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“The Profile Of False Teachers” • 9.16.18
• Calvary Christian Fellowship, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
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We entered into the book of Jude, noting it's place in history. It is later in
the first century than Peter's epistles, but earlier than John's. The church
has only one living apostle left.
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Jude is the youngest of the Lord's "step-brothers," a dedicated
believer, not an apostle, with a passion for the truth of the gospel and a
vision of the true danger that confronted her.
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He opens his letter with a warning regarding the presence of false teachers.
They've crept in secretly in the hopes of undermining the faith of the elect,
which they are to contend against.
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Instead of naming names or devising strategies, Jude goes on in this second
part of his letter to offer the church a profile of false teachers, that will
allow them to better recognize their opponents.
Text
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Jude 11 : "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." : False
teachers deserve, by their actions, to experience the grief that their actions
have imposed upon the world personally! Why? Look at what false teaching bore
in the lives of these men historically.
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The false teachers today have gone in the way of Cain. This isn't a momentary
departure or side trip. This is a determined, once for all decision to travel the
same route that Cain took.
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We first meet Cain in Genesis 4 at
the sacrifice that he and his brother Abel attend. Both men brought sacrifices,
Cain's from fruit of the ground and Abel's, from the flocks that he tended.
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Cain's choice is interesting, in that the precedent for animal sacrifice had
already been set when God killed an animal to provide covering for his parents.
(Genesis 3:21)
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Some will protest that the law will later prescribe non-blood sacrifice and
that it is possible that Cain was confused.
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The fact remains however, that Abel brings an animal, pointing to this being
that kind of memorial sacrifice, which Cain opted to ignore. Instead of blood,
Cain dressed up the cursed ground.
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Ultimately, as you recall, God respected Abel's sacrifice and rejected Cain's.
Many have considered this a picture of man's religion, a dressing up of their
own works and righteousness.
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What an insult it must be to God, for man to reject His way and offer their way
instead! The blood of the innocent animal served a pre-memorial token of His
own Son's sacrifice!
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When God rejected Cain's offering, instead of repenting and returning with an
appropriate sacrifice, Cain left in anger and began to hatch a plan to kill his
brother and wipe out that religion.
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Right before Cain enacts his vengeance against Abel, God meets him and assures
him that sin lays at his door, crouching before him. He must master it. (Genesis 4:6)
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God stepped in to warn Cain personally of his own foolish path, but he wouldn't
have it!
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When Cain eventually kills his brother, he essentially proves that his sinful
desire was more important to him than his relationship with God!
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Even after God pronounces a curse upon him, Cain doesn't repent. Rather, he
laments that his punishment is more than he can bear. (Genesis 4:13,14)
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The way of Cain then, is to offer an alternate path to God's salvation and to
be enslaved to that passion which must fight against Him. That is the road that
false teachers travel upon.
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Jude continues by noting that they have run greedily in the error of Balaam for
profit.
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When you puncture a drinking vessel, what is the result? The water pours out.
That is what the False Prophets have done! They aren't trickling, they are
pouring out in this direction!
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They are repeatedly falling over themselves toward their goal of gain! They are
driving themselves relentlessly toward their proposed reward as Baalam once
did.
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Balaam's story in Numbers 23 and 24, is truly entertaining yet,
profoundly tragic. Here is a man with some form of legitimate gifting, who
claimed fidelity toward God.
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However, the entire story seems to be kept alive as Baalam continued to pursue
a way to profit from King Balak's fears about Isreal's population without
violating God's command.
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He kept saying that he wouldn't curse Israel, but then he kept letting Balak believe
that he would try, until finally, the two seem to depart from one another in
anger. (Numbers 24:25)
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In the very next verse, we see the people of Israel doing what Baalam could not
have done. They brought the curse of God down upon themselves by involving
themselves in an orgy!
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At first glance, you can't see Baalam's involvement but as you follow the
story, you discover exactly what happened. Numbers
31 contains the command of God given to Moses to seek revenge.
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Israel went to battle, routed the Midianites, killing one Baalam, son of Beor,
returned with spoil and a whole lot of women! Moses rebuked them for this last
action.
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Number 31:15,16 : "And Moses said to them: 'Have you
kept all the women alive? Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the
counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there
was a plague among the congregation of the Lord." : Balaam couldn't curse the people of Israel, but he could
respond to suggestions that Balak made! Notice the language here.
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Through the counsel of Baalam, it was discovered how the people of God might
curse themselves! Micah 6:5 lets us
in on some further detail. Balak counseled and Baalam answered.
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The picture I get is of a brainstorm meeting in which suggestions were offered
and Baalam answered, "Warm. Warmer. Hot!"
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Baalam essentially winked when Balak declined to send his men, but offered his
women!
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Baalam traded in his gifting, the reward that he would have desired from the
Lord, for some money that would very soon outlive him! That was his error and
the error of all false teachers!
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Many of them are truly gifted communicators. Unfortunately, their greed causes
them to use God's gifting for their own profit! What an error indeed!
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To trade heavenly gifting and reward for that which passes in a plate, through
one's hands and into thin air! We know It's not worth it, but this is all their
worth!
