Jude 1:4

For there are certaine men crept in vnawares, who were before of olde ordained to this condemnation, vngodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciuiousnesse, and denying the onely Lord God, & our Lord Iesus Christ. Jude 1:4 (KJV)

The book of Jude is a brief epistle written by Jude, the brother of James and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Its purpose is to confront the danger of false teachers who have infiltrated the Christian community. Jude 1:4 warns that certain individuals have “crept in unawares,” entering the body of believers secretly, often appearing as genuine Christians while harboring malicious intent. This imagery reminds us that deceptive teachers can be present within the church, hidden behind a façade of orthodoxy.

Jude further notes that these men were “before of old ordained to this condemnation.” The phrasing does not suggest that God arbitrarily predestined them, but rather that their condemnation was foreseen because of their ungodly conduct and false doctrine. Their deliberate departure from the truth placed them under divine judgment, and their destiny was already known as a consequence of their rebellion.

A central charge against these teachers is their distortion of grace. They pervert the unmerited favor of God, twisting it into a license for licentiousness and immoral behavior. Rather than allowing grace to transform lives toward righteousness, they use it as an excuse to indulge in sin. This perversion undermines the true message of grace and hampers spiritual growth among believers.

Equally serious is their denial of the lordship of Jesus Christ. By rejecting “the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ,” they deny both the divinity and authority of Christ, thereby striking at the very foundation of the Christian faith and the core of the gospel of salvation.

Jude’s warning calls believers to be vigilant and discerning. It underscores the importance of grounding oneself in the truth of God’s Word, relying on sound doctrine, and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit to distinguish truth from falsehood. Believers must guard against teachings that distort grace or deny Christ’s lordship.

In conclusion, Jude 1:4 serves as a powerful reminder of the presence of false teachers within the church. It exhorts the faithful to remain anchored in biblical truth, to discern deceptive influences, and to uphold the integrity of the gospel in the face of those who would pervert grace and reject the lordship of Jesus Christ.