CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH
To “contend” is to compete, strive or vie in rivalry to overcome a difficulty or to assert something in an argument. The New Testament emphasises the need to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). The epistle’s writer made that exhortation as he was adressing the topic of “our common salvation.” He was provoked by Divine inspiration to raise the necessity of Christians contending for their beliefs in facing the potentially-harmfulness of persons within the churches: “ungodly men who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 4) and “sensual persons who cause divisions, not having the Spirit” (Jude 19).
That the threat was well within the churches as “spots in your love feasts” (Jude 12) means the exhortation to contend was primarily to stand up against our own brethren who are now practitioners and teachers of error who would otherwise infect our assemblies of the faithful (1 Corinthians 5:6-9, 12-13). This was, and is until today, an exhortation to restore order and correctness of doctrine (i.e. teaching) and practice (and conduct) within the churches.
Indeed, those in error are not our “enemies” but brethren whom faithful Christians are not to “keep company with (that they) may be ashamed” (2 Thessalonians 3:14-15). Our communication and connection with such brethren in error must be only for the purpose of bringing about their correction, repentance and restoration to fellowship (2 Timothy 2:24-26).
Teaching the truth and practising it is one thing. Contending for the truth is altogether another matter, being at times more intense and painful for brethren in the right. The apostle Paul’s confrontation with his peer Peter over the latter’s conduct in the presence of a gathering of both Jews and Gentiles (Galatians 2:11-21) is an example of firmly putting things right among Christians. Confronting Peter and other Jewish Christians “playing the hypocrite” instead of harmoniously and freely mixing around with Jews and Gentile brethren, Paul admitted to “(withstanding) Peter to his face because he was to be blamed”(Galatians 2:11-13). Some tense moments between two pillars of the early church ensued but, as they say, all’s well that ends well.
TThe testy Jewish-Gentile divide of earliest Christianity was solved only after the initial error about the church of Jesus Christ being just the proselytizing of Gentiles first to become Jews by being circumcised and then being obedient to the gospel (Acts 15:1) was settled after in-depth deliberation (Acts 15:1-31) and Paul’s inspired explanation in his epistle to the Galatians. Order returned to the earliest churches by a restoration of sound teaching that there ought to be no racial divide among the brethren (Galatians 3:26-29; Colossians 3:11). One cannot imagine the chaos that would arise if speedy restoration of the attitude and practice of racial equality in God’s gospel plan of salvation,- taught very early to Peter (Acts 10:9-16, 34-43),- had not taken place in the early church. Of course, there were contentions among brethren along the path to resolution but there was restoration to the original order of things in the church.
Contending for the faith is no simple undertaking. Those pursuing it must know, thoroughly and correctly, all that scripture has to say about a matter or issue to be contended for or against (Psalm 119:160; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17). They must also take pains to understand, with equal thoroughness and correctness, how their opponents argue their point so as to adequately refute the error in question. Above all. they must communicate their position and refutation of opposing views well, being especially careful with their words (Colossians 4:6; James 3:1-12; 1 Peter 3:15-16) so as to be correct, clear and convincing while not causing offense (Matthew 18:7; 1 Corinthians 10:32). Above all, throughout the charged atmosphere characteristic of situations of contending for the faith, the Christian ought to pray fervently for a good conclusion that will bring God glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).
1 Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.