Jude 1:4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ: pareisedusan (3PAAI) gar tines anthropoi hoi palai progegrammenoi (RPPMPN) eis touto to krima asebeis ten tou theou hemon charita metatithentes (PAPMPN) eis aselgeian kai ton monon despoten kai kurion hemon Iesoun Christon arnoumenoi (PMPMPN) crept = Mt 13:25; Acts 15:24; Gal 2:4; Ep 4:14; 2Ti 3:6; 2Pe 2:1,2 who = Ro 9:21,22; 1Pe 2:8; 2Pe 2:3 ungodly = Jude 1:15; 2Samuel 22:5; Ps 1:1; 1Pe 4:18; 2Pe 2:5,6; 3:7 turning = Ro 6:1,2; Gal 5:13; Titus 2:11,12; Heb 12:15,16; 1Pe 2:16; 2Pe 2:10,18-22 denying = Titus 1:15,16; 2Pe 2:1; 1 John 2:22 only = Ps 62:2; John 17:3; 1Ti 6:15,16; Rev 15:4 Barclay - Beloved, when I was in the midst of devoting all my energy to writing to you about the faith which we all share, I felt that I was compelled to write a letter to you to urge you to engage upon the struggle to defend the faith which was once and for all delivered to God's consecrated people. TLB - I say this because some godless teachers have wormed their way in among you, saying that after we become Christians we can do just as we like without fear of God's punishment. The fate of such people was written long ago, for they have turned against our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Wuest - For certain men entered surreptitiously who were of old predicted with reference to this judgment, (men) destitute of reverential awe towards God, putting anarchy in the place of the grace of God, and denying the only absolute Master and our Lord Jesus Christ. Compare 2Peter 2:1 (see notes) But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. For (gar) - Always pause to ponder this strategic term of explanation, asking at least what is the author explaining? (Why? How? What has Jude just stated previously?, et). Wuest - Now Jude gives the reason why the saints should contend for the faith. False teachers crept into the Church. Hiebert - With for (gar) Jude explains the reason he changed the nature of his communication with them. He informs them that the change was due to the intrusion of "certain men." (Second Peter and Jude An Expositional Commentary) Certain persons - Peter warned that men like these were coming (2Pe 2:1). How could false brethren get into true assemblies of the saints? The soldiers had gone to sleep at the post! The spiritual leaders in the churches had grown complacent and careless. This explains why Jude had to “blow the trumpet” to wake them up. Our Lord and His Apostles all warned that false teachers would arise, yet the churches did not heed the warnings. Sad to say, some churches are not heeding the warnings today. Ungodly (765) (asebes) means lack of interest in the things of God and a behavior and lifestyle consistent with such an irreverent attitude. See the depth study of the related word ungodliness (asebeia [word study]). Asebes pertains to violating norms for a proper relation to deity, and in short means irreverent (lacking proper respect of God) or impious. In simple terms it is choosing to live as if God did not exist and without regard for Him. Note this excellent Biblical definition of the ungodly. They pervert and abuse the free gift of God's amazing grace to sinners. Grace is getting something (from God) we did not deserve and in fact ''binds'' us and empowers us to certain responsibilities (cp Paul's argument in Ro 6:1 to explain how grace does not equal license to sin). This ungodly characterization declares how the irreverence of these "creepers" expresses itself in their conduct (they behave this way because of what they believe). These individuals failed to acknowledge and humbly submit to the transforming nature of this God's superabounding grace. Being devoid of reverence for God and lacking any appreciation of His holiness, they professed a wholehearted reception of "God's grace" but in daily conduct they were "turning" or altering the intended impact of that grace "into a license for immorality" (NIV). They maintained that God's grace freely and abundantly pardoned their sins, released them from the requirements to and bondage of law, and gave them liberty to follow freely the instincts and yearnings of their inner nature. Arguing from mercy to liberty, they justified their antinomian conduct in the name of their "gospel" (really another gospel Gal 1:6-9-note) turning this liberty into "licentiousness" or moral debauchery. Shamelessly they plunged into the excesses of open indecency, into various kinds of carnal defilement and fleshly debauchery. Since this was their habitual practice, it should make it easy to detect them. Crept in unawares (3921) (pareisduno. from pará =beside, at the side of + eisdúo = enter in <> eis = into + dúo = go down, sink) is a vivid verb which means "to go down into and alongside of" and settle down alongside