Jesus’ half-brother, Jude, wrote a short but stirring letter, “exhorting [his readers] to contend earnestly for the faith” (Jude 3). Every word in the Bible is significant, even the small words that we might sometimes treat as insignificant (like “the”). Suppose Jude had written to “contend earnestly for faith” – would that have made a difference?
The Muslim terrorists who killed 3,000 Americans on 9-11 were “contending earnestly for faith” – their faith. But, that is not “the faith”! The Jehovah’s Witnesses that come around to your neighborhood and knock on your door are “contending earnestly for faith” – their faith. But, that is not “the faith”! There is a major difference between one’s subjective, personal faith and the objective faith set forth in Scripture.
God made it clear that there is “one faith” (Eph. 4:5). While one might contend for “faith” (his faith), that is not the same as contending for “the faith” (His faith)!