<!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } A:link { so-language: zxx } -->

Believers have been exhorted to “Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints”(Jude 3).

To contend is to work hard against difficulties, and to affirm, assert, and maintain what is being defended. If there is one faith which was once for all delivered to the saints why is there so many wranglings and disputes among believers?

What therefore is the faith that was once for all given to the saints, that we should earnestly contend for?

It is definitely not faith in some religious organization and doctrine, but faith in Jesus Christ as the Beloved Son of God, who became flesh (Son of Man) and dwelt amongst us, “For since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” He also gave his flesh to eat and his blood to drink, not only to commemorate his death, but also to fulfill the will of the Father, which is to present the worshiper perfect before him.

For it is written; “Once we were alienated from God and were enemies in our minds because of our evil behavior. But now he has reconciled us by Christ's physical body through death to present us holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation – if we continue in our faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel.

First of all faith is not a vague nebulous feeling without any substance, because faith is the substance of things hoped for, it is the evidence of things not seen. Faith therefore is to have confidence in the testimony of another, a substance which is Jesus Christ, for faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith comes by hearing the testimony which God, the writings of Moses, the writings of the prophets, the gospel, the promises of God, and Christ gave concerning himself. Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled, you believe in God, believe also in me” (Jn.14:1).

The Testimony concerning Jesus Christ:

The testimony which God gave us concerning his Son is this, “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which he has testified of his Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of his Son. And this is testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has (the) life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have (the) life” (1Jn.5:9-12).

Although through the righteous act of Jesus Christ on the cross, the free gift came to all men resulting in justification of life, for in him we all live and move and have our existence, he is the vine and we are the branches, for thus he said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to myself.” Nevertheless the cycle of Christ in the Father, humanity in Christ, and Christ in the believer must be complete; because, “It is only to as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name” (Jn.1:12).

The testimony which the gospel gave concerning Jesus Christ is this; “Truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name”(Jn.20:30-31).

With regards to the testimony of God's promise, Abraham is a perfect example who, “ Did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what God had promised he was also able to perform. And therefore it was accounted to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification” (Rom.4:20-25).

In relation to Moses' testimony Jesus said, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words? (Jn.5:46-47). The words of Moses are, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him shall you hear.” And, “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear my words, which he speaks in my name, I will require it of him” (Deut.18:15, 18-19).

The testimony of Christ concerning Himself:

Jesus said; “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep” (Jn.10:10-11). When asked by the scribes and pharisees for a sign, he said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it (proof, testimony of his Messiah-ship) except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt.12:39-40).

On another occasion the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show to us, since you do these things?” Jesus answered and said to them; “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up” (Jn.2:18-19).

Once again the people asked him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus replied, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he sent.' Therefore they said to him, “What sign will you perform then, that we may see it and believe you? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, he gave them bread from heaven to eat.”

Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” Then they said to him, “Lord give us this bread always.” And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst” (Jn.6:28-35).

What instructions or command that both the scriptures and Jesus Christ gave us, that if believed and obeyed will become in us a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life?

In an encounter with the Samaritan woman, Jesus said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, give me a drink, you would have asked. And he would have given you living water.” He said to her again, “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst, but the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (Jn.4:10,14).

What is this water if we drink, will spring up in us and become a fountain of living water springing up into everlasting life?

This water is the blood of Jesus Christ which he gave for the remission of our sins, and paves the way for the habitation of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit does not co-exist with sin, the Holy Spirit takes residence, and continue to reside when sins are forgiven. Therefore we are instructed to; “Repent and be baptized everyone of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).

Jesus Christ instituted on the night before he was crucified, the cup of the New Covenant for the remission of sins so that the Holy Spirit can continue to reside in us. He said, “I tell you the truth, unless you can eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me” (Jn.6:53-57).

What is the water that will become a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life?

On the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink: he who believes in me, as the scriptures has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water”(Jn.7:37-38).

It is absolutely clear that the rivers of living water refers to the Holy Spirit, for the scripture continues; “By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified” (Jn.7:39).

The Holy Spirit comes as a result of believing what the scriptures has said, and of course being obedient to what the scriptures has said. This is consistent with other scriptures which states, “ If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you for ever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him , because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (Jn.14:15-17).

Also, “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him” (Acts.5;32).

The apostle Paul said, “This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which, I Paul become a servant”(Col.1:21-23).

Are we all a servant of that gospel, and are we all earnestly contending for that one faith which was once for all delivered to the saints? I pray to God that we all do.