those already there. And so Jude depicts these false believers slipping in secretly as if by a side door, going into and alongside of, settling down alongside those already there (in the faith), sneaking in and sitting on the same row as believers. Bogus believers cloaked in counterfeit faith and piety. They didn't come in via the door but another way (Jn 10:1) Barclay on "crept in unawares" - The Greek (pareisduno) is a very expressive word. It is used of the spacious and seductive words of a clever pleader seeping gradually into the minds of a judge and jury; it is used of an outlaw slipping secretly back into the country from which he has been expelled; it is used of the slow and subtle entry of innovations into the life of state, which in the end undermine and break down the ancestral laws. It always indicates a stealthy insinuation of something evil into a society or situation. Certain evil men had insinuated themselves into the church. They were the kind of men for whom judgment was waiting. They were impious creatures, godless in their thought and life. Jude picks out two characteristics about them. (Jude 1 - William Barclay's Daily Study Bible) They come in secretly, without notice, like a thieves (and their effect would be like that of a thief!!! Loss would occur to those who listened to their lies). Spiritual leaders grow complacent, careless or concerned about nickels and noses had better be warned: danger lurks around the next pew. So Jude was BLOWING THE TRUMPET call to alert the troops of Jehovah. These false brethren would say you are saved by grace so go for the gusto. Live as you please. Anything goes. After all, all you have to do is "confess" it. They promised freedom but it was the kind of freedom that led to terrible bondage (2Pe 2:13-14, 19-note). This verb occurs only here in Scripture. These certain men had slipped in, stealing in undercover, as under the cover of darkness (if the light of God's Truth is dim it makes it easier for them to creep in.) Thus the importance of men and women in the body who are LIGHTS because the light shines into the darkness and the darkness does not overcome the light (Jn 1:5). In fact when exposed to the light of Christ, ''rats'' tend to flee for cover (Jn 3:18) and may even leave completely. The TRUTH exposes The LIE, so once again the critical importance of holding fast to the Word of Life, the Word of Truth. (Titus 1:9) Crept in implies an "inside job," and that these purveyors of error are even now among the brethren. Paul had warned the elders of the church at Ephesus "I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them" (Acts 20:29–30-note) Spurgeon - They did not boldly avow their heresy when they came in; — they would not have been allowed to enter if they had done so, — but they sneaked in, they climbed into the pulpit, professing to be preachers of the gospel, when they knew, all the while, that they intended to undermine it. Basest of all men are those who act thus: “There are certain men crept in unawares,” Proscribed by God as traitors long ago. Those who have not the courage of their convictions probably have no convictions at all, but seek to undermine the faith which they profess to hold. Antinomians, “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness,” falsely declaring that the law has no binding force upon the Christian’s life, and saying that we may do evil that good may come; — and Socinians, “denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” See similar descriptive verb in 2 Peter 2:1 = Secretly introduce = pareisago [word study]] Only here in New Testament. The kindred adjective occurs Galatians 2:4, "false brethren secretly brought in" (pareisaktos: 3920 = relates to someone joining a group with false motives or false pretenses). The metaphor is of spies or traitors introducing themselves into an enemy's camp. Compare Jude 1:4, crept in unawares. The verb means, literally, to bring into (eis) by the side of (para). Wuest - There is a Greek word in 2Cor 11:13–15 which admirably describes the methods of the Modernist, who takes after his father, the Devil. It is metaschematizo, translated “transformed”. It refers to the act of an individual changing his outward expression by assuming an expression put on from the outside, an expression that does not come from nor is it representative of what he is in his inner character. Lucifer did that after he struck at God’s throne and became the fallen angel, Satan. As a fallen angel he gave expression to his sin-darkened heart. But he knew that he could not attract the human race that way. He must impersonate God if he expected to be worshipped as God. He therefore assumed an outward expression of light, put on from the outside and not representative of his inner sinful being. He disguised himself as