“Contend earnestly for the faith…”

Handing the Gospel from one person to the next

Greg Koukl has another excellent newsletter out that steps back and looks at the larger picture of how, precisely, to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.”

Guard the Gospel:

Sadly, in spite of the plethora of materials available to believers, there is still a profound biblical illiteracy in Christian circles….

So, how do we guard the Gospel? Two ways. First, we continue in the things already delivered to us. Second, we pass the baton. Those are the rules….

The key to contending for the faith—to surviving the spiritual onslaught of the 21st century—is to guard the Gospel. The key to that is found in two simple phrases. One, “Continue in the things you have learned.” Back to the basics. Back to the Word as it has been entrusted to us. And two, entrust it to faithful disciples who will be able to teach others also.

That’s it. Guard the Gospel by continuing in the truth already revealed, then pass the baton. Proclaim the truth faithfully, guard it diligently, and pass it on carefully. That is how we contend earnestly for the faith once for all delivered to the saints. That is how we guard the Gospel Paul entrusted to Timothy, now entrusted to us….

http://www.str.org/Media/Default/Publications/1309%20Enhanced%20Solid%20Ground-Contend%20Earnestly-1.pdf