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We move to Jude's third case study and that is the outcome of the rebellion of
Korah.
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Remember what Jude has just written in verse 8. False teachers are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, the
word ranging in meaning from Apostles to angelic beings.
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Korah is a prime example. Consider his story, which you can read later in Numbers 16. Like the previous two
examples, Korah was a privileged person.
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He was a Levitical Priest, a Kohathite, which means that he had the privilege
of carrying the Lord's throne upon his own shoulders! (Numbers 4:15) That proved to be too menial for him.
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Numbers 16:1 records that Korah
gathered a sympathetic group around himself and then issued their complaint in Numbers 16:3.
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The substance of their objection was that Moses was not allowing anyone to
raise up in the ranks of the leadership. "All of God's people are equally
qualified to lead."
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Korah was proposing that the people be allowed to make a change to God ordained
leadership within a Theocratic government structure!
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Ultimately, Korah's complaint wasn't against Moses. It was against God!
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This led to a showdown between the two factions. Moses called out to the people
suggesting a sign. If Korah and his people died naturally, then God hadn't
called Moses to lead.
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If however, a brand new way of death was presented, it would be confirmed that
Moses was indeed God's choice to lead Israel.
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Korah and his supporters gathered at his tent with their priestly implements.
That's when the ground called out "Holey, Holey, Holey" and the
rebels were taken alive into the pit!
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Sinkholes are somewhat common today, so one might consider this a naturally
occurring event, except for one fact: This sinkhole closed back up after
swallowing them! (Numbers 16:33)
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Please note that each of these men were variously, specifically gifted by God.
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Cain had a thorough knowledge of God's expectations. Baalam had some kind of
prophetic gift, which he chose to prostitute. Korah had a position near God's
holiest items on Earth.
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None of that privilege kept these men from their respective sins. Their gifting
and privilege blinded them to the reality of God's providence and choosing!
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Somehow, they had a desire for a better life now! And they were still there! Verse
12.
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Jude 12 : "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;" : False
teachers are "spots" in their love feasts. Our translation seems to
indicate that they are merely smudges upon a clean garment.
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The original however, points to a hidden reef in the path of a ship, a "spot"
on the water. The confusion may be because the two words are separated by a
single greek letter.
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Jude may have meant to use them both. False teachers do provide blemishes in
the clean garments of believers and those that run across them will find
themselves shipwrecked in their faith!
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Remember that Jude had seen them secretly introducing themselves into the
whole. He sees them hanging out at their meetings without fear of discovery.
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They aren't there for anyone else's benefit. They can only think of feeding
themselves and that is what they are always doing. When Jude writes this, his
words paint a very evocative picture.
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He uses the words which describe a shepherd feeding their sheep, except that
these supposed shepherds are feeding themselves without any regard for the
sheep!
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It's not that shepherds shouldn't eat. The problem is with shepherds who will
only ever eat and never think to feed their sheep!
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Jude must have been thinking of Isaiah
56:10-12 and Ezekiel 34. Both
passages refer to Shepherds that neglect the sheep in order to feed themselves.
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Listen to the passion of the Lord as he decries such false shepherds in Ezekiel 34.
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Ezekiel 34:7-10 : "Therefore, you shepherds, hear the
word of the Lord: 'As I live,' says the Lord God, 'surely because My flock became a
prey, and My flock became food for every beast of the field, because there was
no shepherd, nor did My shepherds search for My flock, but the shepherds fed
themselves and did not feed My flock'—therefore, O shepherds, hear the word of the Lord! Thus says the Lord God: 'Behold, I am against the
shepherds, and I will require My flock at their hand; I will cause them to
cease feeding the sheep, and the shepherds shall feed themselves no more; for I
will deliver My flock from their mouths, that they may no longer be food for
them.'" : They are dangerous spots in the
ocean to beware and they are clouds without water. To an agrarian society, the
sight of clouds was a hopeful event.
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To have clouds without water was a disappointing and even soul crushing result!
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The false teachers that people gather around will have the look of providing
something hopeful and good, but they will be empty!
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They will promise the miraculous, ensure you that their new series will be
"life changing" and "epic." In the end, the true Christian
will stand scratching their head, wondering when it will be true!
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You think perhaps that this is a minor point, but consider what a soul needs in
this life! How long does a person have to walk rightly with the Lord?
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How many people are desperate to hear a genuine word from the Lord, only to be
disappointed by the empty, vacuuous, superficial self-stylings of the false
teacher?
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Jude perfectly describes these false teachers, who are empty clouds carried
about the winds.
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The metaphor speaks of inconsistency. They vascillate between this thought and
that one and are subject to where it takes them. This explains their constant
need to direct the Lord's ship.
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They have no internal bearing spiritually. They are not established in truth,
but must discover the latest trend to satisfy their own greed! "What will
be the next best selling idea?"
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Jude compares them to late season trees that are withering from a lack of a
root system and thus cannot bear any fruit. They are dying out now and are set
for an eternal destruction!
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Soon, they will no longer stand there, as they will be pulled from their place!
