“THE BATTLE FOR TRUTH #1-CONTENDING FOR …



“THE BATTLE FOR TRUTH #1-CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH”

JUDE 1-4, 24-25

INTRO: Friends, we are in a spiritual battle. We are living in an age where

many today are asking, “What is truth?” What God’s Word declares

today is being derided, distorted, disobeyed, and disregarded. Satan

is doing a masterful job of raising up those in the Church today who

distort and seek to destroy the clear teaching of the Word of God.

We are living in a time when nothing is held sacred not even God’s

Holy Word. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ we “earnestly

contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”

(Jude 3). We have a moral obligation to fight for the truth and we

should never shirk our duty, compromise with the enemy, or enter

the battle halfheartedly. I want to begin a series this evening

entitled, THE BATTLE FOR TRUTH. Tonight, we will consider,

CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH. As we enter this battle for truth we

need to consider three things…

(1) THERE IS A BATTLE TO ENGAGE—THE WARFARE

JUDE 3-4—“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. 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.”

*Friends, we will never enter the battle until we realize two things we must…

A. RECOGNIZE OUR DUTY. Ephesians 6:10-18 speaks of the whole armor

of God. Jude says we having on the whole armor of God are to “earnestly

contend for the faith…”. The battle for truth is not a carnal war (Ephesians

6:13). It is not about territories and nations. It is not a battle for lands or

cities. It is not a clan war or a personality conflict. It is not a fight for clout

between denominations. It is a battle for truth. It is a war against the

mind. It is a battle we must engage against false doctrines, evil ideas, and

wrong beliefs. It is a warfare for truth.

Paul makes this clear in 2 Corinthians 10:5—“Casting down imaginations,

and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and

bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” Paul gives

us:

1. THE NATURE OF THE BATTLE (2 CORINTHIANS 10:3-4).

2. THE NEED FOR THE BATTLE (2 CORINTHIANS 10:5).

B. REAFFIRM OUR DEVOTION (vv. 20-21). If we are going to engage in the

enemy in the battle for truth we must be devoted to our Commander-in-

Chief—the LORD JESUS CHRIST! Devotion to Him means we:

1. LIVE A LIFE OF FAITH (v20). Friends, we will never please Him without

faith (Hebrews 11:6)! A life of faith means we trust Him in all and for all!

2. LIVE A LIFE THAT IS FOCUSED (v21). Satan loves it when God’s people

become so distracted because of the cares of this life that they fail to see

the battle raging all around them. That is why the writer of Hebrews in

Hebrews 12:1-3 compares the Christian life to a race. Runners in a race

pace themselves so they won’t grow weary before the finish line. In the

Christian life we must do the same.

THERE IS A BATTLE TO ENGAGE but also…

(2) THERE IS A BIBLE TO ENTHRONE—THE WEAPON

JUDE 17-19—“But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken

before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.”

A. IT MUST BE OUR STANDARD (v17). Jude encourages us to “remember ye

the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Friends, God’s Word never changes!

1. IT IS THE ONLY STANDARD FOR TRUTH (PSALM 119:89).

2. IT IS THE ONLY STABILITY FOR TRUST (PROVERBS 3:5-6).

B. IT MUST BE OUR SWORD (HEBREWS 4:12-13). The Bible is our weapon

in the battle for truth. We must use it:

1. TO FIGHT AGAINST THE POWER OF DECEPTION. More and more today

we hear people say, “Let’s not bicker about what we believe. It is only

doctrine. Let’s just focus on how we live. Let’s follow the example of Jesus.

His way is more important then our disagreements over beliefs and dogmas.

Let’s just devote ourselves to showing Christ’s love by the way we live our

lives.” Many today are evidently finding that suggestion appealing. But the

question is, “Does truth matter?” Over and over the New Testament

stresses the importance of sound doctrine.

2. TO FIGHT AGAINST THE PREVALANCE OF DECEPTION. Brian McLaren

is an example of liberal thinking that supports “doing good” is more

important than what you believe. The logical starting point of McLaren’s

book, A Generous Orthodoxy, is his belief that doctrinal distinctives are of

“marginal” value. He write as if orthopraxy (practical righteousness) is what

really matters most. He believes that both the Church’s methodology and

the Christian message itself need to be constantly in flux: “Our message

and methodology have changed, do change, and must change it we are

faithful to the ongoing and unchanging mission of Jesus Christ.” He says

the message changes “not because we got it wrong and we’re closer to

finally ‘getting it right,’ but because the “context of the culture in which we

live is dynamic . We must after all, keep up with postmodern times.” (John

F. MacArthur. The Truth War. p. 35).

Friends, since when has it become correct for the Church to “keep up with

the times,” by changing the message we proclaim? This tactic of Satan is

the one he has employed from the beginning. When the serpent asked Eve,

“Hath God said,” he was seeking to subvert the very same truths he is

today. At the heart of the battle for truth are the same truths Satan has

always tried to subvert—The inspiration, authority, inerrancy, sufficiency,

and clarity of Scripture—not to mention several essential aspects of the

Gospel message.

THERE IS A BATTLE TO ENGAGE, THERE IS A BIBLE TO ENTHRONE, and…

(3) THERE ARE BELIEVERS TO ENLIST—THE WARRIORS

JUDE 1-2—“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. Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.”

A. FAITH IS OUR MOTIVE (vv. 1-2). When we engage the enemy in the battle

for truth we do two things, we:

1. HONOR OUR SAVIOUR.

2. HONOR THE SCRIPTURE.

B. FAITHFULNESS IS OUR MISSION (2 TIMOTHY 2:1-4). Whether we

acknowledge it or not, we have been called upon our Saviour to “fight the

good fight of faith…” (1 Timothy 6:12). This means we:

1. FIGHT FOR TRUTH IN SPITE OF DISTRACTIONS (2 TIMOTHY 2:4).

2. FIGHT FOR TRUTH IN SPITE OF DECEPTIONS (2 TIMOTHY 2:3).

CLOSING: The SCRIPTURE calls us to wage war against those who attempt to

Discredit, distort, deride, or destroy the truth.

Every believer must get into the battle. Fight for truth. Contend

earnestly for the faith. Apostasy has invaded the Church and it

is not going to get better. But we who have placed our trust in

Jesus have nothing to fear. We, according to vv. 24-25, are called,

loved, and kept secure in Him. This should give us supreme

confidence even in these days of doubt, discouragement, and

uncertainty.

The ONE who is TRUTH incarnate—THE ONE—whose honor and

glory we defend—is both our Commander and our Protector, and

His Word is an indestructible weapon!

PREPARED BY BROTHER BRYAN L. BROWNING, PASTOR OF BEECHMONT BAPTIST CHURCH, BEECHMONT, KY FOR SUNDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 11, 2007.

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