Jude 8-11

Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Korah.

Jude gives a character sketch of those who disregard God’s design. A lack of belief in the life of a person plays itself out in a number of ways:

“Filthy Dreamers” – These are the people who with a grotesquely vile mind fantasize and objectify those around them. They do not see people as eternal beings in need of truth and life, but rather as the very tools to accomplish their own lustful desires. They have completely missed the health, life and purpose that God has offered to them. The One Who knows them, and has designed and crafted them, offers a much better way for their mind. “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy…mind…”-it was designed to be enamored by His greatness, not fleeting, hollow fantasy. No amount of gratifying fantasy can ever fill the depths of satisfaction offered through a mind set in Him and His truth.

“Defilers of the Flesh” – Romans speaks of those who do those things “which are inconvenient.” It doesn’t matter whether the internal devastation comes from a disease or from the more deep-set poison, shame, the flesh of those who disregard God’s designs rots and festers. With closed ears and open arms they embrace the self-destroying death of defilement, fully ignoring the truth of God’s warning. And when they ache, somehow they wonder “why?”

“Despise Dominion, and Speak Evil of Dignities” – “You don’t own me.” In an individualistic culture, the thought of being owned by anything is so repulsive, that these pride-slaves push against anything that seems to be in charge. They back-bite their teachers. They hate correction of parents. They despise being told what to do. They murmur about their boss. Their words are an open coffin with stench and rottenness about the President they want everyone to know they disagree with. They fail to believe God when He says He is in control of all authority, and instead of praying for their authorities, they vomit God-forbidden ridicule. They trade His desire, the perfect design of respecting and honoring authority, for their own desires, disrespect and disregard for those in charge.

Look in the mirror of God’s Word. Do you see yourself as obedient to God, or do you look remarkably like the ones who poise themselves under the promised destruction of a just and holy God? God help us to humbly accept the truth of God’s Word and to find the liberating life that it brings.

Food for Thought: Which of these descriptors would you say you struggle with the most? What will you do about it?