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.  But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. Jude 1:16-19

As we look around Christianity today, the Church has become almost unrecognizable. Could you imagine the Apostles witnessing the state of the Church today? Could you imagine the “Church Fathers” walking into some of these congregations or even some of our older theologians like Spurgeon or Ravenhill? Even though apostates and heresies have always been in the Church, I don’t know if we have ever seen a time period of the Church , where the overwhelming majority has fallen away from the true gospel and orthodox faith of Christianity.

I believe this is an affirming sign of the last days, as we see rainbow flags and unregenrated leaders across our denominations. This was prophesied by the Apostle Jude here “these are murmurs, complainers, walking after their own lusts” doesn’t that sum up the new progressive movement in Christianity? They walk after their own lusts, they are carnally driven by their own sexual desires and greed. They have no love for God or the Church, they are driven by demons to lead as many to the broad road of Hell as possible.

 As the Apostle says “their mouth speak great swelling words” They come up with new arguments to discredit the deity of Christ, to remove the need for repentance, they have totally rejected the authority of the Holy Spirit. They are exactly like Satan in the garden of Eden, “Did God really say?” They deceive those ignorant to the Word of God, they prey on the unregenerated people who put their faith in a religious system rather than Christ alone. 

As the Apostle Jude reminds us, we shouldn’t be shocked by this great falling away, because it was prophesied by Christ himself and the Apostles. As Jude reminds us “there will be mockers in the last times (days) , who walk after their own ungodly lusts” This is exactly what is driving the rainbow flag movement, ungodly lusts, its not driven by the Holy Spirit. 

I want you to notice what the Apostle Jude says next under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, “These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.” How can these people be so depraved and deceived? Because they are not regenerated, they don’t have the Holy Spirit. How do so many people fall for these false teachers? They don’t have the Holy Spirit, this is the unregenerated Church, a carnally minded Church that leads to death, but the Church led by the Holy Spirit leads to life and peace, in Jesus name, Amen!

And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 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. Jude 1:14-15

The book of Enoch and yet again another controversial topic in Christianity. While some believe it should be considered “inspired scripture” , others reject its writings all together. What we do know is the Apostle Jude quotes it here as a reference, this confirms to us the text was well known in the 1rst century, and most of the early Church was probably aware of its writings. While I don’t believe it should be part of the Bible, I do believe its beneficial writings that gives us the beliefs and mind set before Christ.

As Matthew Henry comments “ We have no mention of the prophecy of Enoch in any other part or place of Scripture; yet one plain text of Scripture, proves any point we are to believe. We find from this, that Christ’s coming to judge was prophesied of, as early as the times before the flood.”

This is an interesting thought, the return of Christ was known and expected since the days of Noah, think about that! The patriarchs and prophets of Israel were long awaiting the coming of the Messiah, they knew the Son of Man from the prophecy of Daniel 7, would sit at the right hand of Yahweh, the Ancient of Days, coming with the clouds. This was understood and expected, yet when The Word became Flesh and dwelt among them, (John 1:14) and yet the world didn’t know him (John 1:10) They crucified the Lord of glory (1 Corinthians 2:8)

Just as when Jesus stood before the Religious leaders on trial , before they executed him on the cross, he quoted Daniel “Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62)  The coming of the Messiah was well known and Jesus made it very clear, He is the Christ

And just as it was foretold in the book of Enoch and well known, Christ said He is coming back with his angels to execute judgment on the world ““When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory” (Matthew 25:31) As the Apostle Paul said “Christ will judge the living and the dead” (2 Timothy 4:1)

Every knee will bow, that means every knee believers and non-believers, and every tongue will confess Jesus Christ is Lord! (Philippians 2:9-11) Amen!

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; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever Jude 1:12-13

The Apostle Jude under the influence of the Holy Spirit then talks about the false apostate religious leaders planted in the Churches today, stealing the money, power, and resources to feed themselves, and in the process destroying the local community of believers. We see this today all throughout Christianity, denominations are falling at a rapid pace, why? Because of corrupt and wicked religious leaders misleading the Churches down a path of blasphemy.

The Apostle Peter mentions the same thing “They are spots (blemish, disgrace) and blemishes, carousing and reveling in their own deceptions while they feast (communion, fellowship) with you (Church) (2 Peter 2:13) These false deceptive leaders are planted into the Churches, walking side by side with the body of Christ, misleading them on the broad road to Hell. Again we see this across the board in mainline Christianity today, wolves leading the sheep to the slaughter of sin and carnality.

Feeding themselves without fear, they live a life of luxury off the backs of Gods people. While the Church faithfully tithes their money, the wolves use if for their carnal pleasure and gain. They have no fear of God, they have no disregard for the body of Christ, they have sold their souls to gain the whole world. However they are “clouds without water” people look to them for spiritual wisdom and guidance, and they can’t provide it, because they don’t have the Holy Spirit. As the Apostle Jude says “trees who fruit withered, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots” As Jesus said “You will know them by their fruits” ( Matthew 7: 16)

However there is a great price they are going to pay for their Apostasy, as the Apostle Jude says here “to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever” As the Lord Jesus said “they will be cast into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth “ (Matthew 8:12) God will not be mocked, what you reap and what you sow (Galatians 6:7) These false leaders will pay a heavy price for their deception, as the Apostle James warned “Not everyone should be teachers, because you know we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1)

But God is allowing this to happen, why? The Lord Jesus explains “Let them both grow together until the harvest” (Matthew 13:30) God is allowing the true remnant Church to coexist with the false Church until judgment day, don’t be alarmed when there is a wolf within your flock. But on that day of judgment, everyone will stand before The Lord , every knee will bow to our Lord Jesus Christ, don’t be deceived! Amen!

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. Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. Jude 1:10-11

The question I would like to ask you, are you led by the flesh or are you led by the Holy Spirit? When we examine the two paths of life, they are very different. Those who are being led by the flesh, which is the majority of the world, are like “brute beasts , in those things they corrupt themselves” as the Apostle Jude reveals here. All the sins of the world are derived from the uncontrolled lust of the flesh.

As the Apostle Peter said “they are like a dog going back to their own vomit” (2 Peter 2:22) The carnally minded person is driven by their own flesh like an animal, looking to satisfy the flesh which will never be satisfied. Just like an animal, they will degrade and corrupt themselves in their pleasures with no regard to their own soul or The Lord. As the Apostle Paul said “To be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6)

This is why The Lord Jesus said “If anyone wants to be his disciple, they must deny themselves, carry their cross, and follow him” (Matthew 16:24) Notice The Lord said you must, He didn’t say you might want to, you must crucify your flesh, you must die to yourself, before you can live for Christ. Oh what a painful death it is, but Christ has provided The Way to salvation. You must stop being the wild carnal animal for the world, and become a child of God

As the Apostle Jude says here “Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in Korah’s rebellion” The Apostle provides real life examples of those who followed their flesh instead of the living God, and ended in eternal destruction.

Cain couldn’t crucify his jealousy for his brother Abel, and led to the destruction of his soul. Balaam couldn’t resist the power and profit of being a false prophet and destroyed his soul, Korah couldn’t submit to the authority of God, so his ego destroyed his soul. These are examples of people who lived carnally instead of spiritually, they worshiped the desires of their flesh rather than submit to God.

So I ask you again, are you led by the Holy Spirit or being led by your own flesh? The Lord Jesus can set your free (John 8), from any bondage, any addiction, any temptation, resist the devil and he will flee from You, Amen!