“Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.” (Jude 8 (ESV)
“Jude is writing about apostate false teachers. Apostasy, meaning to defect, to depart, to abandon. Apostasy is defecting from the faith, hearing of the faith, knowing of the faith, knowing the true gospel, hearing the true gospel, maybe professing even to believe the true gospel, and then abandoning it. It is the most terrible of evils for which the hottest hell is reserved. To be exposed to the gospel truth and to reject it is to put yourself in the most severe place of eternal torment.” – Dr. John MacArthur
Jude provided a signature triad of historical examples regarding apostasy; Israel and their apostasy of unbelief towards God and His Word, fallen angels and their apostasy of rebellion, and Sodom, Gomorrah and the cities surrounding them and their apostasy of immorality (Jude 5-7). Jude then brought the argument to the present.
Jude transitioned from an examination of the past to the present situation of false teachers plaguing the church. In vs. 8-16, Jude addressed apostates and apostasy. Apostates today conduct themselves as apostates of history. There is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:1-9).
He wrote “Yet in like manner these people also.” Whoever “these people” specifically were (Jude 4), Jude said they displayed the apostate characteristics of unbelief, rebellion and sexual immorality. Nevertheless, or likewise, (homoiōs) means equally or in the same way. Within the context it means to be like those who Jude previously identified from the Old Testament as apostates.
Having first examined the sexual immorality of apostates, Jude then addressed the issue of their rebellion against God. They “reject authority.”
To reject authority (κυριότητα ἀθετοῦσιν; kyrioteta athetousin) means to presently, actively and collectively declare invalid, deny and depart from lordship and dominion. It means to revolt and to do away with authority. The authority they deny, depart and revolt against is God’s lordship.
Like the sinning angels Jude mentioned in vs.6, these false believers reject all authority: civil, relational and spiritual. They reject all authority except their evil self-will. They pander and promote their individual authority.
When I served as a youth pastor, there was one student I will always remember. He professed to be a believer in Christ. He came from a Christian home and knew, or thought he knew, much of the Bible. He served at a Christian camp during the summer. However, he consistently displayed a rebelliousness to any and all authority but his own. As an adult, he now professes to be an atheist and is openly hostile to anyone who is a follower of Christ; even members of his extended family.
Man rejects the authority of God. They object to what God says regarding…
- Pure and commendable speech – Ephesians 4:25-5:21
- Lying – Ephesians 4:25
- Stealing – Ephesians 4:28.
- Putting to death the deeds of the flesh – Colossians 3.
- Purity in keeping one’s marriage vows – Matthew 5; 19; I Corinthians 7. Ephesians 5:22-33
- Being obedient to the civil authorities – Romans 13.
- Not polluting one’s body with unhealthy behavior – I Corinthians 6:19-20
- Bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking – Ephesians 4:31.
- Being kind, tenderhearted, forgiving – Ephesians 4:31b.
- Obeying parents – Ephesians 6:1-4
- Honoring employers by doing a good job – Ephesians 6:5-9
We must understand many individuals can profess to be a believer in Christ. However, Scripture is clear that only those who evidence godliness are truly converted. See Matthew 7:15-23; Romans 6-8; James 2:14-26. Therefore, it is imperative for the believer to make certain of their calling and election by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone (2 Peter 1:1-11).
Apostates have a contempt for the commands of God. They fight against the church, but they especially hate God. They endeavor to overthrow government, undermine the home, and deny the Word of God. They disregard the commands of God because they hate the God who has laid down His commands.
American Atheist C. Richard Bozarth states, “Evolution destroys utterly and finally the very reason Jesus’ earthly life was supposedly made necessary. Destroy Adam and Eve and original sin, and in the rubble, you will find the sorry remains of the Son of God…and if Jesus was not the redeemer who dies for our sins, and this is what evolution means, then Christianity is nothing.”
Much like the angels who did not keep their proper estate, but rejected God’s authority, so do apostates. Each day we must examine our lives to see whether or not we are evidencing an apostate spirit. Are we allowing false teachers to squeeze us into their mold of behavior? An example of their rejection of authorities, and in light of their rejection of authority, it isn’t enough for them to simply reject what they hate, but also to speak evil of those they hate.
Therefore, Jude additionally stated apostates “blaspheme the glorious ones.” In other words, like ancient Israel they display an evil heart of unbelief in what they speak (Hebrews 3:12).
To blaspheme (βλασφημοῦσιν; blasphemousin) is a present, active indicative plural verb meaning to continuously speak profanely against sacred things or individuals; especially the LORD. It also means to take God lightly or dismissively. Apostates slander God and His people. This is what God’s enemies always do. It stems out of their hatred of God. Jesus warned His disciples of this reality.
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.” (John 15:18–21 (ESV)
The glorious ones (δόξας; doxas) refers to angels held is high esteem. Jude will later use the archangel Michael as an example (Jude 9). This parallels 2 Peter 2:4-10 and James 2:4-7.
“Throughout history, our enemy has raised up many false prophets and false teachers, but perhaps never before in history has the church itself raised up so many of its own false teachers, parading them and welcoming them into their homes and churches. False teachers abound on many of the so-called Christian television networks, and books by false teachers fill the shelves of many so-called Christian bookstores. And while many Christians are rightly concerned about the growth of religions such as Islam, the greatest threat to orthodox Christianity is not other religions but false teachers who creep into the church unnoticed.” – Pastor Burk Parsons, Saint Andrew’s Chapel, Sanford, Fla.
May each of us continue to guard our hearts from apostates and apostasy (Proverbs 4:20-27). May the LORD’s truth and grace be found here.
Soli deo Gloria!
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