Leadership through Discipleship #25

Jude, The Power of Contention

“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).

Jude (or Judas) was a more obscure yet respected member in the leadership of the early church who took pen to write in his senior years. Most commentaries agree that he most likely was a younger brother of Jesus. He wrote with authority and appealed to the reader to “contend earnestly for the faith.” He did not claim apostolic authority but wrote with historical knowledge and an assumed tone that the readers would receive his message.

The Gospels mentioned the blood relatives of Jesus and name four of his brothers, “James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas” (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3). It was initially difficult for these half-brothers of Jesus to accept their older sibling as the Christ (John 7:5). Apparently, it was only after being witnesses of Jesus’ death and resurrection that they came to believe in Him. They are numbered among those who gathered and waited in the upper room in Jerusalem (Acts 1:14). James, the next oldest brother of Jesus, eventually became an influential leader of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13). The other siblings appear to have become involved in missionary work promoting the message of Christ (1 Corinthians 9:5). From this context Jude could write authoritatively concerning the teaching of the apostles and identify himself only as “a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James” without further explanation.

Jude saw the drifting away from apostolic teaching by some in the early church as the fulfillment of prophecy. He spoke out strongly against the spirit of the age and warned against the consequences of apostasy. One of the marks of a discipleship leader is the passion with which one will defend his faith. Any deviation from the principles of discipleship is a threat to the continuance of the movement.

Contention is often viewed as a negative attribute in a leader. However, when one contends for righteousness, disputes with those who would destroy the principles of one’s foundation, and challenges any who seek to overthrow spiritual leadership, this is an admirable quality. There needs to be strong advocates for Christian values, assertive apologists for the Christian faith, and men and women who will boldly argue in defense of Biblical truth.

Jude warned against those who “deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ” (vs.4), and admonished the believers to “remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ” (vs.17). Contending for the right things bring about a promised blessing. We are defending the one “who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy” (vs.24).