NEW SERIES BEGINS DECEMBER 8, 2019

Answers to Tough Questions: 

Defending What You Believe

It can be hard to live out our faith in the midst of a culture of confusion. Christians also face the challenge of many competing voices. A battle is raging for our hearts and minds, and it seems skeptics have taken the microphone. People outside the church hardly know the Bible at all, and even many believers do not know Scripture as well as they should. Consequently, Christians are ill-equipped to provide the answers our culture and communities desperately need.

In this study, Answers to Tough Questions, we will learn how our faith challenges us to go to God’s Word instead of Google® for answers. The questions we’ll raise are those skeptics often ask, and while they may appear difficult, we find answers in the Bible. In answering tough questions, we will discover how to defend our faith and point to The Answer—Jesus Christ.

WEEK 1: DO WE NEED TO DEFEND OUR FAITH?

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES: Jude 1-4, 20-23, 24-25

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE

Some people are passionate about their coffee. I mean, really passionate. They are quite capable of defending their choice of coffee and explaining the subtleties between, say, Arabica and Robusta coffee beans. One doesn’t have to be a professional barista to be a coffee expert.

I once sat next to a man and woman on an airplane who talked for 68 minutes about basketball. (Yes, I timed them.) Specifically, they debated who was the GOAT—the Greatest of All Time: Michael Jordan or LeBron James. As far as I could tell, they were neither professional basketball players nor coaches, but they certainly were passionate fans.

People tend to be effective communicators on subjects that hold their passion. Yet many Christians with a deep love for Jesus don’t think they can be effective communicators about their faith. I don’t know enough; it would take years of study to answer a skeptic.

The good news is you don’t have to be either a “professional” or a degreed scholar to be knowledgeable about your faith. Jude has shown us that every follower of Jesus can defend the faith.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Jude 1-4

1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: 2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. 3 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. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Your past does not disqualify you. Jude knew this. He was the physical half-brother of Jesus (Matt. 13:55), but he saw his brother as nothing more than that: his brother. Jude joined his other brothers in ridiculing Jesus out of unbelief (John 7:3-5). Thankfully, the embarrassment of not immediately recognizing Jesus’ divine identity was only a comma in Jude’s life, not a period. Jude moved from skeptic to “servant of Jesus Christ”; in Acts 1:14, he, Jesus’ other brothers, and Jesus’ mother, Mary, were praying with the apostles in Jerusalem. Jude’s life reminds us that faith is about our present, not our past. We learn from our past, but we don’t live there; it doesn’t define who we are in Christ.

Defending the faith doesn’t appear to be Jude’s original purpose in writing: “I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation.” However, disturbing news had reached Jude that the faith was under attack from within; it had “crept in unawares.” Jude was ready to alter his plans and call the church to “contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” Attacks on our faith often come without warning and, like Jude, we should be ready.

Contending for the faith was not something Jude was calling a select few to do, like some “special forces unit” of the church. He was writing to all believers: “to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called.” Every Christian must contend for the faith.

We are called to contend, a word that pictures a struggle. This word could have an athletic connotation. Christians should rise up and challenge false teaching, error, and any misrepresentation of “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” We don’t need to forfeit to any opponent; instead, we keep our faith active, striving to ensure that the truth is heard.

As he contended for the faith, Jude modeled two traits for us:

• Humility. Jude was the half-brother of the Messiah, but he didn’t wave that in people’s faces. Jude lived his life with humility. Jude had serious first-century Jewish credentials, yet he didn’t waste words about himself. In beginning his short letter, Jude didn’t bother mentioning his family connection to Jesus, only to his brother James. Jude was not interested in lifting up himself; he was driven only by his desire to defend the faith.  Humility is a much-needed trait in today’s culture. For the believer, no room exists for arrogance or flaunting whatever knowledge we have. Many Christians have failed in their attempts to defend the faith because of arrogance. Being smart about our personal faith does not mean we treat those who think differently as stupid. As we stand up for the faith, we should put on “bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering” (Col. 3:12).

