Contending for the Faith: Bible Study Notes on the Epistle of Jude

By Glen A. Blanscet

The Bible Study Notes series provides a verse-by-verse look at the books of the Bible in an outline format with the purpose of giving readers a succinct and easy to read explanation of Scripture for use in their personal Bible studies and devotionals or in preparation for teaching or leading a class or discussion group. The Notes series includes

• Language: English
• Publisher: Glen A. Blanscet
• Release date: Apr 15, 2020
• ISBN: 9781734457810

Glen A. Blanscet

Glen Blanscet is an author, speaker, and adjunct professor in biblical studies at Dallas Baptist University in Dallas, Texas. He received his masters of divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas and previously served on the staff of two churches as their executive pastor. He continues to serve in his church, teaching various Bible studies and Bible courses. Glen is the author of "Lessons from Solomon: Finding True Success in Life." For more information about Glen or to contact him to speak at your church or organization, visit www.glenblanscet.com.

Book preview

Titles in the

Bible Study Notes Series

Everything We Need: Ephesians

Contending for the Faith: Jude

Copyright © 2020 by Glen A. Blanscet

Carrollton, Texas //www.glenblanscet.com

Cover Design by Georgia Rutherford

Author Photo by Becky Blanscet

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Printed in the United States of America

ISBN: 978-1-7344578-0-3 (paperback)

ISBN: 978-1-7344578-1-0 (e-book)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020904142

Version date: July 2020

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Scripture quotations marked CEV are from the Contemporary English Version Copyright © 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.

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Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2016.

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Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked REB are taken from the Revised English Bible, copyright © Cambridge University Press and Oxford University Press 1989. All rights reserved.

I felt compelled to write and urge you

to contend for the faith that was once for all

entrusted to God’s holy people.

-- Jude 3

Table of Contents

Introduction

Outline of the Epistle of Jude

Chapter IIntroduction to the Epistle of Jude

(Jude 1-2)

Chapter IIWarnings about False Teachers

(Jude 3-16)

Chapter IIIStrategies for Contending for the Faith

(Jude 17-23)

Chapter IVDoxology

(Jude 24-25)

Notes

Sources Cited

Also by the Author

Introduction

TODAY’S HEADLINES REFLECT A WORLD in moral chaos and disarray, not only in secular society but also in the Christian church. Christians are bombarded daily with challenges to their faith, some of which come directly from those who oppose Christianity and some indirectly from the cultural influences and viewpoints that are inconsistent with and hostile to the teachings of Christian scripture.

From a believer’s perspective, it may seem the world has never been further from God. But almost two thousand years ago, early Christian believers faced similar threats to their faith, grappling with contradictory teachings over Christian doctrine and struggling to live out their faith in a manner consistent with that doctrine.

Enter Jude. As an itinerant preacher and pastor, Jude travelled among several of the churches of the first century. One day, he began to write an encouraging letter to some of the churches he had visited, but his plans changed. He was startled by news that those churches were besieged by false teachers who were leading them away from the truth of God’s grace and enticing them to live in a manner inconsistent with God’s commands. So his letter took up a different topic and conveyed a heightened sense of urgency. He urged them to fight against these false teachings, to oppose those who were trying to deceive them, and to contend for their faith.

Jude pulled no punches when he described the false teachers and the evil they taught. He encouraged believers in the churches to recognize the true nature of these false teachers, and he outlined a specific strategy for how to deal with the false teachers and those who were misled or being misled by them.

In our time, there is no more relevant message for Christians than the message of Jude. As believers, he called us to contend for the faith, so it is essential we understand what we are fighting against and how to respond to those who attack the basic doctrines and teachings of the Christian faith.

* * * * *

This book provides, in an outline format, the notes I developed during my study of the book of Jude as I prepared to teach it to others. My hope is that these notes will provide you with some basic insights into this important letter, helping you better understand the