Jude 1:3

The Believer and the Faith

Jude showed the feeling of warmth he had in connection with those to whom the epistle was addressed when he called them "beloved." Apparently, he had already been planning to write an epistle on the "common salvation," but turned to the more urgent problem, that is dealt with in the writing, called to his attention. He had heard of false teachers and the spreading of their doctrines. He then wrote to prevent the addressees from being lead astray and to urge them to the defense of the gospel.

The word translated "contend earnestly" literally means "to wrestle" and indicates the type of strong defense that should be made for the gospel in the face of any foe. The word here translated "faith" is said by Vine to be "by metonymy, what is believed, the contents of belief, faith" (W. E. Vine, An Expository Dictionary of the New Testament Words). That faith was delivered "once for all," which Vine says means, "of what is perpetual validity, not requiring repetition." All of that which Christians believe has been delivered for all time (Judges 1:3).