Contending For The Faith
A Watchman Is Someone Who
“Contends For The Faith”
Rock of Offence Commentary
The New Testament warns Christian believers that they are involved in a spiritual war, where we are told to “fight the good fight of faith”. We are in a battle where one of our major opponents, representing a counterfeit Christ and his gospel, believe they have the truth of God’s Word and are willing to fight for it. Again, we don't believe these individuals are out to deliberately deceive anyone. Yet, they are very sincere and committed ... which is what makes them so dangerous. This means that both sides are equally willing to fight for what they perceive as a threat to the truth.
However, only one side is
“right” ... but the right
side doesn’t always win.
A good illustration for this irreconcilable condition is the popular sport of “tug of war”. Both sides use all their strength and skill to pull the opposing side into the pit that separates the two teams. If either side “eases off”, even for a moment, the other side overcomes and wins. In real military warfare, this means you are overrun and ultimately destroyed. We are in a literal “life and death” tug of war struggle where both sides are trying to win the battle for our mind and soul. If the side that represents truth “eases off”, even for a moment, it can be overrun and buried under a tidal wave of distorted teachings that appear to be based on Scripture. Yet, the "Biblical appearance of these teachings is only an illusion.
The popular Christian unity movement suggests that it is wrong to argue about the truth of the Gospel. It tells us not only to “ease up” but also to stop resisting and recognize that both sides are generally “right”. By default, this allows the counterfeit side to overcome and win, simply because they are, by nature, relentless in their efforts. This is why true watchmen will continue to oppose some of these dangerous, yet popular ideologies that threaten the Church. As a result, they will continue to be criticized by the unity and church growth movement for their stand. It’s not hard to see that something doesn’t “add up”.
Concerning these things the
Apostle Paul made the
following statement:
"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. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." (Jude 1:3-4)
The word “contend” means to argue, confront and fight for something. In the New Testament, it involves defending “the true faith of Christ”. When certain “professing Christians” are attempting to replace the truth with a religious counterfeit (which they sincerely think is the truth), especially when this attack involves “a different gospel” ... the Bible never supports keeping quiet and taking a passive stand.
Recently, I was listening to a lady who was disgusted with her church and decided to leave. She explained; “The leadership of my old church always argued about doctrine and refused to respect people’s different beliefs about the gospel - I just wanted a fellowship where we all loved one another, got along and just worshipped and loved Jesus.”
Sounds good, doesn’t it? This example is an oversimplification of the situation, but clearly illustrates the problem we face. If “respecting other people’s different beliefs” means allowing someone to replace the real Jesus and the real Gospel--with a counterfeit Jesus and a counterfeit gospel ... then the leadership of her old church was doing exactly what God required. Leadership's actions agree with Scripture - and the woman’s beliefs, while being sincere were actually misguided. Few enjoy arguments and disagreements, especially when anger erupts. Personally, I dislike confrontation. However, we can’t always have what we want here on earth. Sometimes a challenge is made and requires action on our part because the faith of those who are listening, which may include new believers, is at risk. Contending for the faith is a necessary practice and a Scriptural command, especially as apostasy is sweeping over the Church like a tsunami as we approach the end of the age.
Staying Balanced With Love
Some readers may say that this kind of teaching is dangerous. This might be true for those seeking to distort our conception of Christ. However, there is always a balance - and from that perspective a danger does exist. There’s a time and a place for everything. That’s why it’s never wise for inexperienced Christians to lash out and use these things as weapons against those that hold an opposing viewpoint. Scripture does instruct us to “walk in love” and to be patient, kind and forgiving toward one another (1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, Ephesians 4:30-32). Most of the time, love quietly takes notes, observes and asks questions in an effort to learn the truth. A person motivated by love understands how easy it is to be wrong about a situation when your knowledge is limited. We cannot see into someone else’s heart. But, at other times, love needs to be vocal and confrontational when truth is being compromised.
