One of the reasons for caution is found in Jude 1:14–15: be on your guard because the false teachers are facing God’s judgment. By listening to them you are listening to people that will spend eternity in the gloom of utter darkness. Are they really the kind of people from whom you want advice?
Jude’s quote from Enoch is quite clear, even though it is somewhat puzzling as to why he did not refer to a passage from the Old Testament itself. Suffice to say, Jude considered these words to be a true and faithful summary of what Scripture teaches: God will come to execute judgment on the ungodly. In contrast with those who claim that love wins and everyone’s sins will ultimately be forgiven, there will be a judgment. False teachers will be held accountable for their lies and their conduct. They will come under the righteous judgment of a righteous God.
Prophets who claim to have phone calls with God, apostles who spray people with insecticide like Doom, preachers who never have enough wealth and riches, pastors who use their office to abuse church members, professors who undermine confidence in God’s Word, bishops who affirm what God prohibits—God will not leave these people unpunished. He cares about his church, he cares about his people. False teachers will be held to account not only for their own sins and failures, but especially for the way in which they have misled others.
Remember Jesus’ words which he spoke to his disciples as they were travelling toward Jerusalem: Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea
(Mark 9:42). Woe to those indeed who pervert the gospel and lead God’s people astray. It is no wonder that James warns people who seek to become teachers that they must be careful because those who teach will be judged with greater strictness (James 3:1).
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news of salvation from God’s wrath for all those who believe. Even false teachers can escape judgment if they repent of their sin and trust in Christ. His death was sufficient to pay for their sins just as it has paid for yours and mine. But if there is no repentance there is no forgiveness. Then the only prospect for the future is a punishment of eternal fire. Knowing this to be true, we can appreciate why Jude is so adamant that we must not be taken in by these false teachers. They will face God’s judgment and if we follow their example and hold on to their teaching, then we will end up just like them.
14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones,