Jude 5-10 Christ's Judgment Against False Teachers

Usually those words make you picture the ramblings of a lunatic standing on a street corner or a hyper religious person with a cardboard sign around their neck.

The fact of the matter is we don’t like to talk about judgment because everyone knows we are all guilty. None of us can stand trial for our life against God’s perfect and holy standard.

But Jude 5-10 teaches us one of the most unpopular and under taught doctrines of our day.

Christ is the Judge. He will Judge the living and the dead. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords and all people owe all of their life and worship to Him.

The Bible is clear. Jesus will judge everyone according to their works. The only problem is, outside of Christ all of our works are sinful and deserve his condemnation.

But the good news of the gospel is that Christ died to pay our debt of sin and his perfect and righteous life is credited to us through faith in him.

For everyone that believes in Jesus, we do not have to dread the Day of Judgment because the Judge is also our Advocate. Jesus himself died for our sins, and the Judge justifies us with his own blood.

But for everyone who does not believe, that Day will be a Day of great dread because without Christ’s blood our sin is left unpunished and demands God’s justice.

And at the front of the line for the Judgment seat of Christ will be false teachers who led others away from the only name under heaven by which we must be saved, Jesus Christ.

To warn this church of the dangers of false teachers and to encourage them to contend for the faith, Jude makes it clear:

Jesus will condemn false teachers on the Day of Judgment.

Now I want to be up front with you. This sermon is going to take some heavy lifting. Jude packs a lot in these 5 verses, and we are going to get into some weird parts of the Bible that most of us read and think, “What in the world does that mean?”

So here’s what I want to do. I want to give you a road map of where we are going in this sermon so that hopefully I don’t lose any of you along the way.

Here’s how Jude lays out his argument and this is the path we are going to take before talking about what all of this has to do with us today.

In Jude 5-7 Jude gives three biblical examples of judgment to shine a light on one biblical truth: Jesus judges ungodliness.

The three examples Jude uses are from the Old Testament, but because most of you are probably not familiar with them, I want to take the time to explain what Jude is saying by choosing them.

But as you listen to the sermon, don’t get caught up in the individual examples but remember the one biblical truth Jude is wanting to communicate. Jesus judges the ungodly.

After that, in Jude 8-10, Jude then applies the judgment poured out on these three examples, and applies it directly to the false teachers he is dealing with in this church to say, “In the same way that Christ judged them, he will judge the false teachers that have crept into the church.

Then at the very end I want to explain why this matters for us today. Most of us, hopefully all of us, aren’t false teachers. What difference does Christ judging false teachers make in our lives today?

So we are going to start by looking at three historical examples of Christ judgment, how those examples assure us that Christ will judge false teachers who pervert the gospel and lead people away from Christ.

And finally, we will look at what practical difference that makes for our lives today.

So let’s start with the first point of this passage...

I. Jesus Judges the Ungodly

Jude 5-7 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 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— 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.

So remember, the big headline for everything Jude says in these verses is Jesus judges the ungodly.

And Jude gives three historical biblical examples of Jesus judging ungodly sinners.

First he talks about the Israelites who died in the wilderness.

Then he talks about Angels from Genesis 6 who left heaven and had sexual relations with women on earth.

And the last example Jude uses to guarantee Christ judgment on everyone who does not repent and trust in him is Sodom and Gomorrah.

Let’s work through them one by one.

1. Jesus Judged the Israelites for their Unbelief

Jude 5 says Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.

This is obviously referring to the Exodus generation.

You’ll remember, the Jews were enslaved by the Egyptians. They groaned and cried out to God and God as the great, merciful deliver, heard their prayers and redeemed his people from the Egyptians.

And notice that Jude says it was Jesus that saved them out of Egypt. The eternal Son of God was always involved in delivering his people. It wasn’t like Jesus was just sitting on the couch until the time came for him to die on the cross.

The Father, Son and Holy Spirit have always been working together to redeem the people of God and all of creation from sin.

So Jesus delivered his people out of the land of Egypt. Every time Pharoah refused to let the Israelites go, God sent plague after plague after plague to show the world that he is mighty to save.