an angel of light. His ministers, (servants), Modernistic preachers, have done the same (v. 15). Using evangelical terms such as “salvation, faith, regeneration, atonement, resurrection,” they put their own private meanings upon them (which negate the orthodox view), and pose as orthodox exponents of Christianity. Reader, do not trust a Modernist any farther than you would a rattlesnake. A rattlesnake will give you warning before it strikes, but not a Modernist. The eternal welfare of your soul depends upon what you believe regarding the person and work of our Lord on the Cross. Those who were long beforehand marked out ("Long ago the Scriptures predicted the condemnation they have received." = TEV; men spoken of in ancient writings as pre-destined to this condemnation = WEY) - These false teachers did not surprise God Who wrote beforehand about their coming and their condemnation even before they existed. Marked out (4270) (prographo from pró = before, openly, plainly + grapho = write) means literally to write for public reading, publicly portrayed, announced on a poster. To write previously or before. Figuratively prographo means to announce or prescribe. Wuest feels this is a "reference is to the prophecy of Enoch with regard to these false teachers (Jude 1:14)." Prographo is used of posting important official notices on a placard in the marketplace or other public location for citizens to read (See NT use in Gal 3:1). The word is found in early secular documents where a father posted a proclamation that he would no longer be responsible for his son’s debts. It is also used for putting up the announcement of an auction sale. Zodhiates - In Jude 1:4 prographo means to proscribe, appoint, ordain, post up publicly in writing. Those who were summoned before courts of justice were said to be progegramménoi, posted up ahead of time, because they were cited by posting up their names in some public place. Even in our day the cases to be heard by a judge are written beforehand and appended in a public place in the courthouse. Thus what Jude is declaring is that judgment was published or declared in writing ahead of time. Those called progegramménoi, those whose names were posted up in writing in some public place, were proscribed as persons doomed to die with a reward offered to whoever would kill them. Thus Jude 1:4 may mean those who not only must give an account to God for their crimes and are liable to God’s judgment, but who are destined to the punishment they deserve. As to where they are proscribed, we must look at Jude 1:5–7, 11. (The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament) Prographo occurs four times in New Testament. In two of these instances pro has clearly the temporal sense before (Ro 15:4-note; Ephesians 3:3-note). In Galatians 3:1, it is taken by some in the sense of openly, publicly. It seems better, on the whole, to take it here in the temporal sense, and to render written of beforehand, i.e., in prophecy as referred to in Jude 1:14, 15. Prographo - 4x in 4v - NASB Usage: beforehand marked(1), earlier times(1), publicly portrayed(1), written in earlier times(1), wrote before(1). Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Galatians 3:1 You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? Ephesians 3:3 that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief. Jude 1:4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Turn (3346)(metatithemi from meta = change of place or condition + tithemi = to put or place) literally means to put in another place, as used here in Heb 11:5, the passive sense meaning to be taken or transferred. We find another literal use in Acts 7:16 where bodies are transferred to a burial place in Shechem. In the figurative sense metatithemi means to effect a change in state or condition and so to alter something (as when the priesthood is changed Heb 7:12). Grace (charis [word study]) is God's unmerited favor and supernatural enablement and empowerment for salvation and for daily sanctification. Licentiousness (766) (aselgeia from aselges = licentious <> a = negates next word + selges = continent) originally referred to any excess or lack of restraint but came to convey the idea of shameless excess and the absence of restraint, especially with sexual excess. Thus like koite, aselgeia was used almost exclusively of especially lewd sexual immorality, of uninhibited and unabashed lasciviousness. It refers to the kind of sexual debauchery and abandonment that characterizes much of modern society and that is often flaunted almost as a badge of distinction! Aselgeia refers to uninhibited sexual indulgence without shame and without concern for what others think or how they may be affected (or infected). These persons preach license, debauchery, excess (esp. sexual), absence of