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Question 4

Using Jude 1:3, he insists “the faith was once for all delivered” and “didn’t develop over time”; how do you decide whether a belief or practice in your church is part of that once-for-all faith or a later development that might need to be questioned?

Another way to ask: How do you tell if something your church teaches is part of the faith “once for all delivered” (Jude 1:3) or a later idea that should be questioned?

Direct Answer Bercot’s approach suggests you compare beliefs and practices to what was taught “in the beginning” and to what first-century Christians believed and practiced, treating later expansions with caution. You decide by an honest, unbiased examination of Scripture, avoiding proof-texting and checking context.

Support from Transcript:

He quotes Jude 1:3: “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints,” and concludes “it didn’t develop over time.”
He says 21st-century Christians must ensure what we believe/practice is “the same thing that they believed and practiced back in the beginning.”
He argues Christians at the end of the first century “correctly grasped the faith,” so discovering their beliefs helps anchor ours.
He lays out interpretive rules: take instruction “at face value,” don’t “cherry pick,” don’t take verses “out of context,” and let “the majority of verses interpret the few.”
He warns prior indoctrination is a major obstacle; we must admit biases and allow the possibility we’re wrong in some areas.

Discussion Follow-ups Which of your church’s practices are defended mainly by tradition or denominational identity rather than by a straightforward reading of Scripture?

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