Angels, biblically speaking, are mediators of God's law.
! Acts 7 verse 53 refers to the received law,
! That was given through angels.
So anybody can tell you that there cannot be two captains of the same ship.
There cannot be two supreme commanders of the same army.
Jesus himself says in Matthew 6, 24,
No one can serve two masters,
for either he will hate the one and love the other,
or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God in money.
So these false teachers are teaching against the law given by the angels from God
because they want their authority to reign,
their dreams to dictate the will of their followers.
Essentially, they want to dethrone God and rule in his stead.
And their followers are people from within the church
who have been duped by these dreamers.
And that should serve as a warning to all of us.
When you have anyone approach you saying,
I have had a prophetic dream or God told me something,
you should immediately be cautious and on guard,
regardless of whether they're a cessationist or a continuationist, right?
And the way to test them is to see what they are saying is in accordance with Scripture.
We know that from texts like Deuteronomy 18, 20 through 22,
or Acts 17, 11.
So, for example, if they dream a dream and they say to you that in that dream,
someone told me, God is love.
And then you search the Scriptures and you find 1 John 4, 8,
which says, God is love.
Well, you can be okay with that dream.
But for me, you know, as a cautious cessationist,
I would tell that person, you know, congrats.
You just had an unnecessary dream.
And if you spent less time sleeping and got up in the morning to read your Bible,
you could have figured that out a long time ago.
But that's just my opinion.
But all joking aside, whether you are a cessationist or a continuationist,
you should always go to Scripture as the sole authority,
regardless of what some dreamer says.
Authority is never innate to any individual,
but is exclusively the claim of God and His Word.
And that serves any Christian's authority.
That is the guidestone.
That is the plumb line.
That and that alone.
And to illustrate this understanding of God being the sole authority,
Jude gives us another interesting reference in verse 9.
This reference does not come from the Old Testament or the New Testament.
Rather, it comes from a document known as the Testament of Moses
or the Assumption of Moses.
Although they may have been the same document,
scholars aren't sure, and for a load of reasons,
we won't get into this today.
But essentially, this is a story
in which the devil comes to claim the body of Moses
on account of the fact that Moses murdered an Egyptian,
which we know Moses actually did murder.
We know that from the book of Exodus.
But in this extra-biblical story,
Moses is about to be honorably buried by the archangel Michael.
But the devil comes along accusing him,
saying, no, he doesn't deserve an honorable burial.
He's a murderer.
And so that's the background to this story.
They're arguing over where he deserves to be buried.
But here, the point Jude wants to make
isn't about this debate necessarily,
but we see in the second half of verse 9
that the archangel Michael says,
or he says of Michael,
that he did not presume to pronounce
a blasphemous judgment in response to the devil.
But what did he say?
He said, quote,
the Lord rebuke you.
So contrary to the rebellious angels from last week
who left their proper dwelling in verse 6
and made judgments for themselves,
the archangel Michael knows his place
and he knows it is under the authority of God.
Michael knows that God is,
as James 4.12 says,
the one lawgiver and one judge of the universe.
Who is Michael that he could condemn the devil or any sinner?
That is God's role alone
and God will execute his judgment in the end of days.
So Michael says,
the Lord rebuke you.
It's the Lord who has this authority,
who has this position,
and he will do it.
So we should be like Michael.
We should know our place and stay there
when it comes to the kingdom of God.
We have no other authority
and we have no power of our own.
So the authority of these false teachers
is inherently self-serving.
It is an attempt to justify their lifestyles
and to teach it to others,
to have influential control over others.
In short, their authority is one of their own making
and it's not real.
And in verse 10,
we see their understanding
and Jude is contrasting it with Michael.
So this is the second part of our outline.
Number two,
the false teacher's understanding.
He goes on to say in comparison to Michael,
but these people,
these people blaspheme all that they do not understand
and they are destroyed by all that they,
like unreasoning animals,
understand instinctively.
So Michael does not blaspheme the devil
because he knows his place,
but these people blaspheme.
Blaspheme meaning to speak evil against
or to accuse.
And what do these false teachers blaspheme?
Well, Jude says everything they do not understand.
So we can guess with good authority
that they don't understand God.
They don't understand God's word.
Romans 3, 10 through 11,
Paul says,
no one is righteous,
no not one,
no one understands,
no one seeks for God.
He puts it more pointedly in 1 Corinthians 2, 14.