• Brevity. Jude’s letter is one of the shortest books in the Bible. Jude showed us how to be effectively brief. This was Jude’s “elevator speech” against false teaching and error! Some occasions may call for a long conversation or a deeply researched defense of the faith, but many times, our defense does not need to take a long time or be overly complicated. Brevity does not mean your defense of the faith is any less effective; in fact, it could whet a person’s appetite to know more.

Jude 20-23

20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Earlier, Jude had noted false teachers had entered the church (v. 4), and throughout the bulk of his letter (vv. 5-19), Jude outlined the character and vices of these people. He wanted his readers to know and recognize them so that they could stand against those who sought to sow doubt and confusion among the believers. Now, Jude offered four specific things we should do as we contend for the faith.

1. Build up your faith. “Building up yourselves on your most holy faith.” Unfortunately, too many Christians come to faith in Christ, but they never grow in that faith. A favorite tactic of many cults and false religions is to isolate uninformed Christians and catch them off guard. Jude’s point is that our focus must be on growth. Growth happens as we dig into Scripture—the source of truth that was divinely revealed to us. This includes a corporate element. Notice Jude addressed “beloved”—a group of believers—implying that we grow and build up our faith together.                                                                                                           
2. Pray. In Jude 19, Jude described the false teachers as “sensual, having not the Spirit.” True believers, though, do have the Holy Spirit in their lives, and we must rely on the Spirit at all times. A Christian never loses the indwelling presence of the Spirit (Rom. 8:9), but we must continually rely on Him and let Him fill us (Eph. 5:18). We cannot build up our faith, let alone contend for it, without “praying in the Holy Ghost.” Jesus promised “when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). The Greek word hodega, rendered guide, is tied to the Greek word for road. The Holy Spirit guides us on the road; He is our truth tour guide! We can neither know the truth nor spot error without relying on the guidance of the Holy Spirit—and we do that as we pray in the Spirit.                                                                                                                                                                  
3. Love. The most important decision I can make today, as a follower of Jesus, is to live in the atmosphere of God’s love. “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The word keep is telling. We don’t “keep” in the sense of locking ourselves away, but we keep an eye on ourselves to ensure we don’t drift away from the love of God. The Christian is in the custody of God’s love, so let’s keep an eye on things to make sure we don’t wander away! At times we may have questions, be filled with concerns, or be disquieted by anxiety, but the centrality of God’s love brings peace because God’s love cannot fail. Jude began his letter “to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called” (v. 1), so our eternal victory is assured. We contend for the faith, then, by staying grounded in God’s love, which leads us to love those who doubt and are falling away.                                                                     
4. Show mercy. Defending the faith is never about being the smartest person in the room. The goal is never to win an argument and lose a soul. When we contend for the faith, we are to do so with mercy. The imagery is powerful. Jude instructed us to mercifully reach out to those who waver and doubt (“making a difference”); others we may save only by “pulling them out of the fire.” What is this fire? It is the eternal death created for the devil and his demons. That moves us to show mercy, but we must never compromise. We are to hate “even the garment spotted by the flesh” and exercise caution as we approach it, lest we get drawn into the sin ourselves. 

Jude 24-25

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

This is one of the great doxologies in Scripture. This letter was not simply distributed and read as we commonly do today. Some scholars have estimated that only about 10 percent of the Roman Empire could read. Jude’s letter was likely read aloud like a sermon in the context of a house church or small gathering. So as the original hearers heard the call to contend for the faith, they also heard this doxology or benediction spoken over them. Within the New Testament framework, benedictions conveyed and transmitted a blessing to the recipients.

So what was the blessing in Jude? You are not alone! Jesus is with you, protecting you as you stand and contend for the faith. In standing for Christ, one never stands alone. The focus of Jude’s letter has been on contending “for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (v. 3), so he concluded with the triumphant promise that we need not fear falling away because God “is able to keep you from falling.” The One who walked on water will most surely protect you from stumbling.

The blessing doesn’t stop there. Jesus also empowers us to stand “faultless before the presence of his glory.” We may face adversity and attack, but we can stand before Him without blemish and “with exceeding joy.” With the psalmist, we praise God because “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber” (Ps. 121:3).