Eventually the plagues were so great that Pharoah let God’s people go, but after they left, he had a change of heart. God’s final plague was the angel of death who killed the firstborn of every house in Egypt that did not have the blood of the Passover lamb painted over the door posts foreshadowing how the blood of our Passover lamb, Jesus, covers us and saves us from the death we deserve.

Pharoah had already lost his son because of the Israelites. He wasn’t about to lose his slaves. So Pharoah mounted his chariots and chased after the people of God.

The people were camping by the Read Sea and when they looked up and saw the Egyptians racing towards them they panicked.

But God wanted to show that he is the Lord who saves his people. So God parted the Red Sea and brought his people through on dry land. And when the Egyptians chased after them, God clogged the wheels of their chariots and brought the waters back over their head.

God had saved his people. Was there anything he couldn’t do?

We come to the Promised Land. The place where God promised to bless his people giving us a picture, a small shadow of how God will bless us in eternal life.

The Israelites sent in twelves spies to spy out the land and when the returned after 40 days, 10 of the spies said that if they tried to take the land they would all die because the people who lived in the Promised Land were so large, and strong, and powerful, that they made Israel look like grasshoppers.

Two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, encouraged the people to have faith. That God could do everything he promised.

But the people rebelled.

Numbers 14:2-4 Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! 3 Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to one another, “Let us choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”

In their unbelief, God wasn’t strong enough. God wasn’t faithful enough. God wasn’t God enough.

And because of their unbelief, God judged that generation. God promised that outside of Caleb and Joshua, none of the people 20 years and older would enter the Promised Land.

Instead, they would wander in the wilderness for 40 years, one year for every day the spies were in the land, until every person from the Exodus generation died in the wilderness.

Jude says Jesus is the one who destroyed those who did not believe.

Then we have the second example that Jesus judges the ungodly.

2. Jesus Judged the Angels for Rejecting His Authority

Jude 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.

Now some people believe this text is talking about the fall of Satan and his demons. But I don’t think that’s right because when Satan rebelled Jesus did not lock him in eternal chains under gloomy darkness.

Peter says Satan roams the earth like a roaring lion, and Paul says we do not war against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers. So its clear that not every demon is currently kept in eternal chains.

Instead this is a reference to some particular demons who committed a particular sin and the context of Jude tells us that these angels sin is similar to the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah because verse 7 says those cities likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire.

So where did angels commit sin like that? The answer is Genesis 6.

Here’s what that says.

Genesis 6:1-4 When man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.

The term sons of God is used 4 times in the Old Testament. 3 times in Job and 1 time in Daniel. And every time it refers to angels.

So what you have in Genesis 6 are angels who rebelled against God and either possessed human men, or they manifested on earth as human men like the two angels that scope out Sodom and Gomorrah which we will talk about in a second, and they took human wives and propagated demonic offspring.

The Bible doesn’t tell us why these demons did this. I think the most probably answer is that Satan wanted to corrupt the line of Seth, with demonic offspring so that the Messiah couldn’t be born fully God and fully man.

God had promised Eve in Genesis 3: 15 that her offspring would crush Satan and save humanity from their sins, so Satan wanted to do everything he could to keep that from happening.

Its also right before God determines to flood the earth so it could also mean that man was so corrupt in their sin and rebellion against God that the willingly participated in this plot be saying that t

But honestly all that is only a guess and we shouldn’t press the interpretation too hard. The main point in Genesis is that this was a wicked rebellion of God’s boundaries that mankind actively participated in.

For Jude, the main point is that these angels rebelled against God.

They rejected the position of authority God had given them, left their proper dwelling, the spiritual realm and sexually sinned with the daughters of men.

These angels rebelled against the boundaries that God had set for them, so God has kept them in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day.

This is why I don’t think Genesis 6 can happen again. This sin was so egregious that God took the demons that did it and locked them up for good until the Day of Judgment.

So again, Jude uses a biblical example to say that Jesus judges the ungodly, but with this example, Jude makes it clear that its not just a punishment here and now, but that there is also a future judgment that Christ will pour out.

Finally, we come to Judes third example.