restraint, and exhibit an insatiable desire for pleasure. If one has girded their mind for action and is sober in spirit, they can discern this person's lifestyle. They can't keep it hidden forever (Nu 32:23). A person who is licentious thinks only of satisfying his lusts and whatever he touches is stained by his base appetites. Barclay - They perverted the grace of God into an excuse for blatant immorality. The Greek which we have translated blatant immorality is a grim and terrible word (aselgeia). The corresponding adjective is aselges. Most men try to hide their sin; they have enough respect for common decency not to wish to be found out. But the aselges is the man who is so lost to decency that he does not care who sees his sin. It is not that he arrogantly and proudly flaunts it; it is simply that he can publicly do the most shameless things, because he has ceased to care for decency at all. These men were undoubtedly tinged with Gnosticism (What is Christian Gnosticism) and its belief that, since the grace of God was wide enough to cover any sin, a man could sin as he liked. The more he sinned, the greater the grace, therefore, why worry about sin? Grace was being perverted into a justification for sin. (Jude - Barclay's Daily Study Bible) Deny (720)(arneomai from "a" = negation + rheo = say) literally means "to say no", to say one does not know about or is in any way related to some person or some thing. Webster says that to deny implies a firm refusal to accept as true, to grant or concede or to acknowledge the existence or claims of. The present tense depicts their denial as habitual. They were repeatedly denying, repudiating or disowning Jesus by words and by deeds (licentious lifestyle). They are reminiscent of the men Paul describes... They profess (present tense) to know God, but by their deeds they deny (present tense) Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed. (Titus 1:16-note). To Paul’s question, “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?” (Ro 6:1-note), these men would answer with a resounding, “Yes!” These ungodly persons wanted salvation without following the Savior who as Sovereign and Lord demands that we die to sin as we follow Him. They may have intellectually accepted Christ as Truth but they had never received Him into their heart as their Treasure. Impostors. Deceivers. Going from bad to worse. Deceiving and being themselves deceived (2Ti 3:13-note). O horrible sad state! Wuest on arneomai - It is used of followers of Jesus who, for fear of death or persecution, deny that Jesus is their Master, and desert His cause; also of those who deny God and Christ, who by cherishing and disseminating pernicious opinions and immorality, are adjudged to have apostatized from God and Christ (Thayer). Barclay - There is more than one way in which a man can deny Jesus Christ. (a) He can deny Him in the day of persecution. (b) He can deny Him for the sake of convenience. (c) He can deny Him by his life and conduct. (d) He can deny Him by developing false ideas about him. If these men were Gnostics, they would have two mistaken ideas about Jesus. First, since the body, being matter, was evil, they would hold that Jesus only seemed to have a body and was a kind of spirit ghost in the apparent shape of a man. The Greek for "to seem" is dokein (1380); and these men were called Docetists (see note). They would deny the real manhood of Jesus Christ. Second, they would deny his uniqueness. They believed that there were many stages between the evil matter of this world and the perfect spirit which is God; and they believed that Jesus was only one of the many stages on the way. No wonder Jude was alarmed. He was faced with a situation in which there had wormed their way into the church men who were twisting the grace of God into a justification, and even a reason, for sinning in the most blatant way; and who denied both the manhood and the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. (Jude - Barclay's Daily Study Bible) Master (1203)(despotes; English = despot) means one who possesses undisputed ownership and absolute, unrestricted authority, so that the Greeks refused the title to any but the gods. The despotes was one who has legal control and authority over persons, such as slaves. In the NT despotes and kurios are used interchangeably of God, and of masters of servants. In Greek culture and terminology, servant and despotes went together. The English word despot often congers up a negative image of one who exercises power tyrannically, harshly or abusively, but the Biblical uses do not convey such a connotation. Despotes is one who has legal control and authority over persons, such as subjects or slaves and was used especially as the ruler over a household. Lord (2962)(kurios from kuros = might or