The Judgement of False Teachers
The Judgement of False Teachers
Jude 5-16
“Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all and to convict all the ungodly of their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
As a pastor, one of my least favorite verses, and one that reminds me of the importance of what I teach, is James 3:1. In this verse, James warns, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.” This verse is not a caution about becoming a pastor but a reminder that I will be accountable to God for what I preach. In Jude 5-16, Jude likewise warns those who come preaching a message contrary to the Bible will face the judgment of God. Having warned of the dangers of false teachers, Jude reminds us that God does not overlook their sins. Those who reject God’s authority and His moral law will face judgment. Throughout scripture, we find that God is a holy and just God. While God is loving, gracious, and forgiving, He is also righteous. Consequently, He cannot allow sin to go unpunished if we reject the offer of His salvation and continue to embrace sin.
This judgment is especially directed towards the false teachers who reject God’s standard and lead people astray. In this passage, we see the characteristics of their teaching. They promote sexual perversion (vs. 7). They refuse to submit to the authority of Christ and the authority of God (vs. 8). Instead of humbly submitting to God, they “revile the things they do not understand.” They ridicule God’s law when it does not conform to their views (vs.10). They destroy the church's fellowship by caring only for themselves rather than others (vs. 12). They are self-centered and driven by their lust rather than obedience to God. In warning us of the dangers of false teachers, Jude points us to their end. They will face the judgment of God, for they distort the scriptures to fit their own desires.
Jude challenges us to evaluate the teaching of people that we follow. When they reject God and His righteous standard, they bring upon themselves the certainty of their judgment. As a result, we are to avoid them lest we also be led astray. The one thing we should never tolerate from the pulpit are those who compromise with sin and do not uphold the righteousness of God’s standard. To follow their teaching is to follow them to their judgment. Jude reminds us of the seriousness of teaching. As a Pastor, I will be judged by my faithfulness to proclaim God’s word. If I compromise to gain the approval of men and to conform to the world’s morality, then I will be condemned by God. But this warning is not just for pastors, for we are all teachers in some capacity. We teach others when we share what we believe about the Bible. We are teachers to our children when we instruct them about God.
We must carefully examine what we say to others about God and His Word. Are we faithful to uphold God’s moral standard in a world that rejects it? Are we pointing people to Christ and challenging them to submit to His Word? In our interaction with people, are we upholding the Scriptures? We are all teachers. The question remains whether we are teaching people the truth of God’s Word or being a false teacher who leads people astray.
Jude 5-16
“Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all and to convict all the ungodly of their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
As a pastor, one of my least favorite verses, and one that reminds me of the importance of what I teach, is James 3:1. In this verse, James warns, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.” This verse is not a caution about becoming a pastor but a reminder that I will be accountable to God for what I preach. In Jude 5-16, Jude likewise warns those who come preaching a message contrary to the Bible will face the judgment of God. Having warned of the dangers of false teachers, Jude reminds us that God does not overlook their sins. Those who reject God’s authority and His moral law will face judgment. Throughout scripture, we find that God is a holy and just God. While God is loving, gracious, and forgiving, He is also righteous. Consequently, He cannot allow sin to go unpunished if we reject the offer of His salvation and continue to embrace sin.
This judgment is especially directed towards the false teachers who reject God’s standard and lead people astray. In this passage, we see the characteristics of their teaching. They promote sexual perversion (vs. 7). They refuse to submit to the authority of Christ and the authority of God (vs. 8). Instead of humbly submitting to God, they “revile the things they do not understand.” They ridicule God’s law when it does not conform to their views (vs.10). They destroy the church's fellowship by caring only for themselves rather than others (vs. 12). They are self-centered and driven by their lust rather than obedience to God. In warning us of the dangers of false teachers, Jude points us to their end. They will face the judgment of God, for they distort the scriptures to fit their own desires.
Jude challenges us to evaluate the teaching of people that we follow. When they reject God and His righteous standard, they bring upon themselves the certainty of their judgment. As a result, we are to avoid them lest we also be led astray. The one thing we should never tolerate from the pulpit are those who compromise with sin and do not uphold the righteousness of God’s standard. To follow their teaching is to follow them to their judgment. Jude reminds us of the seriousness of teaching. As a Pastor, I will be judged by my faithfulness to proclaim God’s word. If I compromise to gain the approval of men and to conform to the world’s morality, then I will be condemned by God. But this warning is not just for pastors, for we are all teachers in some capacity. We teach others when we share what we believe about the Bible. We are teachers to our children when we instruct them about God.
We must carefully examine what we say to others about God and His Word. Are we faithful to uphold God’s moral standard in a world that rejects it? Are we pointing people to Christ and challenging them to submit to His Word? In our interaction with people, are we upholding the Scriptures? We are all teachers. The question remains whether we are teaching people the truth of God’s Word or being a false teacher who leads people astray.
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