He says,
but a natural man does not accept
the things of the spirit of God,
for they are foolishness to him
and he cannot understand them
because they are spiritually appraised.
And we see this kind of language
all throughout the Bible.
These teachers,
these false teachers,
they blaspheme everything
that is good,
honorable,
and praiseworthy,
chiefly God himself.
But Jude goes on to say
what they do understand,
and he says it will destroy them.
What is it that they understand?
Everything that unreasoning animals
would understand instinctively.
Recognize that Jude is employing
typical Greco-Roman trash talk.
He is mocking them.
Every animal does three things essentially,
sleeps, eats, and reproduces.
They do not think,
nor do they weigh issues.
They just do,
and do for themselves.
What a fitting comparison
to the false teacher.
All they know is what their flesh desires,
and they chase it.
They are,
as Paul says in Romans 6,
slaves to sin.
And I want to make a quick aside here
that I think is pertinent
to Jude's comments here.
I think it's okay,
or even biblical,
to mock false teachers
if done rightly.
Okay, last week we talked about
how we ought not to be like the Pharisee
who mocks the tax collector
praying aloud,
God, I thank you
that I'm not like this tax collector
in Luke 18.11.
The Pharisee in that story
is in the wrong on multiple fronts.
He is depending on his own
self-righteousness for salvation.
That's problem number one.
Problem number two,
he's denying the grace of God
and the life of that tax collector
who is literally in the midst
in verse 13
of praying for mercy.
And most importantly
for what we're discussing,
or I don't want to qualify that,
for what we're discussing,
this Pharisee did not mock
the tax collector
out of a pleading
for this tax collector to repent.
I want to repeat that.
This Pharisee didn't mock
the tax collector
out of a pleading
for this tax collector
to repent.
His motive and his mindset
were wrong.
So in other words,
when and if we mock
false teachers,
it should be motivated
by a desire
to have them see
the crazy and utter foolishness
of their way.
This mocking should be
a zealous pleading
for them to repent
and believe.
Not a put-down,
but a pleading,
like listen to reason.
And it can also come
from a motive
to protect the flock,
right?
You might say to yourself,
I'm going to mock
this absurd teaching
and this teacher
so as to sober up
the sheep
whom God has entrusted
to me
to keep them
from the error
of that way.
And frankly,
you see this type of mocking
all throughout
the Bible.
Jude does it here,
calling his false teachers
unreasoning animals
to make a point
that sticks.
Likewise,
Paul,
in his letter
to the Galatians,
he addresses heretics
who taught
that we are saved
by Christ
and circumcision,
right?
Works.
And he mocks them
over and over again
in his letter
and he says,
rather wittingly,
he says in Galatians 5.12,
I wish they would go
the whole way
and emasculate themselves.
That's a clever way
of saying circumcision
is worthless
for salvation
and I hope that
in your teaching
you never reproduce
disciples
who follow your heresy.
And if this idea
of mocking
is new to you
or concerning,
I would encourage you
to spend time
in the prophets
who do this a lot.
I would especially
point you to
Matthew 23
where Jesus gives
his seven woes
discourse to the Pharisees
and in there
Jesus says some
really hard things
in witty
and mocking ways.
But when you read
the whole discourse
it ends with Jesus
saying these words.
He says in Matthew 23
37,
O Jerusalem,
Jerusalem,
the city that
kills the prophets
and stones
those who sent it.
How often would I
have gathered
your children together
as a hen
gathers her brood
under her wings
and you were not willing.
So Jesus desired
to save Israel,
to gather them all
under his wings
and protect them
but they were not
willing.
So even in the mockery,
even in calling out
foolishness
what it is,
foolishness,
Jesus is working
to protect the flock,
the elect,
to secure them
in the way
that they should go
and to call sinners
to repentance
in faith.
So feel the freedom
to employ
this kind of rhetoric
but do so
carefully.
If you are unsure
where the lines
are with this
then you're better off
avoiding it altogether.
It takes a great deal
of sobriety,
wisdom,
and love
to use this rhetoric
in a way
that is God honoring.
But Jude goes on
in verse 11.
He wants to show us
three more
Old Testament types
that characterize
false teachers.
So this is part three
of our outline.
Three Old Testament types
that characterize
false teachers.
He says,
Woe to them
for they walked
in the way of Cain
and abandoned themselves
for the sake of gain
to Balaam's error
and perished
in Korah's rebellion.