3. Jesus Judged Sodom and Gomorrah for their Sexual Immorality

Jude 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.

By using Sodom and Gomorrah, Jude is making two comparisons to the false teachers that have crept into the church: 1. they are sexually immoral, and 2. they were sinfully proud.

Genesis 13:10 says that Sodom and Gomorrah, much like America, were wealthy and privileged places to live.

That’s significant especially for the culture we live in today because God didn’t just judge Sodom and Gomorrah for sexual sin.

Ezekiel 16:49-50 Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did an abomination before me. So I removed them, when I saw it.

They were haughty. Proud. And in their pride, they gave themselves over to all kinds of sins and abominations because when you have excess of food and prosperous ease, do you really need God?

Do you really need to obey him? Why can’t you just do whatever you want?

Do you see why America might be where we are today as a culture?

So this arrogance, this pride when it has fully taken root in the heart of sinful man, you get Romans 1. God gives people over to their sin to commit unnatural sinful acts.

Do you know why Romans 1 says sexual immorality and specifically homosexuality is the tell-tell sign that God has given a culture over to its sin? Why does God single this Sin out over all the rest?

Because homosexuality is an unnatural desire. God made us male and female and he made us to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.

And God’s point is that in the same way homosexuality is unnatural for who God made us to be as male and female, so sin is unnatural for who God made us to be as image bearers of God.

Homosexuality isn’t singled out because its absolutely worst than every other sin.

Homosexuality is singled out because it is the personification of rejecting who God made us to be when we live totally and wholeheartedly for our unnatural desire to sin.

In their pride, Sodom and Gomorrah had rejected God in every area of their life. And just like Romans 1 says, they were fully given over to their sin.

Jude says they indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire.

Indulged in sexual immorality translates a word that means to fully give yourself over to fornication. It is insatiable lust.

And pursued unnatural desire literally means went after another kind of flesh, specifically homosexuality.

So just like the angels from the previous example, Sodom and Gomorrah rejected God’s authority and willfully went outside of the boundaries he had established.

As a result, God rained down fire and sulfur on those two cities leaving nothing but smoke and ash.

And Jude says that Sodom and Gomorrah serve as an example that God will punish sin with eternal fire. Hell.

That is what the Day of Judgment will bring for everyone who rebels against God and does not put their faith in Christ.

JESUS IS THE JUDGE

All three of these examples show without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus will judge sin.

Jude explicitly says that Jesus destroyed those who did not believe and that he is the one who has kept the angels in eternal chains until the day of judgment.

Here’s Jude’s point. Jesus is the Judge and Jesus will judge. Hear how Paul said it.

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

And Jesus says on that day, nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light (Luke 8:17).

There is no sin that will stay hidden or be overlooked. And that poses a problem for each and every one of us because all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

And look at how Jude describes the punishment that awaits those that die in their sin.

It is being destroyed like dying in the wilderness

It is eternal chains under gloomy darkness. Do you know how your children are terrified of the dark? How when the light goes out there is a sense of dread and terror? Fear on every side?

He also calls it the punishment of eternal fire. Revelation says it is the wine of God’s wrath poured full strength into the cup of his anger (Revelation 14:10).

It is the Lake of Fire where the smoke of the torment of everyone who drowns in those flames goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night (Revelation 14:11).

This is the fate for everyone who dies without putting their faith in Christ.

And what is so horrific is that symbols are always mere shadows of the thing they represent. They aren’t able to convey the whole picture.

And if God’s shadows for hell are dying in the wilderness, chains and gloomy darkness, eternal fire how much more terrible must the real thing be?

This is why every Christian needs a solid theology of hell.

Not because we love talking about fire and brimstone and about God’s judgment.

God’s judgment is a holy and terrible thing, and it should not bring joy to the Christian to think about people suffering eternal damnation.

But a solid theology of hell gives you a solid theology of God’s love.

This is the judgment every single one of us deserved. And if that is the judgment I deserved then how great is the height and depth, length and breadth of the love God has for us in Christ?

The love that led Jesus to take that judgment for us?

Praise God that he loved us and sent his Son to die in our place.

