Jude Chapter 1 Vs. 3

 

Judgment on False Teachers

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. Jude 1:3

Beloved, when I... Indicates the close relationship between Jude and his readers. Jude was evidently planning to write a less urgent doctrinal letter but was forced by developments to pen this earnest exhortation. Jude conceives of Christian faith as having a definite, unchanging and unchangeable content.

the common salvation... So called because it belongs to the Jews and the Gentiles alike and offers salvation to the whole world (John 3:16). It is received by everyone the very same way, by simple belief in Jesus. We find in this that something happened that caused Jude to find it necessary to write this letter. The message is a simple one. Do whatever is necessary to expose yourself to the salvation message. This is a letter begging them to seek out salvation. Do not let it slip you by.

needful for me... This verse implies that Jude had intended to write a letter on salvation as the common blessing enjoyed by all believers, perhaps to emphasize unity and fellowship among believers, and remind them that God is no respecter of persons. But he was compelled, instead, to write a call to battle for the truth in light of the arrival of apostate teachers.

should earnestly contend... Greek: epagonizomai, to contend against others. Only here. The idea is to maintain the original faith of the gospel which was being destroyed by false teachers (Jude 1:3-4). While the salvation of those to whom he wrote was not in jeopardy, false teachers preaching and living out a counterfeit gospel were misleading those who needed to hear the true gospel. Jude wrote this urgent imperative for Christians to wage war against error in all forms and fight strenuously for the truth, like a soldier who has been entrusted with a sacred task of guarding a holy treasure (1Tim. 6:12; 2Tim. 4:7).

for the faith... This is the whole body of revealed salvation truth contained in the Scriptures (Gal. 1:23; Eph. 4:5, 13; Phil. 1:27; 1Tim. 4:1). Here is a call to know sound doctrine (Eph. 4:14; Col. 3:16; 1Pet. 2:2; 1Jhn. 2:12-14), to be willing to confront and attack error.

once delivered unto... God’s revelation was delivered once as a unit, at the completion of the Scripture, and is not to be edited by either deletion or addition (Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Pro. 30:6; Rev. 22:18-19). Scripture is complete, sufficient, and finished; therefore, it is fixed for all time. Nothing is to be added to the body of the inspired Word.

Because nothing else is needed, it is the responsibility of believers now to study the Word (Second Timothy 2:15), preach the Word (Second Timothy 4:2), and fight for its preservation.

The message had been given early on to the saints, who are described as holy, since they are set apart from sin to God. Jude does not want anything to happen to cause them to miss the opportunity of salvation. He explains it is simple to receive and is for everyone who will.

Warnings concerning Apostates

Wishing to write of the more pleasant theme of salvation, Jude was forced by his concern to write on an urgent and abhorrent theme. Circumstances had arisen that demanded immediate action, thus presenting an emergency situation. Jude addressed himself to a recognized problem, and exhorted the believers to respond with positive determination.

Jude got directly to the point: I… urge you to contend for the faith. Then he proceeded to tell his readers why he was so concerned.