Christians are to contend for the faith through God’s Word in the power of Jesus Christ.

The church, from its beginning, was opposed by Satan, who sought to destroy the Church by instigating against it by opposition and persecution from the outside, and the teaching of false doctrine and unholy living on the inside. Of these two, over the centuries of the Church’s existence, the internal threat of false doctrine and unholy living has proven to be far more damaging to the Church than opposition and persecution from the outside. This fact accentuates the importance of this lesson, which examines several New Testament passages of scripture that deal specifically with the internal danger to the church of false doctrine and unholy living.

The absolute most damaging sense of falsity will come from the inside of the Church. It is up to the Spiritual backbones and pillars of the Church to make it an objective to be a defender against every false doctrine and intentional spiritual deceiver! It is up to the Church body to protect and preserve the work of the Lord within the Church!

DESTRUCTIVE DOCTRINES

A. Doctrines of Demons

1Timothy 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly (distinctly), that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed (attention) to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

…….The seducing spirits and teachings of demons that convince of unbiblical religion have taken preachers and church goers captive. They have totally corrupted any true sense of sanctification in many religious followers. No matter how deep we search into the scriptures, (and please make it priority) never forget that your personal communication with the Lord is most important. Without communication there is no spiritual relationship. Without spiritual relationship there is no true understanding of scripture. The Bible was spiritually written and must be spiritually interpreted.

4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

…….In studying the word hypocrisy, it derives all the way from a word that describes an inferior faker, and someone who is spreading lies to benefit themselves. Anyone who can verbally protrude such thoughts has to have a seared (insensitive) conscience!

4:3  Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

…….This is a prime example of people using personal abstention as a topic to preach against. I don’t believe the Lord gives people personal convictions that are “extra Biblical” to simply make others that have not the same spiritual feelings feel unwanted and disregarded. Those that preach convictions and fleshy standards are fleshy themselves. Those who have true personal convictions and untainted standard are meek and lowly about it, continuing to show love to those who do not carry the same thoughts! God doesn’t give a closer walk to anyone for the sake of circumcising others!

4:4  …….For those who are against certain foods regarding religious matters, here is the answer: For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:

4:5  For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

…….Though certain carnal standard may be good and healthy, if it is not a sin we must keep it applied to only ourselves. The act of looking down on others for not carrying the same standards and abstentions are considered self righteous.

B. Covetous or False Teachers

2Peter 2:1  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily (secretly, sneaky) shall bring in damnable (destructive) heresies (lies), even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

…….For the ones the scripture pertains to; even though the physical destruction is not always swift, the destruction and departure of any true sense of salvation is removed quickly. It the “giving heed”, or entertaining the thoughts which produce wickedness that brings such damnation. The absolute worse thing to happen to a man is for the Lord to remove His hand of direction and mercy.

2:2  And many shall follow their pernicious (destructive) ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

…….The devil has a sense of anointing of his own. There are those who are so good at being bad, and we at times wonder how they keep getting away with a sense of murder. Just as for false teachers who continue to lead the thousands astray, there is an evil energy that powers and drives the evil man.

2:3  And through covetousness (greediness) shall they with feigned (fictitious, fake) words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth (sleeps) not.

…….The crowds will continue to grow because the crowds continue to grow. One of the most convincing things to see is a crowd. If so many people are convinced by it then something must be right, right? Absolutely not! If any teaching is contrary to what the Word of truth says, we must avoid at all costs!

DEPRAVITY OF FALSE TEACHERS

A. Ignorant and Corrupt Deceivers

…….Jude reminds us of the believers who were once blessed/delivered, but found later corrupt.

1:3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness (filthy minded, corrupt desiring), and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jude 1:5  I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

(Look at Numbers 32:11  Surely none of the men that came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob; because they have not wholly followed me: 13  And the LORD’S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.

…….It is dangerous to not take heed to warnings and playing with temptation, going back and forth with disobedience, all the while the Lords mercy is enduring.

Back to Jude 1:6  And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

…….These are the angels who were convinced of Satans schemes while living in the presence of God, that were thrown out of heaven. This is a warning to the church!

Back to modern day false teachers…….1:8  Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion (authorities), and speak evil of dignities (honor, praise, worship).

1:9  Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

…….Even the chief of angels didn’t take the authority of himself when using the anointing provided for him, but spoke it from where it directly came. Any person that carries themself and speaks boastfully is not anointed of God!

1:10  But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

1:11  Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain (murdered his brother), and ran greedily after the error of Balaam (a false teachers) for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core (Korah, who led a rebellion against Moses in the wilderness)……Every one of them were destroyed!

B. Wicked and Divisive Deceivers

Jude 1:12  These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

…….False teachers are truly empty within.

1:13  Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

1:14  And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

1:15  To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

1:16  These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.

…….Make you think twice about keeping company with those who complain about everything.

1:17  But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

1:18  How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

1:19  These be they who separate themselves, sensual (carnal), having not the Spirit.

……. Jude did not restrain himself in describing the evil nature, motives, works, and destiny of false teachers who had infiltrated the churches. His desire was not only to expose them, but to alert faithful believers in Christ to be on guard against them. Jude‘s message is still relevant for Christians today because, with communication via the Internet being so accessible, false teachers and deceivers have a platform for influencing and persuading people like they have never before. In this situation, it is important for the true Gospel to be proclaimed via the Internet, and for faithful Christians to be on guard against deception wherever it is found.

CONTEND FOR THE FAITH

Build Up Yourself Spiritually

Jude 1:20  But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

1:21  Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

1:22  And of some have compassion, making a difference:

1:23  And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Doxology

1:24  Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

1:25  To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

……. The good fight of faith is the only fight that is called good. The truth is, Jesus Christ has already gained the victory on our behalf. Nevertheless, we are called to contend for the faith. We must, by faith and effort, opposing and rejecting all that is evil, and holding fast to all that is good, enter into the victory over evil Christ has won for us. We know what the ultimate outcome of this spiritual warfare will be for those who abide in Christ. God has revealed in the holy scripture that it will be complete victory over all evil by Christ and his church. Stay with Christ. With him, we are on the winning side.