February 11: CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH

Then the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that they should feed her there one thousand two hundred and sixty days . . . the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. Revelation 12:6,14

The use of the word wilderness denotes a place devoid of any sort of human protection. To be preserved there is a testimony of the divine protection of God. It is the testimony of His love toward all of mankind. The nourishment of the woman, which symbolizes the people of God, is for the benefit of everyone in this fallen world where Satan roams, not just a few! The message of salvation is for the entire world. God has His messengers in every generation. Never has He left the world without a witness (see Romans 1:20).

History is brightened with the record of Reformers who stepped forward to speak of the light that they discovered in God’s Word. As they personally overcame certain falsehoods that had crept into the established church, they also helped others to do the same. The process of reformation is still in progress, soon to come to its conclusion. We are living in the last days of fallen earth’s history.

At the launching of the church age, during the days of pagan Rome, the Apostolic Church was unpopular and maligned by the unconverted Jews as well as pagans. The Roman coliseum stands today as a monument to the dreadful persecution of early Christians. Amazingly, this persecution was accompanied by explosive growth and spread of the original, pure faith. The very intensity of the persecution of those days kept it free from nominal and lukewarm Christians. A true Christian was “all in” with the clear understanding that there was no middle ground. It is still true today: there is no middle ground! Jesus is coming soon for His people. Are you all in?

At the time of the church’s compromise with paganism that began under Constantine’s rule, there were stalwart Christians* who did not accept the influx of pagan practices. The first change was that of changing the day of worship from Saturday to Sunday (321AD). This happened decades before Christianity became the mandated state religion of the Roman Empire (380AD), allowing time to condition minds toward acceptance of civil authority above that of God.

*These faithful ones were the direct extension of the original, Apostolic Church. Just as Scripture foretold (Daniel 2:40, 7:7), the church of Rome fell into apostasy. Those willing to learn from history can look back and see the New Testament church dividing into two branches: the false and the true. The false steadily endeavors to silence or override the true. He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. (Matthew 12:30)

The eternal future of those who remain true to Jesus will continue to be divinely protected as described above. Just as the true woman held to a pure, undefiled faith, the rest of her offspring (v.17) will continue in like manner.

Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once delivered to the saints. Jude 3