Since the false teachers do not have the Spirit, they are also the source of division. They do not recognise Christ as King so they do not want to follow him. That is why they have no qualms about twisting and changing the Bible to accommodate the culture. Whether it is adapting the Christian faith to the traditional African, European, or Asian worldview or legitimising same-sex relationships—division comes when God’s Word is changed to keep up with the times.
Now we might be tempted to think that all those who go along with false teaching are unbelievers who have no concern for God, but we should be careful to do so. There are true Christians in false churches too. From Jude’s letter it seems as if there is a group of believers who go along with the false teaching and yet they do belong to God. In Jude 1:22 we are told to have mercy on those who doubt and save others by snatching them from the fire. Amongst those who mix Christianity with traditional religion or bow to the cultural forces of our day, amongst them there are two groups: those leading people into sin and believers who are caught up in it.
We cannot say of any individual what the status of his or her heart is, only God knows. We are to leave judgment to him even as we call on believers to leave those gatherings. But equally important, just because some believers get taken in by a false gospel does not mean that all who hold to it must be regarded as brothers and sisters simply because they claim to be Christians. The problem of unbelievers holding teaching positions is not a theory but a reality in our day and age.
19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.