Sermon Text: Jude 3, Ephesians 4:11-12

Take your Bibles tonight and we're going to look at a couple of verses of Scripture that we'll use for a launching pad to the message I want to bring tonight entitled "Contending for the Faith." We are living in interesting days and I think we want to remind ourselves that we don't necessarily want to be contentious. Remember that we are Biblicists. We still believe the Word of God to be the Word of God and we thank God for that truth. I do think that we who are in the Biblicist camp ought to make up our minds that we are going to have to be just a little bit more vocal and maybe just a little bit more aggressive in the defense of our faith. We see our faith being challenged on just about every corner as you look around your "religious" community today.

This evening I want us to look at what the Scripture has to say as we bring to mind four issues that we are going to be asking God, through the working and moving of His Holy Spirit here in the ministry this fall, to bring to our minds and bring to our attention as we seek to be all that God wants us to be for His honor and for His glory.

With your Bibles open to the book of Jude, I want you to look at verse 3 with me tonight and then we're going to look at Ephesians chapter 4 and verses 11 and 12. Then we're going to bring a simple message this evening that I trust will prove to be a help and a blessing to each one of you.

(Jude 3) Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

(Ephesians 4:11) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
(Ephesians 4:12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

This is a very interesting statement when you realize what is being said there; "for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." Basically, we find in the Word of God, beloved, teaching that should cause us and encourage us to understand that we should never be embarrassed or we should never back away from opportunity to contend for the faith because that is really what the church is all about. It is sad to see in the day and age in which we find ourselves living, so many ministries feeling that it is contentious to contend for the faith, when in reality it is not contentious, it is right. It is Biblical.

I don't need to take a lot of time tonight to illustrate to you or convince you that fundamental Christianity is under some pretty strong Satanic attacks in the day and age in which we live. You don't have to be too involved in ministry today to not understand that and really, if you are paying any attention to the media, you will again and again see, even though sometimes subtle, how the media continues to attack that which we would call fundamental Christianity.

I like to use the word Biblicist because we are basically Bible believing men and women. We still believe the Bible to be the Word of God. We, of course, make no apology for that at the church in which you are sitting tonight. But because of that attack that is going on, I am persuaded beloved that it is going to be absolutely imperative that we remember some of the teachings of the Lord Jesus, or for whatever the reason, we seem to have forgotten them. Now when I say, "We seem to have forgotten", I would not necessarily be speaking of this ministry directly, but I would be speaking of our fundamental, independent, Baptist church movement in general. We seem to have forgotten what Jesus really spoke and taught as to what the work of the church is to be all about. For instance, if you would look at Matthew 16:18, you will find what Jesus said in that one verse of Scripture.

(Matthew 16:18) And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; ...

So consequently, in Scripture there are all kinds of admonition that tell us that the building of a church which is preaching the unsearchable riches of the Word of God, is God's plan in the day and age in which we are living, in spite of all of that we see going on in our world. If you would do a careful reading of Matthew chapter 16, it will show you that Satan cannot destroy the cradle of our Christian faith. It is absolutely critical that we see that in the day and age in which we find ourselves living, because God has pledged to build His church. We cannot lose sight of that. We cannot lose the direction which God has given to us in His Word, just because we are living in a different day and just because we are living in a different age. It is still going to be the preaching of the Word of God that is going to bring men and women to faith in Jesus Christ.

As you read the book of Acts, you will surely find how the early church in the first 30-40 year period of New Testament Christianity, was growing on a regular, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. It was growing into doctrinal strongholds for God as the apostle Paul and others traveled all over Asia Minor establishing local churches. That's why we have become so involved and so interested in this matter of planting local churches, because I am convinced that is the hope of this country. The hope of this country is not that the Republicans remain in the majority of the House of Representatives and the United States Senate in Washington. That is not the hope of this country. The hope of this country, beloved, is not that in our states, 50 of them spread out across thousands of miles, we can continue to maintain an element of freedom that will keep us from the tyranny of many who would like to control our lives even to a greater degree than they are already controlled. That is not the hope of this country.

The hope of this country is that the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ will continue to be preached to where there may be a people who will hear that gospel message and will come to know Christ who is to know life everlasting. That is the hope of this country because it is as the gospel will set men free, it is as the gospel will be preached, and the gospel will be received that man will come to a correct and right understanding of what his life really is all about and that he cannot literally make it in life unless he has God's Son Jesus Christ as Saviour. That is the hope of our country, as I see it. So we need to see the importance of the planting and establishing of local churches. The reason that is so important is simply because God has given us the local church to preserve doctrinal truth. It is as the truth of the Word of God is going to be preached from pulpits across this land that doctrinal truth is going to be preserved. So consequently, this contending for the faith becomes an absolute necessity when you really look and study the Word of God.