So Jude expresses
divine judgment
on these false teachers.
He says,
Woe to them.
A phrase which literally
carries the idea
of damn them
to hell
but it also carries
a connotation
of grief
or sorrow
for the guilty.
Jude is saying
they will go to hell
and I tremble
for them.
He's concerned
for them.
And then he charges
them with having
quote,
walked in the way
of Cain
and let me remind you
from last week
you need to know
your Old Testaments
well.
In Genesis 4,
Adam and Eve
have two sons
after the fall,
Cain and Abel.
After they both
make offerings
to God,
God lets it be known
that he accepts
Abel's offering
and rejects
Cain's offering.
Genesis never
explains why
but the main
thrust of the story
is about Cain's
response
to the situation.
After being angry
and being confronted
by God,
Cain murders
Abel
in a rage
of some kind.
Now think about that.
Two brothers
who are supposedly
worshipping God
together,
making sacrifices
and all of a sudden
Cain is murdering
Abel.
And so this is
a story about
persecution
within the faith
from professing
believers.
And in Jewish
literature
that writes
about Cain
which we know
Jude is very
familiar with,
Cain becomes
an archetype,
a character
of sin.
He's the great
teacher,
the great sinner
in Jewish
thought.
No one is worse
than Cain
to the Jew.
And so Jude's
accusation
is that these
false teachers
are hurting
the true believers
with their
disobedience
and teaching.
His accusation
is that
they are not only
guilty of this
once but are
walking
in this way.
A well-known
expression in the
Bible.
It carries the
idea of one
who is constantly
doing something
and seeking to
practice it
or improve it.
They want to get
better at it.
So like Cain
they are harmful
to the true church
and they share
the motivation
of Balaam.
They are who
they are
and do what
they do
verse 11
for the sake
of gain.
So in Numbers
chapter 22
through 24
we read about
the pagan
king Balak
who wanted
his pagan
prophet Balaam
to curse
Israel.
So Balaam
promised Balaam
by saying
quote
I will reward
you richly
in Numbers
24
11.
So Jude's
accusation
of the false
teachers
in the church
is that they
are seeking
financial gain.
They are taking
advantage
of the church
and so
they will
perish
like Korah
and those
who followed
him
in his
rebellion.
Now again
in Jewish
thought
Korah
was the
classic
example
of
antinomian
heresy
the idea
that God's
law
has no
bearing
on us
and we
can do
what we
want
live
how we
want.
In Numbers
16
is where
we read
about
Korah's
rebellion.
Korah
was known
for contending
with Moses
and Aaron.
We know
that from
the narrative
we know
that from
a description
given
in Numbers
26
9.
He embodies
a disgruntled
person.
It says
in Numbers
16
11
that he
was a
grumbler.
And upon
leading
250 other
men
and their
families
against
Moses
and Aaron
God
opens up
the ground
to send
them all
to Sheol
as a
punishment
for their
rebellion
divine
judgment
on the
apostate
once
again.
So you
might have
noticed
these three
names are
out of
chronological
order.
Chronologically
it should
have been
Cain,
Korah,
and Balaam.
But I
think Jude
rearranges
the order
to highlight
judgment
again as
an ending
for all
such
people.
These
people are
characterized
by anger,
murder,
greed,
grumbling
in a spirit
of rebellion.
and that
is who
they are
and they
walk in
that way.
They
practice
such
things.
And so
they pose
a great
threat to
the true
church.
This leads
us to the
next part
of our
outline,
part four,
the threat
of false
teachers.
Jude goes
on and he
says,
these are
hidden
reefs
at your
love feasts
as they
feast with
you without
fear.
So perhaps
you've noticed
by now in
Jude's
epistle,
that he
constantly
refers to
false
teachers
as
these.
He's
creating
distance
between
their
way
of
life
as
opposed
to
the
way
of
life
for
the
true
believer.
And here
we see
that their
way of
life
poses a
great
danger
to
the
church.
So the
love feast
that he
speaks of
is the
Lord's
supper.
That's
what early
Christians
called it,
the taking
of the
cup
and the
bread.
Now
theologically
this is
significant
because
this
ordinance
of the
church
calls
to
mind
Christ's
sacrificial
death
to
pardon
the
sins
of
the
elect.
The
cup
is
the
wrath
of
God,
the
wine
or
the
juice
is
the
blood
of
Christ
and
the
bread
is
Christ's
body.