Jesus, the righteous Judge, came to earth, lived a sinless life, and suffered and died as man under the wrath of God.

By God’s grace, he laid on Christ the sins of everyone who believes in him so that they would not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus suffered, died, and rose again, so that on the Day of Judgment we will not look upon the one who is seated upon the throne with fear or dread. Instead we will look on him with tears of joy knowing there is no wrath left for us. No judgment we have to endure. Because Christ paid for our sins in our place.

Do not face that day unprepared. Someone is going to pay for your sins. It will either be you on the Day of Judgment, or it can be Christ if you would only believe in him and repent of your sin.

Hear Christ’s call to repent and believe.

Matthew 5:25-26 Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. 26 Truly, I say to you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.

Place your faith in Christ. And the Judge himself will pay all of your debt of sin, down to the last penny not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Jesus judges the ungodly. That is Judes whole idea from these three biblical examples.

And the reason Jude wanted to establish that truth beyond the shadow of a doubt was to move in verses 8-10 to assure this church that in the same way Jesus judged them, he will judge false teachers and all who follow them.

Point number two...

II. Jesus’ Judgment is Assured for False Teachers

Jude 8-10 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.

So Jude starts by drawing a straight line from the three biblical examples to the false teachers.

In their proud willful rebellion, the false teachers also sin against the Lord and incur his judgment.

And notice Jude says, relying on their dreams. This is significant because the part this line is playing in Jude’s argument is saying the way these people, these false teachers defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones is by relying on their dreams.

They use their dreams to justify all of their false teaching and all of their false living.

The word dreams is used only one other time in the NT in Acts 2:17.

Its the day of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit has fallen on the disciples. Preaching to the Jews, Peter quotes Joel 2:28 saying And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;

So clearly, in the NT this word is used to talk about revelation from God.

So what was happening was the false teachers were convincing people to follow them and justifying their sinful lives by saying they had direct revelation from God.

That if anyone questioned them, they were really questioning God.

We see this all the time in false teachers today who trick and deceive people with new revelation or secret knowledge.

They claim to speak for God even though prophecy and revelation ceased with the apostles who wrote the full revelation of God’s Word.

This is one of the reasons why the doctrine of Sola Scriptura, Scripture alone is so important for the church today.

The Word of God is our standard. And because it is an objective standard, there is no question about whether or not God has spoken.

This is why true shepherds only teach the Word. They do not appeal to secret revelation or dreams because God has already spoken and

Doesn’t God say? All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

When Paul says complete, that means that God didn’t forget to say something. He said everything he needed to say in the Word.

Then Jude explicitly names three sins of the false teachers that correspond to the examples he gave in verses 5-7.

He says they defile the flesh, meaning they are sexually immoral and have an unbridled lust for sin.

They reject authority which gives the idea of unsubmissive rebellion.

These false teachers are a law to themselves and they reject the Lordship of Christ.

In fact, that is probably a better translation for the word Authority because the root of that word is the word for Lord.

So when you take this with verse 4 that says they deny our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ, Jude is clearly saying that these false teachers do not follow or submit to Jesus.

Then Jude says they blaspheme the glorious ones. Literally, Jude says these false teachers slander glories.

Well what does that mean. I will tell you, this line gave me a lot of trouble this week, and I still don’t feel like I have my arms fully around it. The good news is, I’m not alone.

For every 10 commentators out there are 15 different interpretations of what this verse means.

There is a parallel passage in 2 Peter 2 where Peter makes it clear these glorious ones are angels. But neither Peter or Jude give us a direct theology of what these false teachers taught or how exactly they blasphemed angels.

Were these glorious ones holy angels or fallen demons? Were these false teachers blaspheming them by reviling these angels or were they exalting themselves over the angels? The truth is we just don’t know for sure.

But that doesn’t mean we don’t know the point Jude is trying to make. The point of the passage is that God will judge false teachers.

But with that said, let me give you my best interpretation I have for what Jude is saying in this passage.

The word blaspheme means to slander. Revile. Rail against. So Jude is saying that these false teachers demean and slander these angelic beings.

