Jude 1:17-19

Apostasy Described

Jude pleaded with the faithful Christians to remember the teachings of the apostles. Jesus had said those men would relate all of His teachings and commandments (verse 17; Matthew 28:18-20; John 16:12-15). The apostles had foretold the coming of men who would mock the truth. Jude saw them as men who would not be pious. Instead, Jude said they were only seeking to fulfill their own fleshly desires. They, according to Jude, made a joke out of Christ's teachings, especially concerning His second coming (Judges 1:18; 2 Peter 3:1-3).

The false teachers of whom Jude told were men who drew lines of separation. They caused Christians to be pitted against one another. Woods says the word here translated "sensual" is translated "natural" in 1 Corinthians 2:14. Man is composed of three things -- body, soul and spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:23). To pursue the natural would be to fulfill the soul's desires while rejecting the spirit. Thereby, one would be disallowing closeness to God. This is true because true worshippers of God must worship in spirit and in truth (Judges 1:19; John 4:24).