So these
false
teachers
are partaking
of the
Lord's
supper
which is
blasphemy
because
they are
by
definition
not
in
Christ.
By
partaking
in the
cup
and the
bread
are
signaling
to the
world
and to
the
church
that they
believe
their sins
are forgiven
in Christ
but that is
only true
for those
who have
repented
and
believes
which these
false
teachers
have not
done
and so
they lie
when they
partake
in the
Lord's
supper.
And
significantly
too
in the
Greco-Roman
world
banqueting
with people
was a
social
institution
and it
was one
that
signaled
to the
world
at large
that you
identify
with these
people.
A way
of saying
we
are
one.
In
other
words
when these
false
teachers
banquet
with the
church
they are
falsely
signaling
that they
are one
in the
same
when nothing
could be
further
from the
truth.
And this
is why
Jude in
verse 12
calls them
hidden
reefs.
The
metaphor
is that
the
church
is the
ship
in the
sea
and if
that
ship
comes
into
contact
with
a
hidden
reef
then it
will be
stuck
or worse
it
will
sink
there
will
be
a
hole
punctured
and
people
will
die.
So
Jude's
point
is that
they
will
destroy
the
church
not
eternally
but
in
this
life
if
they
are
allowed
to
continue
participating
in
the
Lord's
Supper
and the
activities
of the
church.
They
will
distort
the
witness
of
the
church
the
purity
of
the
church
and
the
identity
of
the
church.
So
what
do
they
do
then?
What
do
they
produce?
And
the
short
answer
is
nothing
short
of
wickedness
and
worthlessness.
So
this
leads us
to
number
five
the
produce
of
false
teachers.
Looking at
the second
half
of
verse
12
Jude
tells us
the
produce
of
false
teachers.
He says
that
these
false
teachers
are
shepherds
feeding
themselves.
Waterless
clouds
swept
along
by
winds.
Fruitless
trees
in late
autumn
twice
dead
uprooted
wild
waves
of
the
sea
casting
up
the
foam
of
their
own
shame
wandering
stars
for whom
the gloom
of utter
darkness
has been
reserved
forever.
So they
take care
of no
one
but
themselves.
They
feed
themselves.
They
cannot
give
water
to
anything
to
make
it
grow.
They
are
waterless
clouds.
They
themselves
are on
unstable
ground
being
swept
away
by
wind,
a
common
imagery
expressing
their
instability
and
lack
of
security.
They
are
good
for
nothing
just
as a
tree
that
bears
no
fruit
is
good
for
nothing.
That
sounds
like
Jesus
in the
Sermon
on
the
Mount.
And
these
trees
are
twice
dead
because
they
died
in
sin
like
all
of
us
but
also
because
upon
hearing
the
gospel
they
rejected
it
for
a
gospel
of
their
own
making.
Jesus
might
have
said
it
this
way
as
he
did
to
the
Pharisees
in
Matthew
23
he
might
have
said
twice
a
child
of
hell.
And
in
their
lawlessness
the
only
thing
that
shows
up
is
their
own
shame
because
they
are
shameless
in
pursuing
their
ungodly
lifestyle.
It
foams
up like
the
ocean.
You
will
notice
it.
And
they
are
wandering
stars.
Again
a common
expression
that
indicates
they
deviate
greatly
from
the
truth.
And
for
all
this
because
they
seek
sin
in
their
own
flesh
and
justify
it
they
will
perish
for
eternity
in
the
gloom
of
utter
darkness
better
known
as
hell.
So
they
are
good
for
nothing
when
it
comes
to
the
church.
They
can
and
only
will
harm
the
church.
And
I
have
to
tell
you
I
get
so
tired
when
I
hear
Christians
say
oh
I
know
this
preacher
or
this
song
is
heretical
but
I
just
love
the
way
it
makes
me
feel
or
I
have
my
own
understanding
of
what
they
mean
and
it
makes
me
love
God
more.
The
Bible
just
speaks
so
differently
from
this.
Jude
would
rebuke
that
person
and tell
them
have
nothing
to
do
with
some
worthless
fruitless
dangerous
teaching
and
teacher.
That
heretical
song
or
preacher
does
make
them
love
God
more
but
not
the
God
of
the
Bible
rather
a
God
of
their
own
making.
These
are
idolaters
who
tolerate
such
teachings
and
teachers.