power) describes the supreme one, one who is sovereign and possesses absolute authority, absolute ownership and uncontested power. Kurios is used of the one (God) to Whom a person or thing belongs, about which He has the power of deciding. The construction our Master and Lord, Jesus Christ in v4 follows Granville Sharp’s rule. The construction strongly implies the deity of Christ. In sum, note the three reasons listed in this verse that deserve condemnation - ungodliness, licentiousness, and denial that Jesus is Master and Lord. How are you doing in these three areas, beloved? We all "wrestle" with each of these from time to time and in varying degrees, although clearly these attitudes and actions can never be a genuine believer's continual practice, for if that is the case, there is no evidence that he or she has the indwelling Holy Spirit (Who prompts holy impulses and "pushes against" unholiness), Who is given to all believers at the new birth. Ultimately "We can't (live holy)! He never said WE could. But He can and He always said HE would." ><>><>><> To Pray Or Prey - A local official sadly observed, “The place to pray has now become a place to prey—that’s P-R-E-Y.” When Jesus lived on earth, He said to the money changers in the temple, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves’” (Lk. 19:46). And Jude spoke of another kind of thievery. He referred to certain men in the church who had “crept in unnoticed” and were motivated by greed (Jude 1:4). Still today, dishonest and scheming men lurk within the church. They use their positions to prey on the unsuspecting with their false teaching. Jude exhorted believers to be strong in their faith so they could repel these “ungodly men” (Jude 1:4). We thank God for every born-again servant of the Lord who preaches the gospel and teaches the Word, and whose methods are consistent with His message. We must beware of “thieves and robbers,” however, who are more interested in preying on people than in praying for people. - Mart De Haan Leaders who talk but do not teach, Who fail to practice what they preach, Blind leaders of the blind are they, Causing the flock to go astray. —HGB Follow the leader who follows Christ. ><>><>><> Abusing Grace? - Paul said in Romans 5:20, “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” But that radical concept opens a theological floodgate. The biblical writer Jude warned that it is possible to “change the grace of our God into a license for immorality” (Jude 4 NIV). Why be good if you know you will be forgiven? Not even an emphasis on repentance erases this danger completely. In Romans 6, Paul spoke directly to the point. “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” He gave a short, explosive answer: “Certainly not!” (vv.1-2) and used an analogy that starkly contrasts death and life. “How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (v.2). No Christian resurrected to new life should be pining for sin. Yet wickedness does not always seem to have the stench of death about it. Sin can be downright appealing. Paul recognized this, so he advised: “Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord,” and “Do not let sin reign in your mortal body” (vv.11-12). If we truly grasped the wonder of God’s love for us, we would spend our days trying to fathom and share, not exploit, His grace. -By Philip Yancey I am unworthy to take of His grace, Wonderful grace so free; Yet Jesus suffered and died in my place Even for a soul like me. —Roth God does not save us by grace so that we may live in disgrace. —Faber ><>><>><> BEWARE! - When Secret Service agents train bank tellers to identify counterfeit bills, they show them both fake money and real money, and they study both. To detect a counterfeit problem, they must look for the differences in the genuine bill compared to the counterfeit—and not the similarities. In 1 John 2, the apostle John helps to protect believers from heresy by showing them examples of counterfeit Christians and teachers. One of the signs of the last days is the coming of antichrists (1 John 2:18). Antichrists are those who claim to have His power and authority but don’t, or those who reject and oppose Him and His teachings. John gave three marks of false teachers who are controlled by the spirit of the antichrists: They depart from the fellowship (v.19), they deny Jesus as the Messiah (v.22), and they draw the faithful away from Jesus (v.26). He encouraged believers to protect themselves against the spirit of the antichrists by depending on the indwelling presence of the Spirit, knowing the truth, and remaining in fellowship with Jesus. We can protect ourselves from error and deception by knowing the false but relying on the Truth—Jesus Christ. - Marvin Williams Beware: The devil may add a few grains of truth to what is false.