The key is learning to be “led by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 8:14-15) - and this kind of discipline usually takes years to master. It’s learning to allow the indwelling “Spirit of Christ” to be in total control of our attitude and response at all times. Jesus was loving and kind, even toward those who hated and opposed Him. However, He could also be offensive, confrontational and down right rude when the situation demanded it. God’s goal is always recovery, restoration and repentance ... and not “telling someone off” because it makes us feel better. Whenever a believer acts with a “know-it-all” attitude, it is rarely performed out of love. Regardless of these problems - it's far more dangerous to allow spiritual counterfeits to suppress the truth through our silence.
Our Enemy’s Most Effective Weapon
For the Christian believer the devil uses various forms of religious counterfeits in order to entrap his victims ... while tricking them into thinking they are operating and obeying the rules of Christ’s Kingdom.
Satan rarely performs a head-on frontal attack against the Church of Jesus Christ. He already knows it’s an effort doomed to fail before it begins. Yet, when he does perform this kind of attack, it’s often only a diversion ... where his real target is another, more vulnerable and unprotected area.
The chief strategy of our enemy is not to attack using obviously evil teachings and unbiblical ideologies. He rarely uses our preconceived notions of evil - as something opposite to good. Instead, Satan commonly disguises the evil in churches, movements, teachings, personal ministries, apostolic/prophetic offices and many other things that appear to be moral, good, loving and righteous - all done “in the name of Christ and His Kingdom” (Matt. 7:15, 2 Cor. 11:13-15, Rev. 2:2).
In other words, he uses something called “spiritual counterfeits”, which happens to be a devastating and effective strategy. Similar to well designed counterfeit money, Satan’s spiritual counterfeits are almost impossible to identify by inexperienced Christians and church members who only think of evil as being “an opposite to good”. Counterfeit money is a good example because an enemy uses it as an effective weapon in time of war to destroy an opposing country’s economy. Yet, almost nobody can spot a well-made counterfeit 20-dollar bill.
This is why both Jesus and the apostle Paul warned about our enemy’s most diabolical scheme by using the phrase “wolves in sheep clothing”. A wolf can get maximum access to his most favorite source of food - the sheep ... by disguising himself as a sheep. When a wolf shows up looking like a member of God’s flock, they can wonder around the herd unhindered, undetected ... and most importantly, TRUSTED. Below, we provide a few Scriptures that illustrate this danger.
Jesus said: "Beware of false prophets, WHICH COME TO YOU IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7:15)
Paul also warned us about the same dangers: "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, TRANSFORMING THEMSELVES INTO THE APOSTLES OF CHRIST. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. THEREFORE IT IS NO GREAT THING IF HIS (SATAN’S) MINISTERS ALSO BE TRANSFORMED AS THE MINISTERS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS . . ." (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)
"For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears." (Acts 20:29-31)
Paul was so concerned about this danger that he warned the church weeping “night and day” over a three-year period. It wasn’t some small, insignificant problem to him. It’s one of the biggest threats to the Christian Church - because it originates from within our own ranks. The consequences are so dire that many of us just choose to “live in denial” of the facts, even though Jesus specifically warned us about these things. Others shrug the whole issue off as some “inconvenience” that we shouldn't concern ourselves with ... or because it might expose serious flaws in our most cherished doctrines and beliefs.
For these reasons, we can understand why the apostle Paul used the term, “another Jesus and a different gospel” to warn us about the dangers of the Galatian error (also known as Galatian religion - or simply Galatianism), which is actually a spiritual counterfeit of true New Testament Christianity.
Christ Died For Our Sins:
The Great Divine Exchange
The topic above was previously
recorded here in its entirety.
However, due to its importance,
we decided to turn it into a
separate Bible study, which is
now available at the following
link:
The Great Divine Exchange
The following links are provided for
quick navigation through this series
of commentaries
Historical Roots
Of A Watchman
(Pt. 1)
My "Watershed" Event
(Pt. 2)
Additional supplemental information
is available at the following links:
The Believer's Position
In Christ
The Three Stages of New
Testament Salvation
The Spiritual Revolution
Of Christ
The Great Imposter
Exposing Misconceptions About
'Saving Faith'
Exposing the Error of
Redefining God's Grace
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