Jude wanted to write about the salvation that he shared with his brethren. The NIV says he was very eager to do that. He wanted to be positive and write about good stuff. However, because false teachers were circulating bad theology, he found it necessary, he felt compelled, to alert and awaken fellow Christians. He exhorts the church to contend for the faith. The NKJ says that he urged them to contend earnestly for the faith.
Contend earnestly stems from a Greek verb from which our English word agony is derived. It speaks of athletes contending in a grueling contest, of a serious effort, or of two soldiers fighting to the finish. You have to adjust the intensity of your effort to match the intensity of your opposition.
This Wednesday we will be looking at the Book of Jude. We will live stream the class on our face-book page beginning at 7:30 and an audio version will be uploaded to the website.
Praying everyone is staying safe and healthy,
In Christ,
Gary T.