Jude 1:12-25

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

False Teachers Who Inﬁltrated the Early Church

What are the two kinds of false teachers within the Christian church today?
Describe these false teachers.
Do these false teachers leave the church?
How can we identify the unbelieving false teachers?
“Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints…” Who was Jude quoting?

Those who are true believers and those who are unbelievers.
False teachers who are believers are trusting Christ for salvation, but they are off base when it comes to some other area of doctrine. The other kind of false teachers within Christendom today is the unregenerate, unbelieving false teachers. These are the apostates who have turned away from the truth – they deny the deity of Christ; they do not believe in the substitutionary death of Christ on the cross for our sins; they deny the bodily resurrection of Christ; and they teach that there are many ways of salvation.
Some leave the church, but many stay and preach their false doctrines within the church.
Jude identifies these unbelieving false teachers as not having the Spirit. See Jude 19.
Enoch. See Jude 14.

Jude describes false teachers by five metaphors: a. hidden reefs, b. clouds without water, c. autumn trees without fruit, d. wild waves of the sea, and e. wandering stars. Review the description of these metaphors in doctrinal / teaching point #1. The five metaphors of the epistle of Jude, which were selected by the Holy Spirit, had the effect of opening the eyes of the first century Christians and of exposing heretical infiltration into the church. It is the intention of the Holy Spirit to use these five metaphors to help unmask unbelieving leaders within the church today. These metaphors not only reveal the nature of the first century heretics, but they also vividly portray the character and tactics of false teachers and apostates within the church today. This is a good reference for us to identify false teachers.
Jude describes five activities of true disciples: a) build yourselves up in the faith, b) pray in the Holy Spirit, c) stay in the love of God, d) keep looking for the Lord’s return, and e) show compassion to the deceived. Review the descriptions of these activities in doctrinal / teaching point #2. Are you evidencing these five activities in your life?

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, and dominion and power, both now and forever.” Jude 25-25. What a beautiful benediction! In this doxology there are some great and encouraging truths, including the promise that the Lord is able to keep us from stumbling.

“These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” Jude 12-13
“Behold, the Lord comes…to execute judgment on all…” Jude 15
“But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.” Jude 17-19
“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in the most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep your-selves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Jude 20-21
“…on some have compassion…but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire…” Jude 22-23
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.” Jude 24-25