No matter what challenge you face today, you do not confront it alone because He “is able”—that is, fully capable—“to present you faultless” and without blemish, as if you had never sinned. In Christ, you are utterly forgiven, cleansed, purpose-filled, focused, and called. The apostle Paul also stressed God’s power and work in our lives. The apostle Paul described God as:

1. “Him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ” (Rom. 16:25); and

2. “Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (Eph. 3:20).

God’s protection and power are with us, so that we can contend for the faith. We don’t have to rely on ourselves.

• “Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily” (Col 1:29).
• “Be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Pet. 3:14-15).

God empowers us to be fearless as we defend our most holy faith. Our response to God’s great work in our lives is worship. “To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”

LIVE IT OUT

We can be informed and able to carry on great conversations about coffee, restaurants, and sports, but our faith is so much more valuable. God’s command and desire is for every believer to stand ready to defend the faith.

• Pray. Ask the Lord for courage to stand up for what you believe. Ask His forgiveness for times when you have been silent and unprepared to defend the faith.

• Memorize. As a reminder of God’s presence and power in defending the faith, memorize Jude 24-25: “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”

• Invite. Over the next five weeks, your group will be looking at some questions often raised about Christianity. Use this as an opportunity to invite someone who has doubts about the faith to learn more. Pray for their openness to God’s truth.

Hope to see everyone on Sunday!

In His Love,

David & Susan

Teacher's Notes:

Click Here to Watch

Americans have always been free to believe whatever they choose; culture drives that concept further by telling us not to challenge or question others’ beliefs. If someone’s beliefs are contrary to ours, culture tells us not to correct them or defend our own beliefs. However, Scripture calls us to engage others with the truth, and when people question biblical teachings, we can—and should—defend the truth.

You don’t have to be a “professional” or “degreed” scholar to know about your faith. Jude shows us this morning that every follower of Jesus can defend the faith. He shows us why, how and what we should say.

Jude 1-4

1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: 2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. 3 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. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

What is Jude concerned about here?

• Jude’s letter focusses on apostasy – when people turn away from God’s truth and embrace false teachings. False teachers and leaders who reject the lordship of Christ, undermine the faith of others, and lead them astray. These leaders and any who follow them will be punished.
• We are to remember that God punishes rebellion against Him. We must be careful not to drift away from a faithful commitment to Christ.
• False teachers probably Gnostics who apposed two of the basic tenets of Christianity – the incarnation of Christ and the call to Christian ethics.

I. Contend for the faith when it is challenged.

What does Jude mean we should contend for the faith?

• assert something as a position in an argument. (State, assert, profess, declare … defend)

Why should we defend our faith?

• The message of salvation has been given to us and we have the truth. The truth of the Bible must not be compromised, because it gives us the real facts about Jesus and salvation. The Bible is inspired by God and should never be twisted or manipulated. Don’t lose sight of the only path that leads to eternal life. Saints refers to all believers.

Are there churches today with false teachers?

• Teachers who have slipped in and are twisting the Bible’s teachings to justify their own their own opinions, life-style, or wrong behavior. Distorting Scripture is playing with fire. God will judge them for excusing, tolerating, and promoting sin.
• Many first-century false teachers were teaching that Christians could do whatever they liked without fear of God’s punishment. Even today, some Christians minimize the sinfulness of sin, believing that how they live has little to do with their faith. (Sabbath Observance) But what a person truly believes will show up in how they truly act.

How does Jude contend for the faith? Jude modeled two traits for us:

• Humility. Jude was the half-brother of Jesus, but he didn’t use that. Jude lived his life with humility. Jude was not interested in lifting up himself; he was driven only by his desire to defend the faith. Humility is a much-needed trait in today’s culture. For the believer, no room exists for arrogance or flaunting whatever knowledge we have. Many Christians have failed in their attempts to defend the faith because of arrogance. Being smart about our personal faith does not mean we treat those who think differently as stupid. As we stand up for the faith, we should put on “bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering” (Col. 3:12).
• Brevity. Jude’s letter is one of the shortest books in the Bible. Jude showed us how to be effectively brief. This was Jude’s “elevator speech” against false teaching and error! Some occasions may call for a long conversation or a deeply researched defense of the faith, but many times, our defense does not need to take a long time or be overly complicated. Brevity does not mean your defense of the faith is any less effective; in fact, it could wet a person’s appetite to know more.