Now
in the
Sermon on
the
Mount
Jesus
says
what
happens
to
bad
trees
that
bear
bad
fruit.
He
says
in
Matthew
7
19
every
tree
that
does
not
bear
good
fruit
is
cut
down
and
thrown
into
the
fire.
So
Jude
following
his
master's
teachings
echoes
this.
This
leads
us
to
the
sixth
point
of
our
outline
!
The
judgment
on
false
teachers.
So
looking
at
verse
14
Jude
writes
it
was
also
about
these
that
Enoch
the
seventh
from
Adam
prophesied
saying
behold
the
Lord
comes
with
ten
thousand
of
his
holy
ones
to
execute
judgment
on
all
and
to
convict
all
the
ungodly
of
all
their
deeds
of
ungodliness
that
they
have
committed
in
such
an
ungodly
way
and
of
all
the
harsh
things
that
ungodly
sinners
have
spoken
against
him.
So
here
Jude
explicitly
quotes
1
Enoch
1
9
if
you
missed
the
sermon
last
week
go and
listen
to
a
recording
for an
explanation
of how
that is
so
but
just
to
reiterate
1
Enoch
is not
canonical
scripture
but
notice
everything
in this
quotation
can be
traced
to
biblical
texts
we
know
that
Jesus
will
return
with
his
angels
to
judge
the
wicked
and
to
destroy
them
revelations
19
15
talking
about
Jesus
return
says
this
from
Jesus
mouth
comes
a
sharp
sword
with
which
to
strike
down
the
nations
and
he
will
rule
them
with
a
rod
of
iron
he
will
tread
the
wine
press
of
the
fury
of
the
wrath
of
God
the
almighty
so
that
phrase
about
the
wine
press
being
another
greco-roman
expression
that
pictures
Christ
crushing
the
skulls
of
his
enemies
and
so
I
think
Jude
is
quoting
first
Enoch
because
this
quote
captures
true
doctrine
in
the
Bible
but
also
because
this
quote
emphasizes
the
ungodliness
of
false
teachers
that
term
is
used
four
times
in
this
quote
ungodly
just
lost
everything
here we
go
sorry
so
ungodly
and ungodly
and
Christ
is not
coming
to
convict
them
in the
sense
of
making
them
sorrowful
over
their
sin
or
to
lead
them
to
repentance
no
when
Christ
returns
the
time
is
up
the
word
convict
in this
context
is
referring
to
finding
them
guilty
in a
court
of
law
so
this
whole
quote
is
judgment
language
Jude
is
not
afraid
to
repeat
this
over
and
over
and
over
again
throughout
his
letter
these
apostate
heretics
will
go to
hell
for
all
eternity
apart
from
repentance
and
faith
in
Christ
and
that
is
a
sober
truth
a
sober
reality
that
we
need
to
be
thinking
about
and
finally
part
seven
of our
outline
the
speech
of
false
teachers
verse
sixteen
he
says
these
are
grumblers
malcontents
following
their own
sinful
desires
they
are
loud
mouth
boasters
showing
favoritism
to
gain
advantage
so
these
are
grumblers
doesn't
that
sound
like
Balaam
or
Korah
or
the
rest
of
the
exodus
generation
that
perished
in
the
wilderness
always
griping
always
having
a
bone
to
pick
busy
bodies
quarreling
types
and
I pray
we
never
behave
in
such
a
way
they
grumble
because
they
are
male
content
nothing
will
ever
please
them
in
all
this
they
are
merely
pursuing
the
desires
of
the
flesh
again
they
are
slaves
to
sin
as
Paul
says
in
Romans
6
and
you
can
always
hear
a
false
teacher
because
they
are
loud
mouth
boasters
because
they
are
so
bent
on
making
a
god
of
their
own
making
what
always
happens
inevitably
is
that
their
god
ends
up
being
made
in
their
image
their
god
looks
!
