1. They speak evil of whatever they do not know. That’s an odd statement, but with only a little reflection we can remember people in our own day who have done the same. These are the ones who write off the Christian faith because of its seeming absurdities and inconsistencies and hypocritical members… but they have never tried Christ themselves. Authorities on the unknowns of life. Ridiculously proud people. Mocking those who believe in a “Holy Spirit” and a life to come and being born again. These are totally carnal men who have had no glimpses into the realities of Heaven. Men that need to be avoided at all costs.
2. In the things they do know, they have become corrupt. They walk in the flesh, they know things “naturally”, that is, by their own fallen nature they are able to grasp the delights of things they can see and feel and taste. Jude compares them to animals. Body and soul they have but the spirit in them is dead. Knowing only flesh, they are never satisfied with the flesh and corrupt themselves by exploring more and more possibilities of mental and physical pleasures. How in the world did they “creep” into the church and gain such acceptance? By appealing to the fleshly ways of some of the truly born again but not very mature saints, of which every church has its supply.

And, Three Old Testament comparisons, vs 11, are three further identifiers of these evil men.

3. They are like Cain. Followers of Cain are these evil men. We assume that Jude is not speaking here of murder, though Cain did go that far. Rather, these are men whose offering to God is simply not acceptable. These are men who, when rebuked by God’s men, find ways to get even rather than ways to get right with God. We can imagine them stirring up entire congregations and causing them to take sides. The flesh in the church begins to respond to the flesh that has “crept in”, partly because of that welcoming party of fleshly people. And so they come in, and begin to act out and speak out about things that bother them in the church. The elders warn them. They are not intimidated, but rather seek out ways to retaliate for the hurt to their egos. The battle rages on, with the immature joining in behind them. Next, probably, church split.

4. They are like Balaam. Slowly some of these fleshly men become teachers, recognizing that the people of God are a generous lot, and will gladly fork over offerings to entertaining speakers. Sound familiar? Oh, the sheep are often ready to go astray for a while when some new and promising voice arises. The profit motive begins to consume these men, while the sheep think they are motivated prophets of God. Would that the book of Jude could be held up in Wetsern congregations, where the leaches are everywhere.

5. They are like Korah. The rebel. You remember him. He thought he could do it better. He thought the man of God had no right to be usurping authority over a whole nation. He had not heard from God and he assumed no one had. The Korah-ites are with us today also. Critical. Ready to condemn. Looking for faults. And offering themselves as replacements. No clue about the order God has put in place in the church. Wanting a new order. Down with pastors. They have failed us. Let’s start from scratch, with the new breed of leaders in charge. Oh, it’s out there. God help pastors to be strong in this age of deception