Jude 20-23

20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

II. As you defend the faith, act with mercy and love.

• Those who would contend for the faith and live Christlike lives are to be attentive to the spiritual disciplines that result in a closer walk with the Lord. What are the spiritual disciplines? – mercy and love. We who have received mercy are to show mercy to the doubters, the unbelievers, and the ungodly.

Earlier, Jude had noted false teachers had entered the church (v. 4), and throughout the bulk of his letter (vv. 5-19), Jude outlined the character and vices of these people. He wanted his readers to know and recognize them so that they could stand against those who sought to sow doubt and confusion among the believers.

Now, Jude offered four specific things we should do as we contend for the faith.

1. Build up your faith. “Building up yourselves on your most holy faith.” Unfortunately, too many Christians come to faith in Christ, but they never grow in that faith. Jude’s point is that our focus must be on growth. Growth happens as we dig into Scripture—the source of truth that was divinely revealed to us.
2. Pray. In Jude 19, Jude described the false teachers as “sensual, having not the Spirit.” True believers, though, do have the Holy Spirit in their lives, and we must rely on the Spirit at all times. A Christian never loses the indwelling presence of the Spirit (Rom. 8:9), but we must continually rely on Him and let Him fill us (Eph. 5:18). We cannot build up our faith, let alone contend for it, without “praying in the Holy Ghost.” Jesus promised “when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13). We can neither know the truth nor spot error without relying on the guidance of the Holy Spirit—and we do that as we pray in the Spirit.
3. Love. The most important decision I can make today, as a follower of Jesus, is to live in the atmosphere of God’s love. “Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The word keep is telling. We don’t “keep” in the sense of locking ourselves away, but we keep an eye on ourselves to ensure we don’t drift away from the love of God. At times we may have questions, be filled with concerns, or be disquieted by anxiety, but the centrality of God’s love brings peace because God’s love cannot fail. We contend for the faith, then, by staying grounded in God’s love, which leads us to love those who doubt and are falling away.
4. Show mercy. Defending the faith is never about being the smartest person in the room. The goal is never to win an argument and lose a soul. When we contend for the faith, we are to do so with mercy. The imagery is powerful. Jude instructed us to mercifully reach out to those who waver and doubt (“making a difference”); others we may save only by “pulling them out of the fire.” What is this fire? It is the eternal death created for the devil and his demons. That moves us to show mercy, but we must never compromise. We are to hate “even the garment spotted by the flesh” and exercise caution as we approach it, lest we get drawn into the sin ourselves.

  

Jude 24-25          This is one of the great doxologies in Scripture.

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

III. Rely on God as you stand for Him.

• God is able to keep us from falling into the snare of godless people.
• In Him, we have assurance of spending eternity in His glorious presence.

So, what was the blessing in Jude?

• You are not alone! Jesus is with you, protecting you as you stand and contend for the faith. In standing for Christ, one never stands alone. The focus of Jude’s letter has been on contending “for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (v. 3), so he concluded with the triumphant promise that we need not fear falling away because God “is able to keep you from falling.” The One who walked on water will most surely protect you from stumbling.
• Jesus also empowers us to stand “faultless before the presence of His glory.” We may face adversity and attack, but we can stand before Him without blemish and “with exceeding joy.”

No matter what challenge you face today, you do not confront it alone because He “is able”—that is, fully capable — “to present you faultless” and without blemish, as if you had never sinned. In Christ, you are utterly forgiven, cleansed, purpose-filled, focused, and called. The apostle Paul also stressed God’s power and work in our lives.

God’s protection and power are with us, so that we can contend for the faith. We don’t have to rely on ourselves.

Conclusion:

Remember: People don’t want to know what you believe as much as they want to know why you believe what you believe. Be encouraged! God can use you to show others the truth.