A Call to Fight (Jude 1-4)

Jude: Contending for the Faith
For those of you who like to read ahead and prepare for Sunday worship, this week we will begin a new series in the book of Jude.
Author D.J. Rowston once wrote that Jude is the “most neglected book in the New Testament.” The little book of Jude is often neglected because of several factors. The book of Jude is relatively short. In America, we are tempted to equate worth and importance with size. Since the book is short, many assume (wrongly) the book is unimportant. The book is tucked away in the latter part of the Bible and easy to miss. People do not stumble into studying the book of Jude. They must go looking for it. The message of the book is perceived as “negative.” Jude spends the majority of his time warning against false teachers and their impending destruction. The message of judgment and condemnation drives many readers away. For these reasons, Jude often gets overlooked by Christians and pastors alike. We are convinced that the neglect of Jude is a serious mistake for our spiritual lives and the health of our church. Jude warns against false teachers, a reminder that is just as necessary now as it was when Jude originally penned his letter. Furthermore, Jude encourages Christians to remain in God’s love by building themselves up, praying in the Holy Spirit, and waiting for the mercy of the Lord Jesus. Jude’s message of warning and encouragement is needed in the church today.
We must pick up the book of Jude, study it, and live out it's truths for the glory of God!

Week 1 – “A Call to Fight” (v. 1-4)
Contextual Questions on Jude v. 1-4:  Jude, along with the apostle James, was Jesus’s half-brother. How does he introduce himself in v.1? Why do you think he chose to introduce himself in this way? What customary information is lacking about the recipients of Jude’s letter? How does he identify them instead? (v. 1) What was Jude’s purpose in writing the letter? (v. 3) Why was it so urgent for Jude to write on this subject rather than on “our common salvation” as he had originally planned? (v. 3) What is meant by “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints”? (v. 3) Was the threat to the integrity of the faith coming from inside or outside the church? (v. 4) How were these “ungodly people” undermining the faith? What important tenets/aspects were they subverting? (v. 4) Application Questions:
1. Just like the un-named Christians of Jude’s day, we too are being called to contend for the faith. This call to contend (meaning “to strenuously fight to defend”) implies that i) we are in a battle, and ii) the faith is being attacked.
• In what ways do you think that the faith is being attacked today? How do you think the true Christian faith is under attack or being undermined in some church movements or teachers in the world today?
• What weapons are at our disposal as we contend for the faith?  What are some of the things in life that you are willing to fight for? Why? Why is it important that we be willing to fight for the faith with the same (indeed, greater) passion and commitment as for these other things?

Jude: Contending for the Faith For those of you who like to read ahead and prepare for Sunday worship, this week we will begin a new series in the book of Jude. Author D.J. Rowston once wrote that Jude is the “most neglected book in the New Testament.” The little book of Jude is often neglected because of several factors. The book of Jude is relatively short. In America, we are tempted to equate worth and importance with size. Since the book is short, many assume (wrongly) the book is unimportant. The book is tucked away in the latter part of the Bible and easy to miss. People do not stumble into studying the book of Jude. They must go looking for it. The message of the book is perceived as “negative.” Jude spends the majority of his time warning against false teachers and their impending destruction. The message of judgment and condemnation drives many readers away. For these reasons, Jude often gets overlooked by Christians and pastors alike. We are convinced that the neglect of Jude is a serious mistake for our spiritual lives and the health of our church. Jude warns against false teachers, a reminder that is just as necessary now as it was when Jude originally penned his letter. Furthermore, Jude encourages Christians to remain in God’s love by building themselves up, praying in the Holy Spirit, and waiting for the mercy of the Lord Jesus. Jude’s message of warning and encouragement is needed in the church today. We must pick up the book of Jude, study it, and live out it's truths for the glory of God! Week 1 – “A Call to Fight” (v. 1-4) Contextual Questions on Jude v. 1-4:  Jude, along with the apostle James, was Jesus’s half-brother. How does he introduce himself in v.1? Why do you think he chose to introduce himself in this way? What customary information is lacking about the recipients of Jude’s letter? How does he identify them instead? (v. 1) What was Jude’s purpose in writing the letter? (v. 3) Why was it so urgent for Jude to write on this subject rather than on “our common salvation” as he had originally planned? (v. 3) What is meant by “the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints”? (v. 3) Was the threat to the integrity of the faith coming from inside or outside the church? (v. 4) How were these “ungodly people” undermining the faith? What important tenets/aspects were they subverting? (v. 4) Application Questions: 1. Just like the un-named Christians of Jude’s day, we too are being called to contend for the faith. This call to contend (meaning “to strenuously fight to defend”) implies that i) we are in a battle, and ii) the faith is being attacked. • In what ways do you think that the faith is being attacked today? How do you think the true Christian faith is under attack or being undermined in some church movements or teachers in the world today? • What weapons are at our disposal as we contend for the faith?  What are some of the things in life that you are willing to fight for? Why? Why is it important that we be willing to fight for the faith with the same (indeed, greater) passion and commitment as for these other things?