Marking the marked-out ones for condemnation

For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

(Jude 4)

For certain men have crept in unnoticed…

1. The conjunction ‘for’ explains the reason why Jude’s readers must contend for the faith
2. The reason why the faith must be contended for is none other than the presence of the false teachers among the congregation of the believers

Who long ago were marked out for this condemnation

1. Who are these ‘certain men’ who have crept in unnoticed?
2. They are false teachers who
   1. Are ungodly
   2. Turn the grace of God into lewdness
   3. Deny the Lord Jesus Christ
3. They were marked out (pre-written in the Scriptures) long ago for God’s judgement
   1. The Lord Jesus has warned us of the false prophets/teachers (Matt.7:15-20, 24:23-26)
   2. The Apostle Peter has also warned us about them (2 Peter 2:3,17)

The Four characteristics of the false teachers/preachers

1. They creep in unnoticed, meaning, they come in stealthily
   1. They pretend on surface
   2. They are just like true and humble believers, to the eyes of the undiscerning ones
2. They are ungodly
   1. They may be religious
   2. But they do not revere God in practice
3. They turn the grace of God into lewdness
   1. They pervert the grace of God
   2. They abuse the grace of God
   3. They live a life of unrestrained immorality (open immorality)
4. They deny “only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ”
   1. They deny the Lord Jesus as their sovereign Master
   2. They deny the Lord Jesus as our Kurios-Lord

Calls for Action

1. Let us be more discerning as to false teachers/preachers among us
2. Let us hold fast to the Lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ in doctrine and practice
3. Let us never exchange the grace of God for some worldly gains in life