Introduction to “Contend for the Faith”

Melissa Renner introduces the “Contend for the Faith” study and what Women’s Bible Study will look like this semester.

Introduction to Galatians

Author

Paul (Galatians 1:1, 5:2)

Date

AD 48/49

• Earliest of Paul’s epistles, written after the First Missionary Journey (to the churches founded on that First Missionary Journey) as the Gospel had spread to the Gentiles.
• Judaizers sought to add works and obedience to the Law as requirements for salvation.
• This topic was also addresses in the Jerusalem Council (acts 15)

Purpose

To encourage believers to live by faith alone!

• To warn believers to not desert Christ for a different gospel.
• To refute error, (Judaizers/legalism) perverting the gospel by adding works.
• There are many parallels between Galatians and Romans, both foundational to the Protestant Reformation (Galatians was Luther’s favorite of epistle).
• Galatians is Paul’s only epistle to not have a commendation for his recipients, emphasizing the importance of the warning to not deserve the gospel of Christ!

Theme

Justification by Faith Alone

We are saved by faith in Christ alone, not faith plus works, not faith plus baptism, not faith plus anything. We cannot earn or merit salvation through human efforts or works. We are sinners deserving of wrath, and can never be “good” enough to earn salvation.

Key Terms

Law … Gospel … Spirit

Introduction to Jude

Author

Jude [Heb “praised”], a bond servant of Jesus Christ (Jude 1)

• Jude was the brother of James who was the leader of the early Jerusalem church.  (Jude 1; Acts 15:13)
• Jude was a half brother of Jesus who did not believe during Christ public ministry. (Matthew 13:55; Mark 6:3)
• Jude eventually believed in Christ after the Resurrection and was present with the apostles after the Ascension. (Acts 1:14)
• Jude may have traveled with his wife sharing the Gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:5)

Date

AD 67-69; before AD 70 (probably after 2 Peter)

Purpose

Expose against false teachers, infiltrating the church and encourage believers to actively contend for the faith.

• Jesus Christ is our only Lord and Master, who will judge false teachers and reward his beloved in the future. (Jude 4, 6, 14–15, 17–23).
• Fourth shortest book in the New Testament (after Philemon and 2 and 3 John).

Theme

Contend Earnestly for the Faith!

• Jude intended initially to write a treatise about salvation, however, the increasing influence of false teachers, who turn the Grace of Christ into licentiousness and deny the lordship of Christ prompted Jude to write this warning instead
• There are many parallels between 2 Peter [Warning: False teachers are coming!] and Jude [Warning: False teachers are here!].

Key Terms

Contend … Destroy