Demolition Men

“It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit” (v19).

You don’t mess around with the demolition man. Well, that’s at least Sting’s advice. He sings of a dude who’s all about destruction. “I’m a walking nightmare, an arsenal of doom. I kill conversation as I walk into the room. I’m a three-line whip, I’m the sort of thing they ban. I’m a walking disaster, I’m a demolition man.” The former lead singer of the Police could well be singing about the false teachers in Jude. Jesus’ kid brother screams for everyone to hear about a crew of con artists that are tearing churches apart from the inside out (Jude 4, 8-13, 16, 18). He lets us know that they ultimately try to tear God’s people apart by causing division. They don’t give a rip about anybody but themselves. They’re spiritually bankrupt. They’re demolition men.

Jude begins by referring to a very specific group of people. He’s not just writing in general terms. He’s got his laser-guided weapon locked on a posse of false teachers. “It is these” (v19). The author has been very intentional in calling them out from the crowd. Remember, they’ve worked hard to weasel their way into local churches. Time after time, Jude wants us to know EXACTLY who they are and what they do. “These people…relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones” (Jude 8). “These people blaspheme all that they do not understand” (Jude 10). “These are hidden reefs…waterless clouds…fruitless trees…wild waves of the sea…wandering stars” (Jude 12-13). Jude writes that Enoch, the hall of famer in Genesis, predicted God would judge “these” folks (Jude 14-15). “These” are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage” (Jude 16). Are we clear who “these” people are? Good.

These spiritual hucksters are all about tearing people apart. They “cause divisions” (v19). This is the Greek verb apodiorizo, which means to separate, divide, mark a boundary, set up distinctions, and instigate division between people. The false teachers draw lines that aren’t really there. They pull people apart when Jesus brings them together (Gal 3:26-29; Eph 2:12-22, 4:3-7; Col 3:11). They build walls when Christ is all about knocking them down. They are all about division when Jesus is all about multiplication (Jude 2). They are all about destroying the church that our Savior has promised to build (Mt 16:18). They are demolition men. Let me step back for just a moment. Am I driving a wedge between people? Are my words and my actions paving the way for folks to know Jesus? Am I allowing God to use me as a uniter and not a divider (Phil 2:2)? Am I a demolition man?

Jude goes on to slap the false teachers with the label of “worldly people” (v19). He drops the Greek word psuchikos. This describes a creature driven by appetites and lust apart from God’s Spirit, a being concerned only about the material life. The New King Jimmy translates this as “sensual persons” (v19 NKJV). It’s a term the writers of the New Testament use to talk about folks who don’t see things from God’s perspective. “The natural person (Gr. psuchikos) does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1Cor 2:14). Jude’s other brother James warned about phony wisdom that is “earthly, unspiritual (Gr. psuchikos), demonic” (James 3:15). These spiritual snake oil salesmen only care about themselves. They leave a trail of destruction in their wake. That’s why they’re called the demolition men.

Just to make sure we’re clear on just how sensual and unspiritual the false teachers are, we see that they’re “devoid of the Spirit” (v19). Throughout Scripture, we read that every last one of God’s people receive His Spirit. The Holy Spirit began showing up in a big way in that upstairs bonus room at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). When Jesus saves us, He drenches us in His Spirit. He’s not an option or accessory that’s added later. You have the unlimited power of God living inside you as a believer (1Cor 3:16-17; 6:19). Tony Stark’s arc reactor ain’t got nothing on you. The false teachers are just the opposite of the recipients of Jude’s letter. When it comes to God’s Spirit, these con artists have a big, fat zero. Meanwhile, the followers of Jesus are “praying in the Spirit” (Jude 20). The Apostle Paul wanted his friends in Rome to know the difference too. “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” (Rom 8:9). We’ve got Spirit, yes, we do! We’ve got Spirit, how ‘bout you? When it comes to God’s Spirit, the false teachers have a big, fat zero. Without the Holy Spirit, the false teachers are spiritually bankrupt. 

These infiltrators are out to sabotage the local church. They try to tear God’s people apart by causing division. They don’t give a rip about anybody but themselves. They’re spiritually bankrupt. They’re demolition men.