MOCKERS IN THE LAST TIME

Jude 17-19 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; how that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

From the beginning of time, through all ages, to the present day, and through all ages to come, ungodly men - those that deny God, and His Son Jesus Christ,by the things they say and do, will be found throughout the earth, even within the church of Christ. Christians are assured, as long and the influence of Satan fills the hearts of ungodly men and women, there will be false teachers in our presence that will deceive the hearts of all that unwittingly follow after their sinful, pernicious ways. In numerous places throughout the word of God, Jesus and His apostles warn of such ungodly men. By inspiration, the entire epistle of Jude was written as a warning for all Christians to beware of false teachers, that invade the body of Christ with their deceitful, self-satisfying doctrines, that are contrary to the will of God.

Jude tells us that even the patriarch, Enoch, gave such warning to God's children (Jude 14-16). No doubt this teaching was handed down by tradition, but we know it to be true because the inspired Jude reveals it to us. We know that Enoch pleased God by his faithfulness (Heb. 11:5). Jude quotes his prophecy. Ungodly men will commit ungodly deeds, and will teach ungodliness against the will of God, for their own personal and lustful gain. Here, these covetous, ungodly men are described as murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage (Jude 16).

Lest we forget, Christians, for as long as they inhabit the earth, must remember that they are living amongst false teachers that, if allowed to do so, will teach error straight from the mind of Satan. We have been warned by prophets of old, by Christ, Himself, as well as His apostles during their ministry in the first century, by many inspired writers of the New Testament, and by righteous gospel preachers of the present, that this is so. It is a rather lengthy quotation, but Peter assures us of this fact: This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior: knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation (2 Pet. 3:1-4).

Regardless of what era they appear, the apostle, Paul, says that such false teachers will lie in wait to deceive (Eph. 4:14), they will pervert the gospel of Christ (Gal. 1:7), and their selfish desire is to serve their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple (Rom. 16:18). Paul describes these ungodly men as proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness. Paul closes this teaching with this warning: from such withdraw thyself (See 1 Tim. 6:3-5).

The final verse of the lesson text tells us this about such ungodly false teachers: These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. They separate themselves from the unified, scriptural efforts of the body of Christ, and they initiate ungodly doctrines designed to satisfy their own sensual passions and appetites. In doing so, they, as well as all others that follow their teaching, separate themselves from God, from His Son, Jesus Christ, and from the Holy Spirit inspired gospel message of eternal salvation, for which Jesus died to establish. When this separation occurs within a congregation of God's people, Satan wins and the cause of the Savior loses its sin-cleansing, soul-saving ability for all, that depart from the Spirit of God, and His Son Jesus Christ. Of those that teach or follow such ungodly doctrines of the world, the apostle Paul wrote this: Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His (Rom. 8:9b). Jesus rejects, condemns, and allows Satan to take possession of all that fail to accept His gospel message of salvation. How sad it is to see those that follow false teachers knowing what awaits them on Judgment Day.