United Church of God

Letter From Dan Dowd - December 13, 2019

Letter From Dan Dowd

December 13, 2019

Sabbath Thought - Contending

Continuing to be faithful in our calling from God is at the foundation of being a Christian.  In Jude 1:3, Jude exhorted the members to work diligently to maintain their faith.  "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 1:3, NKJV).

There are a number of things to take note of in this verse, but it is interesting that Jude originally intended to write to the members regarding "our common salvation".  God inspired him to instead write regarding a different matter.  Having said that, even the "contending" that each of us will do in our calling is not unique to just us.  It is something we all need to do, because we are all being called in the same hope.  In Philippians 1:27 we are told, "Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel."  In Hebrews 6:11, the apostle Paul also writes, "And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end...."

We are not alone in our calling.  We are part of a body and our elder brother is Jesus Christ.  While each of us face life with different challenges, different trials, and in different circumstances, what we have in common is our calling that the Father has given to each of us.

The word "contend" in Jude 1:3 is from the Greek word epagonizomai (ep-ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee).  This word is only used this once in Scripture and it is there in Jude.  Epagonizomai can have the additional meaning "to struggle."  We can easily think of struggle in terms of the trials and difficulties we have in life, but the inference is to be engaged as opposed to being passive.  The word is a verb and so its application involves action - "Strive to enter through the narrow gate...," (Luke 13:24).  We can struggle with many things in our calling, but "the faith" was delivered once because it doesn't change.  In facing these attacks, we must be uncompromising, inerrant, Biblically accurate and consistent.

Next up in Jude 1:3 is "earnestly".  This involves our whole heart, by believing God, and then emulating Him love with humility, and meekness.  We don't inherit the Kingdom by hurting others.  We are to teach in peace (2 Timothy 2:24) which especially means what our example looks like.  "Earnestly" also means that our calling is an ongoing development (2 Peter 1:5, Galatians 2:5).

We are to fight a good fight of faith (a spiritual battle), we are to strive to hold on to the eternal life promised to us, and we have been given a relationship with God along with many others (1 Timothy 6:12).  Our calling is worth contending for earnestly!  I would encourage you to remember this as we gather before the amazing God of the universe on His Sabbath day.

I wish you a wonderful Sabbath,

Dan Dowd

13 December, 2019