Contend Earnestly

JOHN MANIATTY

“Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” Jude 1:3

We are called to contend earnestly for the faith. Let’s consider just what it means to contend and how this can affect our lives.

I once heard Derek Prince preach on being ruthless in our pursuit of the Lord and His kingdom. The challenge from this renowned man of God was clear. We must be ruthless in our love and pursuit of Jesus— contending earnestly for the faith! He is the Way and the Truth and the Life! His will must become our will. His way, our way. We must lay aside every encumbrance that prevents us from contending for the faith.

Too often it seems that believers become ensnared in contending for something other than ‘the faith’: self-righteousness (being right about everything); money and possessions; control and domination; ministry and self-importantance. The list is as endless as His creation. When we are ensnared we become contentious, factious, and most often, bitter.

Fortunately, whenever we find ourselves ensnared all we need to do is cry out to Jesus for forgiveness, from our hearts, and we are forgiven. He loves us! At this point we become candidates able to contend earnestly for the faith, if we begin to repent (live His Way instead of ours). Sinners, saved by Grace, through faith, loving Him!

“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:5

Give all you have to being His disciple and learning His Way. Be ruthless in asking forgiveness. Be ruthless in pursuing a repentant life and you will find yourself contending earnestly for the faith in the areas of your life where you have lived in defeat, being ensnared by the defeated one.

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Colossians 3:16-17

Let’s not be contentious—let us be Contenders for the faith delivered to the saints. Remember, it has been delivered to us. Will you open the package and become a Contender?

agape,
–john