like
them
and
they
cannot
help
but
boast
loudly
about
themselves
because
ultimately
in
their
mind
and
their
theology
and
their
gospel
they
are
god
and
that
is
so
contrary
to the
true
believer
who
as
Paul
says
boasts
only
in
the
Lord
1
Corinthians
1
31
and
we
see
the
motive
behind
their
speech
is
to
gain
advantage
so
hear
this
be
aware
of
this
they
will
flatter
you
they
might
tell
you
how
wonderful
you
are
they
may
say
things
like
the
cross
reveals
your
worth
because
they
know
that's
a
message
that
appeals
that
itches
the
ear
and
no
question
they
will
show
you
favoritism
they
will
be
really
nice
but
it
isn't
for
you
and
it
certainly
isn't
for
God
it
is
for
their
advantage
so
in
closing
and
I
know
I'm
going
long
today
so
I'm
going
make
this
quick
but
in
closing
I
just
want
to
offer
one
application
next
week
we're
going
to
think
about
this
text
more
in
relation
to
next
week's
text
but
I
think
this
is
fitting
for
today
so
just
one
application
know
and
name
false
teachers
for
what
they
are
now
when
I
say
that
I
do
not
mean
spend
the rest
of your
life
studying
cults
and
following
a bunch
of
heretics
on
Twitter
or
some
other
thing
like
that
to
maybe
help
illustrate
what
I
am
trying
to
say
I
to
judge
how
could
I
know
his
heart
and
they
will
speculate
and
they'll
say
something
like
for
all
we
know
Joel
Osteen
is
a
believer
and
just
confused
or
caught
up
in
the
money
and
at
first
you
might
think
well
that
sounds
humble
or
wise
or
kind
since
that
person
is
assuming
the
best
but
I
am
telling
you
it
is
ignorant
it
is
unloving
and
it
is
sinful
throughout
the
bible
false
teachers
are
named
take
your
pick
the
pharisees
the
sadducees
corah
king
saul
hymen
a
and
a
and
a
and
first
timothy
and
so
many
others
we
do
a
disservice
to
our
true
brothers
and
sisters
in
the
faith
when
we
acknowledge
in a
positive
way
these
types
of
teachers
these
wolves
in
sheep's
clothing
who
desire
to
tear
us
apart
and
maybe
even
more
importantly
we
do
a
disservice
to
the
false
teacher
by
leaving
them
in
their
own
blindness
so
i
mentioned
joel
olstein
a
minute
ago
i
have
a
hundred
percent
certainty
that
he
is
a
false
teacher
because
jesus
tells
us
we
will
know
them
by
their
fruit
matthew
7
20
the
fruit
of
joel
olstein
only
feeds
him
he
exploits
the
gospel
to
dupe
the
ignorant
into
giving
him
all
kinds
of
money
he
is
a
predator
and
he
teaches
heresies
like
the
idea
that
jesus
is
not
the
only
way
to
heaven
that's
something
he
will
tell
you
and
jesus
would
be
shocked
to
learn
that
jesus
taught
quote
that
no
one
comes
to
the
father
except
through
me
in
john
14
6
and
i
could
go
on
with
a
list
of
heresies
that
man
alone
is
responsible
for
i
could
go
on
with
a
list
of
others
like
him
but
to
be
clear
i'm
not
being
a
jerk
for
saying
that
or
for
calling
that
out
what
i'm
doing
is
loving
because
it
is
a
pleading
for
him
as
well
as
anyone
like
him
to
repent
and
believe
in
the
true
gospel
so
i
don't
know
about
everybody
here
but
i
am
so
thankful
that
god
addresses
false
teaching
in
the
bible
over
and
over
again
such
grace
and
such
love
that
opportunity
upon
opportunity
to
repent
and
to
understand
are
given
and
furthermore
what a
testimony
to me
and all
of us
as we
read
scripture
to see
the
consistent
message
of the
cross
be
reiterated
against
every
false
idea
and
in
that
exchange
whenever
there's
this
confrontation
in the
bible
of what
the
gospel
is
and
isn't
it
brings
clarity
for us
to know
exactly
what
we
are
professing
frankly
i
personally
probably
would
have
fallen
into
the
works
based
mentality
of
the
pharisees
a
long
time
ago
if
it were
not
for
christ
himself
denouncing
their
teachings
as
blasphemy
in the
gospels
and he
does so
in the
clearest
and starkest
terms
it sobers
me up
it wakes
me up
so again
that christ
loves his
church
and desires
more to be
saved
that he
is willing
to have
hard
conversations
to name
names
to correct
and rebuke
and when
he
wills
it
to
reconcile
praise
the
lord
so to
that
let's
pray
that we
will be
discerning
and loving
enough
to know
and name
false
teachers
for the
sake
of the
world
the
church
and
chiefly
the
glory
of
god
let's
pray