Jude 1:3 may seem nebulous to you, but let me explain what I understand it to mean. (This is not original research...I learned this in an article by John McArthur.)
From Jude:
3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
The point here, Blaine, is that the faith (gospel) was "once delivered". "Once", of course, means "one time". So the faith was "one time" delivered. The greek word for "delivered" (aptp3860) is an "aorist participle passive". (I am no greek scholar...I am looking this up as we go in "The Complete Word Study Dictionary, New Testament", by Spiros Zodhiates, TH.D.) The dictionary explains an "aorist participle" as follows:
"The aorist participle expresses simple action, as opposed to continuous action which would be expressed by the present active participle."
That is to say, "once delivered" in Jude 3 means that "one time the faith was delivered to the saints", and that the "delivering" of the gospel is not a continuous action.
So, this indicates to me that the faith has already been delivered. There is no more delivering of the faith to be done. The necessary conclusion to this is that the Scripture, as it stands, is entirely sufficient and all we need to provide all the information that anyone needs to know about Jesus, His crucifixion and resurrection, and the salvation He has provided.
In verse 4 Jude explains why he is writing to his readers that the faith has been once delivered; i.e., if others come along trying to pervert it, do not believe them!
This, plus some very stern warnings from the bible not to listen to those that preach another Christ, or another gospel, is what tells Christians that Mormonism is false. Can you really blame us for that?
Perry
From: "Blaine Borrowman" Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Spiritual Realities Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 16:56:13 -0700
Blaine: I read that 3rd verse, and did not get the meaning you have explained. It seems at best a little nebulous. Don't you think you might be putting a lot of stock in one nebulous scripture? Besides, the Revelation of John, plus many other NT books were written after Jude, chronologically speaking. This alone would make me wonder if the canon of the scripture was closed, would it not? ----- Original Message ----- From: Charles Perry Locke To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2004 12:46 PM Subject: Re: [TruthTalk] Spiritual Realities
>From: "Blaine Borrowman"
>> cpl: Revelation is not disallowed. Many experience personal revelation through the Holy Spirit. We Christians admit that God can give new revelation if and when he pleases. But, we have no reasion to believe that he has, because of the many "revealed", "channeled", "inspired" works that have been produced in the last 2000 years, and especially in the last 200 years, none of them stand in light of the Bible, and especailly not the BoM. They are all contradictory and evilly inspired counterfeits. Plus, Jude 3 says the canon of scripture is closed.
>Blaine wrote:Jude 3? There is only one chapter in Jude, it has 25 verses. I found no verse saying the scripture was closed. Are you aware that the books of the NT, starting with Acts, are arranged according to length, longest first and shortest (Jude) last? They are not sequenced according to time of writing.
cpl: Yes, Jude verse 3. Jude comments that the faith was delivered once for all to the saints. Once for all. This means no more. Once. Only once.
Also, in the former days God spoke to us through the prophets, but in these latter days has spoken to us through His Son. Not through anyone else. Not through JS, or Mary Baker Eddy, Charles Taze Russell, David Koresh, Jim Jones, Mickey Mouse, or Shirley McClain. Through his Son. Once for all. The faith. To the saints.
Additionally, if anyone comes to you preaching a different Christ or a different Gospel [than that in the Bible], it is false. That includes the BoM. In fact, in includes ALL works that claim to be inspired, or channeled, or extended revelation, etc. Ever hear of "A Course in Miracles"? It is purportedly a channeled work from Jesus. Ever hear of the Book of "Utantia"? Another channeled work. How about the works of Edgar Cayce (as another mentioned). Seth? The list goes on and on of works that are supposedly channeled, inspired, written by angels, etc, but they are all fakes and, in my opinion, the work of Satan to distract those of us who would follow the Savior.
So, yes, the canon of scripture is closed. No more revealed scripture. Personal revelation through the holy spirit? Sure. But not anything contrary to the Gospel, or "the faith". That was said once already. No one can improve on it. It has been sufficient from the moment Jesus said it, and the moment the authors wrote it down until today, and into the future. It is not enhanced by any later works, although there are many good commentaries by learned men, but especially not enhanced by the folklore of JS, whether he invented it, plaigerized it, or was inspired by an evil spirit, or even Satan himself.
Perry
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Take off on a romantic weekend or a family adventure to these great U.S. locations. ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
_________________________________________________________________
Get a FREE online computer virus scan from McAfee when you click here. http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963
---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org
If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
