; we must contend without being caustic; and while we agonize for the sake of truth, let us not purposefully antagonize.    

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