The Wolf
Alignment of the Apostles
Most of you have likely picked up on my recent obsession with the book of Jude. If it has been a while since you last read Jude, I encourage you to do so now, and as you read, compare what Jude is saying to what you see in western society today. Jude is a mere 25 verses in length, but 10 miles deep in prophetic impact and reality forecasting.
But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.
– Jude 1:17–19, ESV
It seems clear that Jude had been communicating with Peter, possibly even quoting him, or that the Holy Spirit was driving them both down the same analytical highway, because Peter uses near-identical language to say “that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts.”¹ Peter continues, describing the lusts of those mockers and scoffers in this way:
They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
– 2 Peter 3:4–7, ESV
While Peter focuses on the scoffers’ deliberate ignorance and ultimate outcome, Jude zeroes in on their character. Jude describes the degraded core of the Spiritless, saying they “separate themselves.” They draw boundaries, “us and them,” causing divisions and factions rather than unity. The apostle John says, “they went out from us.”² Remember also the stern warning from the apostle Paul to the Elders of the church at Ephesus:
I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
– Acts 20:29–30, ESV
The Carnal Judgement
The warning Paul gave to Ephesus describes uninhibited infestation of raging wolves devouring the western church today. This is the same distinction Paul draws in his letter to the church in Corinth where he distinguishes the spiritual man from the carnal man.
The unspiritual man rejects the things of the Spirit of God, and cannot attain to the knowledge of them, because they are spiritually judged.
– 1 Corinthians 2:14, WNT
In one sentence, Paul has outlined why it is laughably absurd for the world to be telling the body of Christ what a Christian values and how a Christian behaves. They haven’t a clue!! These are people driven by their own fleshly lusts and impulsions. We are driven by the Holy Spirit of God Almighty.
James describes the carnal population as “earthly, sensual and demonic!”³ That is exceedingly strong language. Jesus had something to say about this as well.
Jesus Weighs In
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.
– John 3:19–21, ESV
Do not miss the strength of what Jesus is saying here. The world loves the darkness. They revel in it cherish it, worship it, roll in it, and celebrate it. They drink it in and vomit it wide for all to see, some with celebration and others with disgust. They are passionate after the darkness. You see it just as I do. And the world equally hates the light. You see that as well.
Do not allow these godless, Spiritless men and women define who you are or how you are to live. They will try. They will press you, shame you, ridicule you, and legislate against you. Stand firm. You have the Spirit of God within.
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
– Romans 8:9, ESV
Blessings upon you, my friends.
Victoriously in Christ!
– damon
DamonJGray.org
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1. 2 Peter 3:3
2. 1 John 2:19
3. James 3:15