Well why does that matter? Because Angels are higher than us. The Psalms say God made man a little lower than the angels.

And if they were slandering holy angels, that means they were slandering the glorious messengers of God who carry out God’s will on the earth.

This might make sense if the false teachers are slandering the angels by saying, “We are the true messengers of God. We are greater messengers than even the holy angels, that’s why people should listen to us!”

After all, weren’t they claiming that God had given them dreams? Direct revelation?

So the big thing that Jude is condemning these false teachers for in slandering angels is their arrogance. Their boldness.

In 2 Peter 2:10 Peter says Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones.

The word Bold literally means daring or reckless. They defy God and exalt themselves without any concern for the truth or the consequences for their action.

And we know that that’s what Jude has in mind because he uses the same root word in the example he gives in verse 9.

9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”

Michael did not presume, he did not dare, he was not so bold to slander even Satan.

Well what is going on here and why does Jude bring up this story.

This story about Michael and the Devil disputing over the body of Moses, is not found in the Old Testament. It was actually written in a popular Jewish book called The Assumption of Moses.

So that really gives us two options for why Jude brings this in. Either, this is actually true and it really did happen and for some reason God just didn’t tell us about it until now.

Or it didn’t happen and it is just a well known story that Jude uses as an example similar to how Jesus would use parables which weren’t true stories but they were true if that makes sense. Or even how Paul quoted a pagan Poet in the book of Titus and said this is true.

Either way you take it, the point of what Jude is saying is true, and Jude is using an argument from the greater to the lesser.

Basically Jude’s argument goes like this. Michael was an archangel. That means he was an Angel of angels. Revelation says that he leads God’s heavenly armies into battle with Satan.

And even Michael, was not so bold as to slander Satan. Think of that. How can you slander Satan. Everything bad you could say about Satan would be true.

And if anyone had the right to malign and rail against Satan, a fallen angel, then surely it would be Michael the angel of angel.

But Michael was not so bold so as to speak when God had not spoken. He did not presume to talk for God but instead left Satan’s Judgment up to the Lord, and said the “Lord rebuke you.”

And If Michael did not dare to speak for God and slander angelic beings, even Satan himself, what kind of arrogance did these false teachers to think that they could?

That’s why Jude continues in verse 10...

10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.

Jude says They say they speak for God, they say God has given them divine revelation that everyone must listen to and obey, but they don’t even understand spiritual things. They don’t know the truth.

So in their ignorance, they arrogantly exalt themselves over even the angels, and breath out lies to lead people away from Christ.

And here’s the irony, while slandering all that they do not understand, they are actually destroyed by all that they like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.

They claim to be spiritual teachers, filled with the Holy Spirit and God’s true revelation, but in actuality they are natural men. Carnal men.

Unreasoning animals driven by their instincts. Their natural passions and desires for sin.

They speak false words and the live false lives. And Jude gave us those three historical examples to show us that in the same way Jesus judged them, he will judge these false teachers for all of their sins.

They will be destroyed by the very sins the live for under Christ’s holy and righteous wrath just like the wilderness generation, just like the angels who took the daughters of men for wives, and just like Sodom and Gommorah.

Conclusion

Jesus will condemn false teachers on the Day of Judgment.

That is Jude’s big idea from this passage. Jesus is the Judge, and history proves that the false teacher’s judgment is assured.

So now we come to the question, what does all of this have to do with us?

I mean Lord willing, most of us, hopefully all of us are not false teachers. Not apostates who will deny the faith.

Jesus will judge false teachers, but I’m saved. And I’m not a teacher. What does all of this have to do with me?

Let me ask it this way...

Why did the Holy Spirit put this in the Bible? Why did He want the church to know this?

Looking at Jude I think there are three big reasons. Three things you and I need to take away from this passage.

1. We must Guard Ourselves Against False Teachers and Cling to Christ

Remember how Jude started out this section.

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

What did Jude want us to remember? That false teachers will face judgment.

Why do we need to remember that? Because everyone who follows false teachers will also face judgment.

What that means is that every member in our church must guard ourselves against false teaching and cling to Christ. Cling to his word and his gospel.

