The Bible tells us in Jude :3 that we are “to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” Contend means to strive for something, but Jude found it necessary to add the word earnestly, which means to do it eagerly, with zeal and with a serious approach. In Hebrews 2:1, Paul wrote about what will happen if we don’t earnestly contend for the things we have been taught—we will “drift away” if we don’t “give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard.” And verse 3 makes it clear that neglecting to do what we’ve heard leads to serious consequences. Are you a contender for the faith?
We are living in a time described by Paul in 2 Timothy 4:3–4: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” Notice the phrase “they will turn their ears away from the truth”—the faith once delivered. They are not contending. They are drifting away, wanting to be more like the world, wanting to fit it. This leads to compromising and watering down the truth to fit “their own desires,” not God’s will.
Be wholehearted!
To be a contender we must seek God continually in a wholehearted way. We must seek God’s will, not our own, following the example of Christ who said in John 6:38: “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” Christ never wanted to compromise anything His Father gave Him, but strove to do His Father’s will. He set the example of rising early every morning to pray and seek God’s will and help every day (Mark 1:35). Also, throughout the day He prayed to stay close to God so He would not allow the pulls of the flesh and the pressure of the world to cause Him to drift away (Luke 5:15-16). God expects the same from us. He tells us we are to seek Him with our whole heart (Jer. 29:13). We must put praying to God, and studying His word, as top priorities (Col. 4:2, II Tim. 2:15). Paul instructed Timothy to continue in the things he had learned, knowing from whom he had learned them (II Tim. 3:14). Paul was the Apostle God used to teach Timothy the truth. In our time, most have learned and have been taught the truth from Mr. Herbert Armstrong, who backed up his teachings from the Bible. Are you continuing in the things you have learned, knowing from whom you have learned them?
Another important key to being a contender for the faith is to remain humble. Isaiah 66:2 reminds us of the attitude God is looking for and the one that He will work with. David is an example of someone who was humble and God was able to use him in a remarkable way. How was David able to maintain this attitude? He humbled himself with fasting (Psa. 35:13). Fasting helps us to see how weak we are and how much we are dependent upon God for help.
Focus on the big picture
We also must have vision, keeping our minds focused on why God has called us and the tremendous future that lies ahead. Christ spoke two parables emphasizing the attitude one should have after being called and realizing the tremendous opportunity they have been given in Matthew 13:44–46. The parables of treasure hidden in a field and the pearl of great price show individuals who had the vision to see the magnitude of this treasure and gave all they had to obtain it. Are we willing to give up everything as well? Contending for the faith requires that we be willing to make sacrifices, which goes directly against human nature. Paul reminds us that each of us is to be “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1). Our lives should be lived, not in selfish fulfillment, but in service to God and others. Christ set us the ultimate example in this, saying that He “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:27-28).
If we don’t maintain that vision, we will perish (Prov. 29:18 KJV). We will begin to let other things be the focus of our attention, giving our time and energy to them instead of focusing on God’s plan and contending for it. When we realize the importance of learning and preparing to be Kings and Priests unto God, we will do whatever it takes. An important aspect of this preparation is Sabbath attendance. Hebrews 10:23–25 shows us that the Sabbath is a commanded assembly: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the day approaching.” It may require a drive of an hour or more, but if we are focused on the big picture, we will see that it is time well spent. There are legitimate reasons, of course, for not being able to attend, but we must make sure that we are looking for ways and reasons to make it possible, instead of the other way around. The last half of Proverbs 29:18 shows us, quite simply, what the benefits are for the individual who catches the vision and remains wholehearted in earnestly contending for God’s way: “Happy is he.”
{{RelatedContent}}Being a contender for the faith requires courage to do the right thing, even if you are alone in doing it. You are not concerned with fitting in or following the crowd. What God thinks is more important. The Bible is filled with numerous examples of God’s people who were contenders for the faith and put it all on the line for God. Paul did not give up, even when “all of Asia…turned away” (II Tim. 1:15). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego put it all on the line for God (Dan. 3:16-18), and Daniel exercised great courage as a contender for the faith (Dan. 6:6-10). We must willing to do the same thing, as Paul instructs us in 1 Corinthians 16:13: “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.” And with God’s help, we can do just that.
Endure all the way to the end
It is important that we continually examine ourselves to make sure we are not drifting away, but are contending for the faith. If we see that we have gotten off track, Christ tells us what to do: “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works” (Rev. 2:5). If we will do these things, tremendous blessings will come as promised in God’s word. God will guide and direct our lives. Christ says to those in our time—the Philadelphia Era—that those who will persevere, who contend earnestly to the end, will be protected during the Great Tribulation (Rev. 3:10). God’s true church today needs contenders for the faith. If we will apply these principles and contend earnestly for the faith, what a wonderful future awaits us.