Three Signs of False Teachers / Jude 5-7

Every year on December 7th, we hold a day of remembrance for Pearl harbor. On that day in 1941 over 2000 Americans lost their lives on US soil. We remember to honor those who fought and to protect ourselves in the present.

Jude is writing an urgent letter to a church that has had false teachers silently creep into the gathering. On their home turf he wants to protect them from the danger of ungodly thinking and living. So he calls them to remember some infamous days of the past.

5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it,

Most of biblical teaching is not telling the church new information, but reminding the church of true information. Because remembering old truth protects us from new liers.

Many people have a craving for new knowledge because they assume that everyone already knows the basics about the faith. Jude corrects this assumption by telling us that everyone forgets the basics about the faith.

As new false teachers creep into the church to twist the message, he reminds them of three signs that help us to identify false teachers.

Unbelief towards God

that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

The nation of Isreal was chosen by God to show his beauty to the world. They were enslaved by Egypt and forced into hard labor. Out of love God gave them a promise of a new land. He delivered them from slavery in Egypt. He parted the Red Sea. He guided them through the wilderness. Every need they had was met. Then, when they reached the doorstep of God’s promise, they failed to believe that God would give them the land. They wanted to go back to Egypt, their place of captivity. God granted their wish to resist his promise and everyone from the older generation died in the desert apart from those who trusted in God’s power.

Just because you associate with the people of God, have witnessed his power and goodness, and have heard his promise does not mean that you believe. Some of you have made incredible progress, you are on the doorstep of experiencing your promise. Don’t turn back. Trust in God.

False teachers will tell you to go back to Egypt. False teachers will point out all of the powers of the world. They will choose the path of human strength and ingenuity instead of trusting God. Do not follow their lead.

Next, false leaders teach

Rebellion against Authority

6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day—

Angels exist to magnify God’s goodness and protect his people. These responsibilities give them a level of leadership and authority. However, this does not give them authority equal to God. Satan, the great enemy was once an angel. But selfish jealousy led him to rebel against God’s leadership. Sadly, he led a group of angels to follow his path of destruction. In one scene in Genesis 6 angels used their authority to harm humans instead of help them. Because of their choice, God is keeping them in an eternal state of darkness until the great day.

This news makes me incredibly thankful. God is our protector.

If you saw a dog chained to the fence in my yard, you may think that I was cruel. But if you knew the truth that this dog is vicious and had harmed several people, you’d be thankful that I chained this dog so that it doesn’t come after you.

One aspect of discipline is protection.

There will be a greater discipline for those who witnessed the beauty of God, but chose to reject his leadership out of self love and jealousy. Be careful not to be jealous of God. Some of you may be tempted to think that you know how to lead yourself better than God knows how to guide you. This seems like freedom, but it is slavery.

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.”

Listen to how teachers talk about God ordained authority. If they are teaching you to lead yourself, trust yourself, and follow yourself, they are not promoting flourishing, they are promoting rebellion.

Finally, false teachers will practice,

Indulgence in Perversion

7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were surrounded by beautiful and lush landscape. Everything appeared to be beautiful and bright, but behind the scenes the nations were in moral decay. They had become lazy, sexually immoral, and even began to pursue sexual perversion in a form that went beyond nature.

Out of love for them, God gave the city many warnings and opportunities to change. However, instead of turning to God they turned the heat up in their perverse actions. As a result, God destroyed those cities to keep them from continuing the harm and spreading the evil.

Rather than being honest that sin leads to death, false teachers use grace as an excuse to sin. If you hear leaders justify sinful actions because they have “freedom in Jesus” you can be sure that they do not understand the cost of freedom.

We have freedom from sin, because Jesus paid the cost. If I understand that cost, I will live a life of grateful obedience and teach others to do the same.

False teachers begin with unbelief, then resist authority, then indulge in immorality. If you follow their lead, you will be headed towards the same decay.

So how can we avoid false teachers and avoid becoming one?

Remember: Remembering old truth protects us from new lies.

Warnings are uncomfortable, but they protect us from making the same mistakes. Listen to teachers who don’t skip hard topics and passages.