Jude (Jesus’ brother) intended to write about salvation, but instead wrote about false teachers because they were infiltrating the church. He shows us how to spot them by the way they act:
- They reject God’s leadership and guidance in their lives.
- Which means they deemphasize the Word of God, preferring to point to their own dreams/visions.
- They lack spiritual wisdom and faith.
- They are greedy.
- They engage in sexual immorality.
- They are deceitful.
- They are selfish.
- They are arrogant.
- They flatter others.
- They cause divisions.
They will be judged! We need to watch out for them and warn others about them (22-23). We also protect ourselves by increasing our faith through proper prayer (“praying in the Holy Spirit,” which probably refers to praying with humility and dependance), and by being obedient (“maintain yourselves in the love of God”).
“Now to the one who is able to keep you from falling, and to cause you to stand, rejoicing, without blemish before his glorious presence, to the only God our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority, before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen.” (Jude 24-25)
Pastor Billington's Blog 