It is vital to examine the people and things that have spiritual influence over you. This includes your pastors, your leaders, your church, the books you read, the podcasts you listen to, etc. If anyone ever teaches a gospel that excludes Jesus or includes greed, sexual immorality, lust or debauchery, you must flee immediately. 

Have you ever been lost? I mean middle of the woods, disoriented and lost? The “I am sure I came this way,” only to turn back around after 10 minutes lost? You try to “trust your gut” only to become really desperate for your cell signal to be strong enough to connect to Google Maps again! Anything would be more reliable than your “feelings.”

I have to be honest, I went quite a ways into adult life without knowing or understanding that grumbling was a sin. I think I chalked it up to just being human. When God convicted me of this through His Word, I had an uphill battle! Grumbling was a habit. Not only that, grumbling was everywhere. People did it at work to bond. Family members did it to commiserate. Friends used it as a springboard for conversation. Not grumbling actually felt awkward at first; I was in a bad rut.

My children’s spouses joke that our family has its own language. We say funny words or make references to places and moments that only make sense to us. Is your family like that? Here Jude was definitely referencing something that was super familiar to the Messianic Jews of his day, but is not on most of our readers.

I read a hilarious little book once called Shakespearean Insults. The Bard definitely had a way with words. In these two verses, Jude as well used eloquence to cut to the core of these ungodly people. Let’s look at a few references that are used in other places in the Bible as well.