The Faith and the Faithful

The faithful keep the faith.  That is the message of the New Testament.  “Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.” (Jude 3).  This is Jude’s thesis statement for this little letter. 

Let’s notice a few things.  Jude intended to write about the “common salvation.”  However, he “found it necessary” instead to write about another topic—contending earnestly for the once-delivered faith.  The implication is clear.  Without a common (once delivered) faith, there can be no common salvation. 

The connection between faith and salvation is clear.  “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1).  Though this passage does not include the word salvation, salvation is the theme of the passage.  We are “justified” by faith.  To be justified is to be made as though I had never sinned in the first place.  That is what salvation is, returning to a state of innocence or freedom from the guilt of the sins committed.

This passage also says that we have peace with God.  There can be no doubt that the peace is a reconnection to God, the connection having been lost because of sin that separates us from God.  To be at peace with God is to be reunited with Him having been forgiven of all that had separated us from Him.

Jude felt it necessary to write to his audience about a different topic.  He does not say specifically what happened to cause his alarm.  However, we can infer from what he does say that there were people who had given up the faith fight.  He needed to warn and inspire them to get back into the fight.

The fight is about “the faith”.  Jude defines it with 3 parts—once, for all, delivered.  “The faith” came once.  God had given the Jews a law through Moses that guided them until Jesus came and fulfilled it, taking it out of the way.  Then came the faith about which Jude now wrote to his readers.

“The faith” was for all.  Only the Jews were given the Mosaic law.  The Gentiles were responsible for what they knew about God as they observed the world around them.  They “knew” Him but they did not act properly based on what they knew.  Therefore, God “gave them up to do those things that are not convenient” (Romans 1).  Now, they are responsible to “the faith” which is for everyone
“The faith” was delivered to us.  God delivered it from His mouth through His Spirit to those whom He inspired to record it (I Corinthians 2).  Jude’s message was clear that there will never be another delivery from God called “the faith.”  What he warned his readers about was the final word from God and it must be guarded and defended.  The faithful will do this.

— Mike Johnson