The Faith.

Excerpt from: https://files.secure.website/wscfus/3107401/uploads/TheFaithBook.pdf

"We live in a day of religious confusion and counterfeit Christianity.

"Under the umbrella term of Christianity can be found literally thousands
of conflicting systems of faith and practice, which are steadily increasing every day.

"Most people are completely confused and have no idea how to discern true from false religions.

"Discerning between the "true" and the "false requires an objective standard for truth.

"Most systems of philosophy today
do not acknowledge any universal objective standard for truth,
but only admit to relative truth.

"Relative truth changes from person to person and from circumstance to circumstance
and is therefore subjective and unreliable by nature.

"Hence, according to such a definition, what is true for you
may not be true for someone else or what may be true in one circumstance
may not be true in another circumstance.

"However, the Scriptures declare that God is truth (Jn. 14:6 “I am the…truth”)
and “thy word is truth” – Jn. 17:17.

"Therefore, according to God’s Word, truth is all that is consistent
with the nature and will of God as revealed in the Scriptures.

"Moreover, this is not a conclusion drawn from circular reasoning,
but the Word of God can be verified by objective data,
such as archeology, prophecy, and pre-modern scientific revelations.

"The Bible also provides a foundation of fundamentals
or a skeletal body of essential truths referred to as “the faith”
or “the truth” or “the doctrine” or “the tradition.”

"The following study revolves around the use and meaning of "the faith” and its synonyms.

"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. - Jude 3

"When Jude penned these words, "the faith"
had already been “delivered” (Aorist tense verb),
but the scriptural canon was not yet completed.

"Hence, the scriptures contain "the faith" but include much more than "the faith."

"That is, the scriptures contain much more than mere essentials of orthodoxy.

"Within the scriptures, there is a skeleton of absolutes.

"The completion of the canon of Scripture provides
the full layers of muscle, skin, etc. on that skeleton.

"Those core beliefs are called "the faith" by Jude.

"Moreover, the aorist tense verb translated as "delivered"
refers to a completed action which most believes
refers to the giving of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20.

"The Greek term translated "once" (hapaz)
is elsewhere translated "once for all" (Heb. 10:10),
further emphasizing it is a final, and completed action.

"The words "earnestly contend for" represent a Greek term [epagononizomai]
from where we get our English word "agonize," and literally means to "agonize upon."

"Furthermore, this term has the wrestling event in the Greek Olympics for its background.

"If you can imagine that you are in a wrestling match,
and realize the energy, and ability required to pin, and subdue your opponent,
then you have an idea of what Jude believes will be required to defend the faith.

"Finally, Jude is not merely making a suggestion
that his readers "earnestly contend" nor is he offering it as a possible option.

"This is a command.

"He is urging them in the strongest terms to take on this responsibility.

"The book of Jude was written to warn the early Christians
of a coming Great Apostasy and how to identify apostate characteristics and characters.

"Although this study does not specify a preferred denomination,
it does provide the reader with a framework of clear Biblical principles
that serve as a guide to identifying the essential characteristics
of Biblical New Testament Christianity.

"Our method is quite simple and straightforward.

1. We will provide a Biblical definition for the phrase "the faith."

2. We will examine the Biblical synonyms of "the faith."

3. We will discover the Biblical contents of "the faith."

4. We will examine the relationship of "the faith"
with the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18-20.

5. We will examine the relationship of "the faith" with baptism.

6. We will examine "the faith" in its relationship to "the last days."

7. We will examine our Biblical responsibility to "the faith."

8. We will then provide diagnostic questions to stimulate thinking

9. We will provide a worksheet for review."