Earnestly Contending

 

Introduction: We live in a time when people can’t handle adversity. People no longer believe in hard work and dedication and finishing their course. You work with people who don’t care what kind of a job they do. Husbands and wives really don’t care how well their marriage is doing. Kids don’t care what kind of students they are. People don’t care what kind of friends they are and worst of all is that Christians don’t care whether or not they are good Christians. 

American Christianity has been reduced to a watered down, offend nobody draw everybody mess. You’ve got Billy Graham telling hell bound religionists that they are going to heaven because they are doing their best. You’ve got mainstream charismatic crowds making people into gods. We’ve turned the Church into an entertainment center and sent holy living and godly Christianity packing. We’ve watched as young people lose their purity not because of Hellywood but because they’ve sat in a modern Church service. We’ve forsaken songs with words like: 

“O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood

To every believer the promise of God;

The vilest offender who truly believes,

That moment from Jesus a pardon receives” - from To God Be the Glory by Fanny Crosby 

And 

“My Jesus I love Thee I know Thou art mine

For Thee all the follies of sin I resign

My gracious Redeemer, my Saviour art Thou;

If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now” – from My Jesus I Love Thee by William Ralph Featherstone at 16 years of age 

To the modern praise and worship, contemporary Christian and southern gospel junk. So how do we get back what we’ve lost and gain ground to being a godly people? EARNESTLY CONTEND! 

I.          What Does It Mean To Earnestly Contend 

A.  Earnestly contending basically means that you are fighting with every bit of strength and zeal that you have and if you lose it will be because you died fighting 

B.   The Example of a Shepherd (Amos 3:12)  

II.         For What Things Should We Earnestly Contend 

A.  The Bible 

Elizabeth – In 1549 Elizabeth, a former nun was arrested for having a Latin New Testament. She was then taken to council where they questioned her concerning the sacraments 

  Council:   What do you think of Mass?

Elizabeth:       I do not approve of your Mass; but whatever agrees with God’s word, that I highly esteem. 

Council:       What do you think of the most holy sacrament?

Elizabeth:      I have never in my life read in Holy Scripture of a holy sacrament 

Council:       Do you expect salvation from baptism?

Elizabeth:       No gentlemen. All the waters in the sea cannot save me; but salvation is in Christ 

Council:       Have the priests power to forgive sins?

Elizabeth:       No, my lords; how should I believe this? I saw that Christ is the only Priest through whom sins are forgiven. 

Elizabeth was sent back to her incarceration but was later returned and led into the torture chamber. The executioner applied thumbscrews to her thumbs and forefingers so that the blood squirted out at the nails. Elizabeth cried out to God and her pain ceased. She persevered the persecution until she was put to death by being drowned in a sack. – from This Day in Baptist History (p. 29) 

B.   The Blood 

1.   Following the teaching of John MacArthur many have forsaken the importance of the blood of Christ. They say that the shedding of blood is merely symbolic to say that Christ had to die.

2.   References to the blood of Christ (Hebrews 9:12; Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 10:19; Hebrews 13:12; 1Peter 1:18; Revelation 1:5) 

C.  Baptism 

Felix Manz – Felix Manz was born an illegitimate son of a Roman Catholic priest. As a young man he became acquainted with Ulrich Zwingli and was converted. He then became dissatisfied with the reformation doctrine and he and others assembled at his house. Felix received believer’s baptism and baptized other believers and for this he was arrested. According to the sentence, he was taken bound from Wellenberg prison past the fish market to the boat. All along the way he witnessed to those around. His mother’s voice was heard above the ripple of the water, encouraging him to remain true to Christ in this hour of temptation. Quietly the boat slipped out into the lake. As his arms and legs were bound, he sang out with a loud voice, (“into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit”. A few moments later the cold waters of the lake closed over his head. – from This Day in Baptist History (p. 7) 

D.  The Gospel 

E.   Liberty 

1.   To Preach

Obadiah Holmes, John Clarke and John Crandall were arrested for holding an unlawful service in another man’s home. John Clarke and John Crandall were eventually released but the story of Obadiah Holmes is not so. Obadiah Holmes was beat severely and of this beating we read his account:  

“As the man began to lay the strokes upon my back, I said to the people, though my flesh should fail, yet God will not fail: so it pleased the Lord to come in, and fill my heart and tongue as a vessel full, and with audible voice I break forth, praying the Lord not to lay this sin to their charge, and telling the people I found He did not fail me, and therefore now I should trust Him forever Who failed me not: for in truth, as the stroke fell upon me, I had such a spiritual manifestation of God’s presence as I never had before, and the outward pain was so removed from me, that I could well bear it, yea, and in a manner felt it not, although it was grievous.” – from This Day in Baptist History (p. 367)

2.   To Proselyte 

F.   Holy Living 

III.        Why Should We Earnestly Contend 

A.  Because the faith has been bought by the blood of God’s people since it was delivered to them

B.   Because this faith that was once delivered has been delivered to us

C.  Because the Church was purchased by the blood of Christ 

Conclusion: The blood of martyrs is so precious to God that one day He will avenge their blood (Revelation 6:10-11). The blood of Jesus Christ is so precious to God that He will forgive the vilest sinners debt if he only put his trust in that blood. The church was so precious to Christ that He purchased it with that blood. Is Jesus Christ and His blood precious enough for you to Earnestly Contend for the faith? How are doing? Are you just going through the motions or have you given yourself in life and even in death to fighting the good fight of faith?

 

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