False Teachers and Knowledge

Jude, in his expose of false teachers, speaks of those who “revile things which they do not understand” (Jude 10).

Schreiner comments:

The intruders believed they understood heavenly things, but they were far out of their depth. The one thing they did understand, however, was the power of physical appetites. Their physical desires urged them on daily, and like irrational animals they were driven by sexual instinct rather than reason. Jude’s language is highly ironic here, for presumably the intruders claimed a knowledge of heavenly matters, but their comprehension of truth did not exceed that of animals (NAC, p. 461).

I have been asked before, “Do false teachers know what they are doing?'” The answer, in most cases, seems to be, “No.” They genuinely think they are right. But their rejection of divine authority (cf. Jude 8) means that they have separated themselves from the only source of true knowledge. Their only option is to live by instinct, like animals, and by that they are destroyed.

As teachers, it should be a fearful and humbling task to stand and declare what God has said. It is not a task to be taken lightly.

Being sincere is no substitute for being right. Living by your instincts is no match for living by revelation. Thinking you are right will not make you right.

James reminds us, “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment” (James 3:1).