Jude 16 – These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.
Like a crooked lying politician who has no intention of making good on any campaign promises, apostates in the church are “grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.”
Jude warns us not to follow liars who want to lead us astray, promising that Jesus is returning with an angelic army to declare war on and utterly eviscerate this enemy of invaders saying, “the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him”.
One Bible commentary says, “The Epistle of Jude warns of the dangers of false teachers, whose end is destruction. We are to be alert for them, to strengthen ourselves against spiritual deception, and to be ready to help vulnerable believers.” (1)
Jude is encouraging believers to have the long view of things. For some people, this life is as close to Heaven as they will ever get, and eternal Hell awaits them. For other people, this life is as close to Hell as they will ever get, and eternal Heaven awaits them.
Forever is a long time, and short-sided thinking leads to long-term suffering. The Christian is reminded that we must go through a little bit of hell on our way to Heaven, but Jesus is coming and when the time is right, all will be made right.
What are some of the reasons that Christians will wrongly put up with people who are evil, harmful, and divisive? Have you seen what happens to a church when these people are tolerated in the church for too long?
- David Walls and Max Anders, I & II Peter, I, II & III John, Jude, vol. 11, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1999), 260.
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