Not only do we see God giving us the church but as you look at Ephesians chapter 4 you'll see that God has given people who He calls into the ministry. As you look there at Ephesians 4 which we read a few moments ago, you'll see the Scripture says He gave some apostles, and He gave some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors, and some teachers. They are different offices that He has given, but notice they are all given for what? They are given for the perfecting of the saints. So, He calls men into ministry. God imparts those spiritual gifts. Always remember that a church which is strong in doctrine will have people who are strong in doctrine. One of the weaknesses that you see in so many churches today is that they are not strong in doctrine. One of the greatest needs I see in ministry for the rest of this 20th century is that we would continue to develop a greater emphasis on the preaching and teaching of doctrinal truth. It is a very weak area in the day and in the age in which we are living. That's why you see, as I mentioned this morning, so many of the cults growing and prospering and maturing in our country and even in our world as far as that is concerned. It is a shame to see so many churches today that are so spiritually weak and lacking Holy Spirit power.

At the Southern Baptist convention just recently in the month of June, it was reported that a large number of Southern Baptist churches did not baptize one soul. There would be many many Southern Baptist churches which are still preaching the Gospel, that cannot be denied. We are not Southern Baptist; we are an independent Baptist church, thank God. Do you realize that the Southern Baptist convention, this past year, reported 6500 churches that did not baptize one soul. I said 6500 churches! Out of 14,000 churches, they had 6500 churches that did not baptize one soul. Now that is frightening to me. Where are we going? Where is the direction of New Testament Christianity in the United States of America?

One thing you and I need to remember, God could literally, beloved, remove this nation from history and not one verse of Scripture would be violated in this Book. Not one. This nation could pass off the scene. There would be no United States of America any more and not one verse of Scripture would be violated in this Bible. It does not take a great historian to look at the pages of history of centuries now already past and see countries that have come and countries that have gone. That to me is a great concern as we think about the next generation, our children, and grandchildren. So there must be an understanding, I believe, amongst God's people today why it is so important, so needed, and so necessary to continue to contend for the faith. You don't have to be a Phi Beta Kappa to understand that we cannot begin to relax our spiritual guard for even a moment. You will always have the devil's liberals and the devil's modernists who are seeking to undermine our churches. They are seeking to infiltrate our Christian schools and as I've said over the years, the devil doesn't build anything. He always steals it from God's people. You don't find the devil building churches and building schools. Do you realize that at one time Harvard and Yale universities, which would be nothing more today than hotbeds for liberalism, were training preachers for the ministry? Do you realize that? That was their purpose for coming into existence. The University of Chicago, which is probably one of the most liberal universities in the United States of America today, at one time was noted as a fundamental Baptist institution for the preparing of pastors. Today, they would not know the Gospel if it hit them in the side of the head. I'm simply quoting to you tonight from the facts of history that does nothing but substantiate what I am saying this evening.

Always remember that it is only as one generation of Christians are faithful to pass on to the next generation of Christians their spiritual heritage that you are going to find a pure Gospel and a true witness maintained. It just takes one generation to compromise the message and immediately you have a degeneration of the message that has set in. It only takes one generation.

So, I contend tonight that we must continue to understand that there has to be the maintaining of a certain standard that churches will continue to champion. As long as the Spirit of God is operating in our midst and the Lord Jesus tarries His coming, we must continue to defend the faith that was once delivered to all the saints.

Now, here is the question. What should be the standard? Now that's the issue. What should be the standard, then, that we defend? "OK, Pastor, things are not looking as well as maybe they should look." But what is the standard that we need to be cognizant of defending? Let me mention four, tonight, very briefly. I'm not going to develop them to a great extent, but I do want to spend at least a few minutes with each one of them, because I feel these four are the critical issues that this ministry must earnestly contend for if we are going to see God continue to keep His hand of blessing and His smile and prosperity upon us and in our midst.

