Here Jude separates himself from apostleship by referring to that group as outside himself. And he refers them to the fact that these apostles are the true authority in the church, and need to be heeded. One thing the apostles had mentioned was the fact that mockers would come. This seems to be a clear reference to 2 Peter 3:1-3. Peter brings his flock even further back in history by mentioning the admonitions of the prophets, but includes as equally authoritative “us, the apostles of the Lord…” He goes on to say that scoffers will come, walking after their lusts (just as Jude here mentions). He warns of the changes of doctrine regarding the second coming of Jesus (which is happening in our present church, too). It would seem that this is the evidence we need to show that Peter wrote before Jude, and that Jude leaned on the great apostle for much of his information. This gave the church of old even more reason to include the little – but potent – letter in the canon of Scripture.

v. 19. The list concluded

They are sensual. In the English, we can understand this word as one who lives by his natural senses. What he sees, hears, tastes, etc, are his guiding lights. He is blind, deaf, and tasteless spiritually. The Greek does not exactly bear this translation out, for in fact there is no English word that fills the bill. The closest we could come to it, say the experts, is the word “soulish”, as in some translations. The word in Greek means “soul” or “life”, that is, natural human life, lived out in the soul of man, which, connected to the body, composes our existence, above the animals, but still dead to God in spirit. Soulish people can be very smart, very talented. They have human dreams and strive to make them come true, sometimes egged on by well-meaning Christians. But their dreams are meant only for themselves ultimately, even though what they are doing may seem altruistic at the moment.

These false teachers may have seemed like “good” people in some instances. After all, they only wanted what all people want. Financial security. Freedom. A nice home. A good career. Fun. This was their message. Go after “life”. Eat, drink, be merry. Your best life now. Be positive. But the Gospel of Jesus, the cares about eternal values, were absent from their lips.

1. 2. They cause divisions. They create factions, because there are indeed some immature who will follow them, while the advanced saints know better. Fleshly men can be very persuasive, and when they are joined by baby saints or other fleshly men, their influence can be daunting to even the holiest of pastors. And the longer they are unchallenged, the stronger they become. Eventually they want change across the board. The music must start sounding like the music of the world. The preaching must be more positive. Get a preacher in here that understands us, and isn’t always harping on holiness. Once the division process is begun, who can stop it. There are more mature but still not holy saints who see both sides and want a compromise group. Now there are three churches in the church, and more will follow, as the flesh, guided by Satan, wants its own way, and must be surrounded by flesh that is in agreement. Some groups leave, some stay, to the torment of the leadership. The witness in the community is destroyed. These are just people after all. Who needs it?
2. 3. They do not have the Spirit of God. The final blow is the worst that can be said of anyone calling himself a child of God. If Jude’s assessment is true, and we know it is, then all under this description are damned. They are in the church but not of it. They are intruders. They are sons of Satan. No Spirit of God? No life. No hope. No salvation.