“Beloved, 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. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 1:3-4)
Jude, the half brother of Jesus, had like James, grown up with Jesus. At first, these boys, along with Simeon and Joses, two more half brothers of Jesus, did not believe Jesus was who He claimed to be. But, the cross, the resurrection and Pentecost had changed them. And now, Jude started to write about the common salvation. No one would be better qualified than Jude to write such a treatise. But, the situation with his readers had changed and it became necessary to warn them of false teachers who were turning the grace into a license to sin. The instruction Jude gave his readers is appropriate and necessary for today’s churches and Christians. We must earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.
I know from experience that it is much preferred by preachers to preach on salvation in Jesus Christ, as Jude indicated, than to warn people of false teachers and their false doctrine. But we pastors, evangelists and other preachers of the Word of God have the responsibility to declare the whole counsel of God. The folks in the pews have the responsibility to heed such warnings.
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