The first issue must be a contending for fundamentalism in the Word. We cannot surrender or give up our mentality, our understanding, and our teaching that we are fundamental in the Word of God. We are fundamentalists and we cannot give that up. Here's what that basically means. When you say you are a fundamentalist, that means you believe in a perfect Bible. That's what a fundamentalist means. See, a lot of people say, "Oh, that means that they have all of these rules and regulations as far as dress." No, that's not what it means. When you are fundamental in the Word, it means you believe in a perfect Bible. This Book I hold in my hand tonight, IS the Word of God. Now we can holler "Amen" all we want to, but until we start contending for it and until we start defending it, it isn't going to do us one lick of good. But we are a people who believe in a perfect Bible. This Bible is our sole authority for our faith and practice; the Word of God. That's exactly what II Timothy 3:16 says.

(II Timothy 3:16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

We cannot, beloved, lose sight of the fact that there are many many today and I'm sorry to say this, in ministry, who are seeking to humanize the Bible. That is very tragic. That is very heart-breaking to me personally. So consequently, because of these swab pulpiteers that we have in our world today, because of these professors that we have in our institutions of higher learning today, many of them so-called Christian institutions, we must remind ourselves that we have a God-given responsibility to remember that this Bible is our sole authority for faith and practice. Therefore, it doesn't matter what the swab pulpiteer might say, it doesn't matter what the professor in the seminary or university might say, if he is in disagreement with what God says. God says, "let He be true and every man a liar." That's the bottom line. That's absolutely critical and essential that we understand that truth, because when the Bible says that man is, by nature, a sinner and man is hopelessly lost in that sin, that is exactly what the Bible means. That's exactly what it means. You can try to explain it away any way you want to, but it isn't going to change the truth of what God says. Man is hopelessly lost in his sin by the fact that his very nature is corrupt.

When man wants to say that Jesus Christ is not the virgin born Son of God, man is wrong. That's the bottom line. Man is simply wrong. When the Bible says that a man must be born again and man, whoever he is, says, "No, now that's not really what that means", man is wrong. You need to be born again. And my dear friend, if you are here tonight and you have not been born again, you need to be born again because that's the Word of God. We must remain fundamental in the Word. That's the first issue that I think we are going to face and we need to continue to face as a fundamental independent Baptist church.

The second issue I feel is very critical, though I would not necessarily place it above the first issue we've looked at, but it is very critical. The second issue is that we must not only continue to remain fundamental in the Word but we must continue to remain fervent in spirit. Take your Bibles and look with me tonight at Revelation 2:4. Most of you here tonight or at least many of you would understand that chapter 2 and chapter 3 in the book of Revelation would be the seven messages to the seven churches. In verse 4 of chapter 2, in the message to the church at Ephesus, it is interesting to see what John says, under the inspiration of the Spirit of God.

(Revelation 2:4) Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
(Revelation 2:5) Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, ...

Look at Revelation 3 and verses 15 and 16, because that is the final message to the church at Laodecia.

(Revelation 3:15) I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
(Revelation 3:16) So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

It is very interesting when you read what God says here to two churches that at one time were very fervent in spirit as you will study history, but they had lost their fervency in spirit. Beloved, if I am convinced of anything, I am convinced of this - that 21st century Christians are going to need to see the old time faith of their forefathers that was an exuberant faith, that was a demonstrative faith, that was an expressive faith. The 21st century Christian is going to need to see that if we are going to continue to maintain the ongoing work of the Lord Jesus Christ through our fundamental independent Baptist church movement. You cannot surrender your fervency. You cannot yield or give up your fervency. Listen to me. There is nothing wrong with a good hearty "Amen" as long as you are walking like you talk. There is nothing wrong with that. God is not going to bring fire and brimstone upon you because you happen to say "Amen" in a church service. That is all simply coming from an attack that is teaching and is seeking to implant a teaching, philosophy, or an understanding that we don't need to be excited about this. Listen, there is nothing more exciting than seeing people saved. There is nothing more exciting than that. So, we cannot surrender that fervency of spirit. You see, when you stop and think about it, a fervent spirit is what is going to cause you and me to actually contend for the faith. That's what's going to cause you and to cause me to contend for the Lord and the work of the Lord. So, we cannot surrender that. A ministry must maintain its fervency in spirit.

So, we are fundamental in the Word and we are fervent in spirit. Let me give you a third thought that I think we need to see. We need to be faithful in consecration. Now you say, "Well Preacher, what are you talking about?" Here's what I'm talking about. I'm talking about being loyal to God. I'm talking about being loyal to the teachings of the Word of God. Listen, I'm talking about being faithful in separation from the world. I'm talking about remembering and recognizing that we are in this world but we are not of this world. I'm talking about reminding ourselves on a regular basis that this world is not our home; we're just passing through. We're basically pilgrims. See, tonight I'm talking about being faithful in the application and practice of Romans 12:1-2 when Paul said ...

