Although Jude’s letter is relatively short, only one chapter and 25 verses, it packs a strong punch. The tone of Jude’s letter is both serious and urgent, like a heavyweight boxer who unleashes a series of body blows, undercuts and jabs to knock out his opponent. In Jude’s case, the opponent is not one person, but a group of ungodly individuals who had snuck their way into the local assembly of believers.

When Jude originally began this letter, his purpose was to encourage the early church. But apparently, the news he received of these false teachers changed both the direction and content of the letter. In verse 3, Jude explains this change of plans. “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith” (v. 3).

Notice the use of the word “contend” which means to fight vigorously. These individuals were teaching license for immorality rather than grace and denying the divine sovereignty of Jesus Christ. Throughout the letter Jude describes the character and the end of such individuals who dared to corrupt the Word of God.

These people might have slipped by unnoticed by their fellow churchgoers, but they had been identified long ago by God (v. 4). Clearly, Jude felt a prompting by the Holy Spirit to change his topic and challenge his readers to wake up to what was going on and to “contend for the faith” (v. 3).

That faith is the body of truth that Jesus, the apostles and the prophets had delivered to the church. This truth was to be preserved and taught clearly and succinctly to all believers. It is not to be twisted or diluted for any reason. It is worth fighting for!

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