Faith of our fathers

Faith of our fathers 

Jude 1:3 “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.” 

Here Apostle Jude, writing by the holy Ghost, gave a solemn charge to Christians to earnestly contend for the faith. What is the faith we are to contend for? It is the whole fundamental truth of the Bible. As Christians, who are called out people (Ecclesia) we are the ambassadors of Christ in the world, and wherever the providence of God brings us, we should stand and defend the faith.

Let’s go back to the ancient landmarks and see how our fathers stood for the faith. Enoch was a defender of the faith. Why do I say that? After the fall of man, the depravity, frailty, and degeneration of man was on it’s highest plan, yet, Enoch stood for the LORD, and lived a holy life in the midst of that generation.

Joseph too was a defender of the faith. He denied fleshly pleasure to defend the faith of the keeping our vessel in sanctification and honour. How about Moses? He was a defender of the faith. He forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, but enduring as seeing him who is invisible. How about Elijah, the restorer of the law? He alone withstood the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal, and defended the faith.

How about Shedrach, Meshach, and Abednego, these three wonderful Hebrews, stood for the faith at the expense of a burning fiery furnace. How about Daniel? A defender of the faith, who stood for God’s glory, not caring the danger of the lions den. Think about Jeremiah, in the midst of a stiff-necked, rebellious, stubborn Judea, he declared the whole counsel of the word of God, despite severe persecution. There are so many that listing them will wear one out. Men of like passion.

These men have gone to be with the LORD centuries ago. This is the 21st century, where are those who will stand for the faith? The scripture says, “Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth.” Christian, are you a true defender of the faith? A day is coming when the heathens around us will say, “WHO IS THE TRUE DISCIPLE OF THE LORD JESUS AMONG US?” Some saw the ‘sword’ and trembled, and they denied the Lord Jesus Christ to save their lives. Many are no longer in for the faith, they’ve abandoned the solemn charge, and are running after irrelevant things with no eternal value.

Let us arise, and stand for this truth of the revealed cannon of scripture, which encapsulates itself in Hebrews 12:14. Let us declare it with firm boldness and conviction: faith of our fathers, holy faith, we will be true to thee till death. It doesn’t matter what Nebuchadnezzar says, we are not afraid of him. It doesn’t matter the disposition of Pharoah, we will stand. It doesn’t matter the craftiness of Herod, we will defend the faith once delivered unto the saints.

Remove not the ancient landmarks which thy fathers have set up. But let us build on it, on the firm and sure promises of the living God. As we stand for the faith, God will stand by us. Stephen stood for the faith, and was received into heaven: the Son of man standing to receive him. The three Hebrew children stood for the faith, and the second man of the Godhead, stood with them in the fire. The promise of God is sure. He that saves his life shall lose it, and he that loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s shall save it.

We will stand for the LORD to earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints. And the LORD will help us to stand firm and stand to the very end.

Also Read: Faith Without Virtue