Verse 13.
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Jude 13 : "raging waves of the sea, foaming up
their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness
forever." : Jude continues by sharing that false
teachers are like wild ocean waves.
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If you stand and watch the ocean for a while, you'll be impressed by the size
and power of the wave. The sound can be deafening and the activity, relentless.
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One cannot help but see that busy, activity driven motif in the repetoire of
many false teachers. How many conferences are there? How many trips to exotic
locales are taken?
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Have you ever noticed how much noise occurs in one of their services, from the
band incessantly playing in the background to the sound of congregants
expressing spiritual phenomena?
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From a casual glance, one would be impressed by what is seen, but have you
stopped to see what naturally is stirred up because of it?
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Like a wave that stirs up the contents of the ocean floor, these false teachers
stir up the contents of their own shameful behavior and vice!
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No matter how noble and charitable they seem, soon their wickedness will be exposed
for exactly what it is! Jude notes their inconsistency and their instability.
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These false prophets are roving planets. Today, we'd use the phrase
"shooting stars." For a moment in time, shooting stars are incredibly
bright and are the highlight of any sky watching event.
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But then, they are gone forever, never to be seen again! That is what a false
prophet is! They are everywhere, active, but because they are erratic in their
theology, they won't be around long!
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Whoever chooses to set their course or their family's course to such transitory
objects will travel the same road that the false teachers are doomed to follow!
Verse 14.
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Jude 14,15 : "Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam,
prophesied about these men also, saying, 'Behold, the Lord comes with ten
thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among
them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way,
and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.'" : We mentioned last week that scholars believed that Jude drew
from a non-canonical source called "The Assumption Of Moses."
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This week, we'll add another source to that list, as Jude draws from the
apocryphal "Book Of Enoch." Genesis
5:24 speaks of Enoch being the one that walked with God and then was not.
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His son's name was Methuselah, which meant, "When he died, the end!"
Imagine the pressure of keeping that kid healthy! No wonder Methuselah lives to
962!
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While he was walking with the Lord, Enoch received a prophecy about the times
that Jude was living in regarding the Lord's coming.
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That means that God began announcing His final victory and judgment over the
ungodly just seven generations removed from Adam's time! For us, it's a
beautiful picture.
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Jesus is coming "with," not "for," ten thousands, an
innumerable host of His saints. That is you and I! We will be with Him and He
will perform His judgment on all.
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He will come to convict, to make His conclusive case, against every one that
has been thoroughly ungodly, even extending to those that have blasphemed Him!
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Our translation "harsh things" really refers to fierce speeches.
Think about the last time you heard a relative or co-worker express their full
rejection of Christ.
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When it happened, you were embarrassed by their outpouring, but were also
incredibly sad to see their hatred so clearly. You might have prayed for their
forgiveness.
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If they do not receive Christ before this time and repent of their hatred, you
can be sure that Christ will not have forgotten their vitriol! It will be the ultimate case of
exposure. "So you said . . ."
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Everything will be laid out and there will be none that will be able to excuse
their hatred against God. Who will be in the Lord's sights? Verse 16.
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Jude 16-19 : "These are grumblers, complainers,
walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words,
flattering people to gain advantage. 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
lets us know that God will be dealing with those who are discontent, murmuring
against God.
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They are unhappy with their lot in life and blame their circumstances on the
Lord. That's what it means to be a complainer. I hope you are not one!
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The reason for their murmuring and complaining however, is not truly based upon
the Lord, but based upon their being fleshly! They walk not after the desires
of the Lord, but their own!
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A word to the wise: Satisfaction in this life will never be gained by seeking
after our own desires! Walking after God's desires makes for a blessed heart
and a rejoicing spirit!
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And it's not as if they keep these things to themselves. They offer something
more to those that might be in their company. The words of a false prophet are
overswollen, extravagent.
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The gist is that they make outrageous, arrogant claims about themselves and
then, they target people with flattery in order to profit from them! This isn't
a surprise!
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Jude can recall hearing about this from Peter, John and the rest of the
Apostles! Mockers would come who were governed by their desires!
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They are unashamed and unafraid of God's judgment. It's all a game to them.
They are running the ultimate con job and God's people are their targets!
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Jude reminds the believers that these men are sensual, not referring to a
sexually suggestive person, but one that is tied only to their senses. We might
use the word "instinctual."
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In other words, they are bound by their own senses as they read people and
achieve goals in line with what makes them feel right. No wonder they separate
the body from itself.
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No wonder they call people to their side and section out the body of Christ!
Such divisive people can't possibly be Spirit led, even though they will claim
His authority.
Conclusion
- Can you not
give God your true thanksgiving this morning for calling you into His truth?
Can you see clearly the foolishness of false teaching? Can you not see the need
to contend for the faith?
- We have the
truth in Jesus Christ! He has offered us forgiveness of our sins and eternal
life with Him! There isn't anything more satisfying than that! Hold on to it
with your very life!
- I pray that
we will see Jude's point and apply this wisdom as we evaluate each and every
teacher and Pastor by the profile that we see here!
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