Jude tells us that the faith has been once delivered (Jude 1:3).  What we learn from this is that any claim of new revelation from God is a lie.  Do not ever believe a preacher who claims that God is speaking directly to him today.  There is only one way that God reveals His will to man today—by the Word of God.  The apostles were guided unto all truth (John 16:13).  They recorded that truth in what we now call the Bible, specifically, the New Testament, and that is the place to go if you want to know God’s will.

The will of God was at one time a mystery, but God, through the Holy Spirit, revealed it to man  (1 Corinthians 2:6-13; Ephesians 3:1-5).  This mystery  that was revealed is the gospel of Christ and is referred to in the Bible as “the faith.”  Notice how the terms “the gospel” and “the faith” are used interchangeably in the book of Galatians (Galatians 1:11, 23).  What is the difference between “the gospel” and “the faith” that Paul preached?  The answer is nothing.  Paul only preached one message.

1 Corinthians 4:17 (ESV)
¹⁷  That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.

Paul taught the same thing everywhere and in every church.  That teaching was the faith that was being delivered.  By the time Jude wrote his short epistle, the faith had been completely delivered.  That does not mean there was nothing written after the book of Jude was completed.  We know that it was not the last book written.  What it does mean is that everything God wanted us to know about doing His will; everything we need to know to be in fellowship with Him and make it to heaven at the appointed time, had been given to man in written form by that time.

Sadly, as early as the first century, the faith was already being corrupted by man.  Jude tells us that we should not just stand by while that is happening.

Jude 1:3-4 (ESV)
³  Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. ⁴  For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

The word “contend” means “to fight, strive or struggle for.”  Jude is writing to “the called” (ver.1).  That means that every person who has been called by the gospel of Christ must contend for the faith.  The easier path is to ignore false teachers and their doctrine that conflict with the gospel.  We will be liked by more people and have less conflict in our lives if we just keep the truth to ourselves, but that is not what we have been called to do.  We have been chosen by God, at least in part, to defend the gospel.

Philippians 1:15-17 (KJV)
¹⁵  Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: ¹⁶  The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: ¹⁷  But the other of love, knowing that I am set for the defense of the gospel.

Are you set for the defense of the gospel?  Are you ready to earnestly contend for the faith?  If we do not do it,  who will?  Yes, some will be angered by the truth, especially those who are perverting it, even more so if they do not realize that is what they are doing.  Some will ridicule us, calling us narrow-minded, legalists, etc., but we must do it anyway.  Why?  Because that is what we have been called to do.  Remember, souls are at stake.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.