False teachers have always been present within the Church. It is nothing new. Often, we allow false teachers to remain in the Church unchallenged. Not all false teachers stand behind pulpits. Some have been given places of influence among us, even becoming theologians. Jude was concerned about this issue as we should be at this time in Church history.

Jude wrote, “I say this because some ungodly people have wormed their way into your churches, saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives. The condemnation of such people was recorded long ago, for they have denied our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4).

John was so strong in his response to false teachers that he wrote, “Don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work” (II John 1: 10-11).

These false teachers have ventured outside the limits of God-given authority and entered a place of deception, “And I remind you of the angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God gave them but left the place where they belonged. God has kept them securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment. And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring towns, which were filled with immorality and every kind of sexual perversion” (vs. 6-7).

Those who attempt to redefine biblical truth to create a reason to no longer live up to its standard will become mockers of truth, “In the same way, these people—who claim authority from their dreams—live immoral lives, defy authority, and scoff at supernatural beings” (vs. . Scoffing and mockery of those holding onto biblical truth is still happening today and it is what we must endure as we live in God’s truth.

The false teachers and their followers were defined by Jude this way, “These people scoff at things they do not understand. Like unthinking animals, they do whatever their instincts tell them, and so they bring about their own destruction” (vs. 10).

If we allow a false teacher to remain among us, it embeds their error in our midst. An unchallenged false teacher becomes “like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you” (vs. 12).

Creating division is the by-product of false teachers, “These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them” (vs. 18-19).

While we are called to challenge the falsehoods taught by false teachers, we have an assignment in the process that will keep our hearts in alignment with God, “You must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives” (vs. 22-23).

As we show mercy to those living in error, we must do so with caution. Mercy triumphs over judgment but it does so within the protective walls of truth. We choose to live within the truth so we are not led astray by arguments that can sound like the truth but in the end, are designed to lead God’s people astray.