(Romans 12:1) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
(Romans 12:2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Now it doesn't say that you and I are to be a round ball trying to get into a square hole. No, it's not saying that. But it is teaching us that you and I need to be faithful in our consecration to our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what we are saying tonight. We cannot surrender that consecration. We simply cannot give that up, because that is exactly how Satan will one day then steal this ministry as he has stolen hundreds of ministries. That's exactly how.

I can think of a church (and I'll not mention it's name) in another state and I preached there in 1974. As a matter of fact, I looked out here tonight and I saw Brother Jenson and for whatever the reason, Brother Jenson, my mind went back to that church. It may be because I received a phone call from you in that church. Now this is 23 years ago. When I was in that church 23 years ago, that church was a soul-winning fundamental independent Baptist church. I was there for a soul-winning conference. Today, you would cringe at the music of that church. Many of you here tonight would be appalled at what you would see in that ministry where 23 years ago when I stood in that pulpit and preached there, that church was just as sound and just as solid as First Baptist Church of Rosemount was which I was pastoring at that time.

Now here is my whole point. We have not continued to maintain what we have maintained in this church by the luck of the draw. Beloved, there must constantly and continuously be the contending for the faith. Messages like this will have to continue to be preached as long as Jesus tarries His coming regardless of who is pastoring this ministry, if this ministry or any other ministry is going to remain true to the Word of God so that they are fundamental in the Word, they are fervent in spirit, and they are faithful in consecration.

You say, "Well then, what's the key, Preacher?" Here's the key. The fourth thing is that we must remain fruitful in soul-winning. That's the key, I'm convinced of it. The church that can continue to reach out, the church that sees the lost in the lands beyond the bodies of water that surround our United States of America, the church that can look at its neighbors, the church that can look to the next town, the church that can look to the next state, the church that can look to the east coast and west coast, and can see people who need Jesus Christ as Saviour is going to be a church that will have a better opportunity to remain what it needs to remain as we have looked at tonight.

Fundamental in the Word. This is the Bible. This is God's Word. This does not contain God's Word, this is God's Word. So consequently, we are going to constantly remind ourselves that we are fundamental in the Word of God. We are fervent in our spirit. We are going to be faithful in our consecration and the way we are going to be able to do all that is to continue to remain fruitful in our soul-winning.

Now tomorrow we begin the greatest week in the yearly calendar of our church. We begin the greatest week in our soul-winning effort. We see more people saved through Vacation Bible Time in this ministry than any other ministry we have. And Pastor Clear, you would verify this tonight, I'm sure. Now thank God for our jail ministry, thank God for our Sunday School ministry, thank God for our public preaching ministries, but when you consider this one week period and you can see the number saved that we see saved, this ministry would absolutely be ridiculous to ever surrender that week of soul-winning effort. Brother Carr just told me today that in our jail ministry this past week, we saw more than 30 people saved. Thank God for that. But do you realize in the next five days, if Jesus tarries His coming and gives you and me life, we can see hundreds saved, as each one of us will seek to be fruitful in our soul-winning? You know, that pleases God when you stop and think about it. That's exactly what John 15:16 is saying when the Scripture says ...

(John 15:16) Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

So my prayer tonight is that this ministry will never lose its compassion for souls, the compassion that Paul had, the compassion that Bunyan had, the compassion that Spurgeon evidently had, the compassion that Moody had. The story is told of D.L. Moody. D.L. Moody one time had made a vow to God that he would not go through a day without witnessing to somebody about the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Moody told the story of one day having gone through the entire day busy with the many details that he was taking care of. It was a stormy day and he finally went into his bedroom and went to bed. While lying there in his bed with rain coming down outside he was reminded by the Spirit of God, "You have not witnessed to one soul today, D.L. Moody." The story is told that D.L. Moody got up out of bed, got dressed, got an umbrella, and went out into the rain with his umbrella. He found a man who was walking down the street with no umbrella and offered to walk with him under his umbrella. As he walked down the street with the man under his umbrella, he led the man to Jesus Christ. What am I saying? Be fruitful in soul-winning. God help us in this ministry to not lose sight of our soul-winning, especially this week. God help us.

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