“These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.” (Jude 16 (ESV)
Jude has spent a considerable amount of time, and so have we, to understand the character and behavior of apostates. In today’s text. Jude focused his attention on the prideful speech of false teachers. It’s not so much what apostates do that Jude has in mind, but rather what they are, which is displayed by what they do. Apostates are grumblers, malcontents, and loud-mouth boasters.
Scripture has much to say about pride. Pride is self-exultation, arrogance, or self-promotion.
- Proverbs 16:18 (ESV) – “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
- Matthew 23:12 (ESV) – “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
- Romans 12:16 (ESV) –Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.”
Foundational to all Jude wrote regarding the apostate is their attitude of pride. It fuels apostates in everything they do and speak. Pride is the reason the apostate rejects God, and has a life filled with rebellion and perversion.
Pride prevents the apostate from seeing life as it really is. Rather, prideful apostates see life as they want to see it and everything and everyone are expected to meet their needs and wants.
Recently, a city council approved to make their municipality a sanctuary for trans and “gender-diverse” people. Among those who spoke out in favor of the resolution was a pastor of a local progressive church. The cleric, identified as a disabled, cisgender lesbian, sported a clerical collar as she told council members that if Jesus were at the meeting, He would be “dressed in full drag.”
“The Jesus I know would be dressed in full drag and serving face, or handsome as a trans man, or wrapped in the garb of a non-binary person who knows one gender is way too small to capture their gloriousness,” The pastor claimed, “The Jesus I know would be at this mic with a trembling voice and a shaking body and tears that will not be held back crying, ‘make this city safe for my child.’”
Defectors from the true, biblical faith in Christ as Savior and Lord shroud their prideful language by invoking such phrases as, “The Jesus I know,” or “The God I worship.” They invoke their own authority rather than the authority of Scripture.
9”Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11 (ESV)
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. 5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.” (Colossians 3:1–8 (ESV)
“Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” (1 Thessalonians 4:1–8 (ESV)
“In unflinching terms Jude clearly identified the apostates, while at the same time exposing their character in order to warn believers of their true nature and their final destiny. He was laying the groundwork to call his readers to action against these ungodly men and their practices,” comments Dr. Edward C. Pentecost.
Pray for those who are snared in the traps of apostasy. Remember, such were some of us. May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.
Soli deo Gloria!
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