Contenders or Pretenders Jude 3

In Watching sports and ESPN growing up I have seen this concept more and more. As playoffs get closer and are currently going on, a few analysts have decided to go and break down the playoff teams. They call the segment contenders and pretenders. As I look in the playoffs you can see that not every team is usually capable of winning. Some of the better and stronger teams come down hard on the teams that are just barely making the playoffs. During this segment these analysts go and look at every team and break down the strong and weak points and then decide if these teams are a pretender one just getting in the playoffs,or contenders those actually capable of winning the championship.

I think about this concept also in our Christians lives. It is just as true for us as it is for these sports teams! I am reminded at what Jude 3 talks about when it says, that we must contend for the faith earnestly! It is imperative in our life to do so!

As we look in the world today there are many who profess Christ, the question is are they contending for the faith earnestly? How many are truly contending for the faith? How many are following the cause of Christ? As Paul mentions in I Corinthians 5:7 we are to walk by faith and not sight. We are to put our trust in God and his ways. We must trust God that God will help us in our time of need. However, with the faith we are putting in God there are things to be followed on our half to be contending for the faith according to God's word.

This is what separates the contenders and pretenders! Matthew 7:21-23 is a great verse to think about on this subject. Many will say they have done many and great things for the cause of Christ. The true question is though " have you obeyed the will of God?" This is where we can definitely separate the two. Those that are true followers of God will contend for the faith by proving it through their obedience to God's will. The pretenders will say that they have done many and great things and there will be limitations with it also. Many will not obey the Will of God sadly.

In Jeremiah 3:10 there was a concern. It was the fact that the "whole heart has not turned to God" and it is a problem for many today. One will profess to be a follower of Christ but there is a limitation for them. When it comes down to it, we must be Christ-like in order to contend earnestly for the faith. Christ gave his life for the church (Eph. 5:25) and has left us an example that we should walk in His footsteps (I Peter 2:21-23).

James 2:14-26 makes a strong point concerning how we can be contenders. We are to have our faith (our trust in Jesus Christ) and our works (our action through our faith) in order to be a true follower of God. As we look throughout the whole Bible especially in Hebrews 11, all of those examples had faith and it was justified by their actions. Faith was made perfect by their works. It was through contending for the faith. God gave commands of obedience and these people put their faith in God and they followed with precision.

Are we and different, absolutely not?! How can we think that we are any different, or even higher than God? This is a very dangerous high line that we are playing on and eventually we will stumble and fall off that line if we continue with this mentality. Do we see that faith was working with works, and by works faith was made perfect? Jesus goes on to say how we can be a contender of the faith. Mark 16:15-16 states that he who believes and baptized will be saved and he who does not believe will be condemned. Thus as we just looked at faith and works, belief (faith) and baptism (works) will save us. This is through our faith in God and obeying His will.

Heaven is a place for those that have obeyed the will of the Father. It is a place for those who have contended for the faith. It is a place for those who have their name written in the book of life (Revelation 21:27). As Paul mentions to Timothy to contend means we are in a fight for the faith (II Timothy 4:7-8). It is an uphill climb and the reward is worth it all. Are you ready to be a contender? Or are you a pretender? Will you go all the way body and spirit with God?

Contend for the faith earnestly!

Daniel N. Sanders