For our Elders, Deacons, Small group and ministry leaders we need to remember what Jesus says will happen to teachers who abandon the Word of God and start preaching dreams and myths.

We need to heed the warning of James 3:1

James 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

With such a clear warning every leader in our church needs to live by Paul’s words to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

This is also a warning to every member. A false teacher’s followers are on the same path to judgment that the false teacher is destined for. By following their teaching, they are following them into judgment.

The Word of God must be your standard. You need to read it, know it, sing it, hear it, submit to it, and live all of your life according to the Word.

Do not follow men and cleverly devised myths. Follow Christ. Test everything according to the Word and follow him.

2. Instead of Tolerating False Teachers We Must Cling to the Truth

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

It seems that Jude is saying this church has forgotten the importance of the truth.

Why? Because they tolerate these false teachers.

In verse 4 he said they have crept in unnoticed, and it looks like the church is apathetic about these false teachers feasting with them, fellowshipping with them, living with them all while they pervert the grace of God.

They are going along to get along.

This is something the American church today would be wise to remember.

Anytime you start labeling someone or something false teaching immediately the accusations come out.

You are hard. Unloving. Religious. Hypocritical. Judgmental. Quarrelsome. You’re sowing division when Christ calls us to unity.

But Christian unity is not unity for its own sake. Its unity around the truth.

You can have all the unity you want, but just having unity doesn’t make it Christian.

Planned Parenthood is unified. They walk in lockstep for a woman’s right to choose. But that’s not Christian, its demonic.

In Christian churches, the truth is what brings unity. And anyone that attacks the truth is the one sowing division.

This is why we can’t afford to tolerate false teachers, but we need to hold up the Word and say, “This is the standard. This is what unifies us.”

And the Bible tells us to mark and avoid false teachers who attack the truth and sow division.

John is even stronger.

2 John 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, 11 for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

Even saying hi to a false teachers, the lowest form of fellowship there possibly is, makes you participate in their wicked works.

This is where we need to let truth determine relationship.

Church’s let false teachers creep in and feed on the sheep because they elevate relationship over truth. Oh we love God’s Word, until it starts causing friction.

Until it starts acting like a sword that cuts through all the facade and gets straight to the heart.

And friends, I love you, but we are all sinners, and we are always going to have friction with the Word of God. There is always going to be things in Scripture that cut us. that wound us.

But here’s the point, when you come to Scripture, something’s going to bend. Either you’re going to bend, or you’re going to bend Scripture.

I know for me, our elders, and this church, we’ve already decided who is going to bend and its not going to be the Word.

We are going to bend every single time because God’s Word is true and we are his people for his possession.

Finally, because Jesus will judge False teachers and everyone who follows their teaching, we must...

3. We Must Contend for the Faith

Jude 3 I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

This is Jude’s main point of the whole letter.

The stakes of the gospel are eternal life and eternal death. The only way for anyone to be saved from the wrath to come is through faith in Christ and his gospel that was once for all delivered to the saints.

We must make our work -- gospel work. Our mission, gospel mission.

Last week we said that contending for the gospel means keeping ourselves in the love of God; Jude verse 21, and guarding others from the perverted gospels of false teachers; Jude verse 22-23.

That means we build our lives on the gospel. That we testify to God’s power to save sinners by repenting of sin wherever it is found and living all of our lives for Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit, waiting on Christ’s return.

And part of that waiting means carrying out the mission he gave us to do.

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:18-20).

As we disciple others in the gospel of Jesus Christ we guard them from false teaching and our loving and gracious God saves them from eternal judgment.

Ultimately all of us, like the false teachers will stand before Christ on the day of judgment. The only question is, will you be ready? Are you prepared for that day?

Will You stand before Christ the Holy Judge, washed in the blood of the lamb, or will you be swept away with the ungodly and the wicked who live for the passions of their flesh, reject Christ’s authority, and arrogantly slander spiritual truths they do not understand.

Remember Christ’s words. Come to terms quickly. Come to Christ and he will wash away every sin and give you eternal life.

Let’s Pray

Scripture Reading

Revelation 20:11-15; 22:17

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

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