Jude 1:5-11

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Dangers of Falling Away from the Faith

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. False teachers take the way of Cain.

  2. False teachers rush for profit into the error of Balaam.

  3. False teachers perish in the rebellion of Korah.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

QUESTIONS

  1. Who is the recipient of Jude’s epistle?

  2. What was Jude’s purpose in writing this letter?

  3. What is the difference between a backslider and an apostate?

  4. List the three examples given from the Old Testament to show how God judged those who turn away from the truth in the past. Why was each one judged?

  5. False teaching and immorality go together. True or False?

  6. The Gnostic false teachers thought they knew everything about the spiritual realms. Did they?

  7. Where is Moses’ grave located?

ANSWERS

  1. Because there are a number of references to the Old Testament of people and events, it’s a good indication that the recipients of Jude’s epistle were Jewish Christians.

  2. To expose false teachers that were already in the early church and to exhort believers to contend earnestly for the faith.

  3. A backslider is a true believer, but has wandered away from the Lord and His word. An apostate is a professing Christian, but not a true believer.

  4. a. the generation that came out of Egypt, but perished in the wilderness because of unbelief, b. the angels who left their proper abode and committed sexual sin, and c. Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them because they gave themselves over to sexual immorality. For this defiance of God they were judged with fire from heaven and will suffer the vengeance of eternal fire in hell.

  5. True. False teachers not only reject God’s authority in the moral area, but they reject all authority and show no spiritual reverence.

  6. No. Jude says that they were woefully ignorant.

  7. No one knows. See Deuteronomy 34:6.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. False teachers take the way of Cain. What is the way of Cain? It is thinking that you can approach God on the basis of human efforts. Cain refused to come to God by way of sacrifice, trying to come instead on the basis of his own good works. Approaching God on the basis of human merit and good works is not God’s way of salvation. Salvation is only found by trusting in Christ as Savior. There are false teachers today who are taking the way of Cain. Avoid such a grave error which leads to death and damnation.

  2. False teachers rush for profit into the error of Balaam. Read the record of Balaam in Numbers 22-24. Balaam was a diviner, a false prophet hired by Balak, the King of Moab to curse Israel. Note how Balaam counseled Balak to get Israel into idolatry and immorality, and see how Balaam was in it for the money, preaching for profit. This is the error of Balaam that characterizes false teachers then and today. Beware of false teachers who preach what people want to hear, and then collect the cash.

  3. False teachers perish in the rebellion of Korah. Read about this rebellion in Numbers 16. Korah and the others who joined him revolted again Moses and Aaron (put into authority positions by God). Korah was a Levite but he was not satisfied with just tabernacle service – he wanted to be in authority. God had to judge him and those who rebelled with him because God hates insubordination to the authority structures that He has set up (whether it be in the home or in the church). Look at the religious false teachers posing as authorities today. Like the Gnostic false teachers of Jude’s day, they think they know everything, but they are woefully ignorant. Be on guard against such false teachers.

CHALLENGE

  1. Don’t be a prophet for profit. the sins of Jude 11 are in reference to false teachers, but true believers must be careful not to commit some of these sins. Are you careful not to commit any of these sins?

KEY VERSES

  • “… I want to remind you…that the Lord having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.” Jude 5

  • “… angels who did not keep their proper domain…He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day…” Jude 6

  • “…as Sodom and Gomorrah…having given themselves over to sexual immorality…are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” Jude 7

  • “Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries…Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah .” Jude 8, 11



Jude, New Testament, TalksDeb HarmsJude 1:5-11