The emphatic emphasis with which our teacher Jude has written should make us be aware that false teachers are not only present, but are also not to be treated lightly. Every since the beginning of man, our enemy, the devil, has tried his best to draw people away from a relationship with God. Even in the Garden of Eden his purpose was to separate Eve and Adam from fellowship with God. God has been working every since to insure that people know He loves them, desires to be with them, and wants more than anything to have fellowship with them. Nonetheless, the devil does his best to impede. Jude continues his final words about these murmuring, complaining, lustful mockers who are his agents that walk after their own ungodly desires. He finishes his words about them in verse nineteen. He wrote:
These are they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
Jude informs us that another trait of a false prophet or teacher is that they “separate themselves.” This is one of the most telling moves of a cult or false group. The Bible is very clear about the church being unified, not divided. Paul the apostle wrote to the church in Ephesus:
Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. [There is] one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who [is] above all, and through all, and in you all. Ephesians 4:3-6
Although there are many facets and styles for churches, the church is considered to be the “body of Jesus Christ”. It is to be unified, one, and together in it's mission to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. Those who are false teachers will separate themselves from the church. Their proclamation is that they know better, in a superior way, to the rest of the church and quite possibly the Bible itself. They often add their own writings, their own teachings, and their own doctrine to the Holy Scriptures, and most of the time, they have a “special membership” that is not available to whosoever will. In other words, they separate themselves.
Next Jude says these false teachers are “sensual”. This word means “of or belonging to breath” or “governed by breath”. In other words, they are governed or ruled by whatever their breath desires. By our very existence we are subject to appetites and passions that are natural to our flesh, but these ungodly promoters give into these cravings without regard to the consequences. They participate in activities which anyone saved or unsaved could participate within. In other words they have no regard to living godly, they live in a manner that is just as sinful as anyone else who does not have a relationship with God.
Finally, Jude writes that these false teachers are those “having not the Spirit.” Notice that the word “Spirit” is capitalized. This means they do not have the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus promised his disciples when He left them He would send the Holy Spirit to be with them. He said in the gospel of John in chapter sixteen verses thirteen and fourteen:
However when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show [it] unto you.
Because these ungodly false teachers walk after their own ungodly ways, separate themselves from the church, murmur, complain, and draw people away from a relationship with God, they are not listening to the Holy Spirit of God. They do not have His Spirit, and therefore they are captivated and governed by their own.
Separate, sensual, not having the Spirit of God are ominous descriptions of those who lead people away from fellowship with our Heavenly Father. Perhaps with the wealth of descriptions Jude has given us about these apostate individuals, we will more easily recognize them when they appear in our lives. May God help us to do so, and may their characteristics be put away from our lives should we find them within our way of living.
Next time we Jude changes direction to encourage and exhort we who are in the church, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow...there is more...
Look for the new devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ; www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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