Detecting Agitators
Jude 17-19
Theme: Those who cause trouble in the church are to be identified and removed from the fellowship.
Rev. Steve Brown, the speaker for “Key Life Ministries”, tells the following story: “While enjoying a party with some Christian friends a number of years ago, the door of the host’s house flung open and in marched a woman nearly dragging her husband behind her. She made no attempt to quiet her voice as she announced, ‘George didn’t want to come, but I told him we were coming anyway because I’d had a bad day.’ George, her husband, looked like the world had come to an end. His outspoken wife first pulled him to her, then pushed him off with the order, ‘George mix.’ So George mingled. Not surprisingly, the farther away from her he traveled, the better time he seemed to have. As George began to tell a story to some friends of his, it was obvious his wife was still keeping tabs on him. From across the room she yelled, ‘George, you’re telling it wrong. I wish you could tell it right.’ Then she pranced across the room and told the story he was trying to tell. Later on in the evening, she humiliated him again by demanding, ‘George, it’s time to go home. I need my sleep, and the children have been such pills today.’ And George followed her out the door.” Steve Brown then went on to say: “Now I ask you, who was at fault here? If you answered, ‘George’s wife as well as George,’ you were right. Apart from her unbecoming conduct, she was guilty of manipulating her husband from the moment he conceded to attend the party as well. Though it’s a sin to manipulate, it’s also a sin to allow yourself to be manipulated.” This type of behavior is unacceptable for a wife but it is even more unacceptable when manipulation takes place in the church. Those who cause trouble in the church are experts at manipulation. They know how to use others for their own benefit. Those who cause trouble in the church are to be identified and removed from the fellowship. We are going to give our attention to detecting agitators. Turn with me to Jude vs.17-19 “But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.”. We see from this passage of Scripture that agitators are:
- Sarcastic
- Selfish
- Separatists
- Sensual
Let’s consider these characteristics so that we will be able to recognize, resist and remove troublemakers.
I. Sarcastic- We read in verses 17-18a “But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time,” Jude experienced what Peter predicted in II Peter 3:3-4 “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” These scoffers mocked the fact that God delayed the return of His Son Jesus while the mockers that Jude had to confront were guilty of speaking “evil of those things which they know not.” This is typical of mockers. They are ignorant and demonstrate their ignorance by the things that they say. They want to appear to be experts when in reality they lack accurate knowledge. They speak with authority about things of which they know little or nothing. Often these individuals become rigid in areas where they ought to be flexible. It is almost impossible to reason with these individuals because they have made up their minds and do not want to be confused with the facts. They have selective hearing. Dr. O.P. Eaches says: “Mockery is more difficult to meet than argument; it is also harder to reach such men and bring them under the power of the truth. A spirit thoughtful and reverent, that questions even the fundamentals of the faith, may be reasoned with and convinced, but a spirit that treats the most serious questions in a light and flippant way cannot be reached.” It is important to recognize and rebuke those who are mockers but to do it wisely. Proverbs 26 4-5 say “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.” Don’t act like a fool but give a reasonable response and leave the matter there. This leads us to consider the second characteristic of agitators, namely:
II. Selfish- Jude says of these agitators that they “walk after their own ungodly lusts.” Those who create dissension in the church are often selfish. They are looking out for their own interests and are not concerned about the welfare of others. They fail to follow the direction given in Phil. 2:4 (N.I.V.) “Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.” The false teachers that crept into the church had a desire for power and recognition. They wanted to be in control and to have others serve them. They were not willing to serve but wanted to be served. Like Diotrephes spoken of in III John 9 they loved to have the preeminence and to tell others what to do. They create dissension so that they can take authority over others and remove those who are in leadership. They are able to deceive others into cooperating with them in their endeavors. They are not concerned about being obedient to God but instead twist the Scripture to support their own point of view. They promote themselves and not Christ. This is why they are also
III. Separatists- We read in verse 19a “These be they who separate themselves.” There is a need to separate from error but that is not what these agitators do. They instead create cliques in the church and separate others based upon class, race, education etc. Dr. Eaches says: “These men had departed from the practice of piety and were walking in ungodliness. They were men having the spirit of Korah, leading to separation in the church. These were persons who would despise the poorer members, associating with the wealthy, making divisions on social lines. They laid claim to a large knowledge and a spiritual enlightenment holding ordinary believers in contempt.” Whenever anyone has a superiority attitude they isolate themselves from others and look down on them. They consider that they have a knowledge that is lacking in others and so they despise them. They are able to manipulate others with their pretense and they get others to join them in their separation. They look good on the outside but they are corrupt on the inside. They create divisions in the church and use others to accomplish their own purpose. They are not willing to learn from others but instead want to instruct others. The material that they teach is not helpful but harmful because they are:
IV. Sensual- Jude actually uses this word which means natural, pertaining to the lower nature of man. It speaks of the animal instincts of man in contrast to the spiritual aspect of man. These individuals are dominated by their flesh. Dr. Eaches says: “Jude declares that not only are they not under the control of the Spirit but that there is nothing in them to which the Holy Spirit can appeal. It is the severest indictment that can be brought against men; that through disuse and misuse the highest faculty in their nature, that through which they may become the children of God, has become almost extinct, so that even God cannot reach them. They have become intellectual animals.” This is a sad indictment upon these individuals. It is almost impossible to reach them because their hearts have become so hardened that they are incapable of receiving instruction from the “Word of God”. They are controlled by their flesh and grieve the Holy Spirit. It is much easier for others to be influenced by them than for them to be influenced by others. They are blind guides to those who are blind and they are a hindrance to those who are standing for the truth. This is why it is important to recognize and resist these individuals.
Those who cause trouble in the church are to be identified and removed from the fellowship. It is important to realize that these individuals are sarcastic, selfish, separatists and sensual. If you become aware of these characteristics in others then you are to rebuke them and take steps to remove them from the fellowship of the church. If you become aware of these characteristics in yourself then it is important to repent before it is too late and you are no longer capable of repenting. The church failed to heed the warning of Peter and so it became necessary for them to face the rebuke of Jude. Let’s be careful to avoid this error so that we do not repeat it. By God’s grace we will be able to recognize and remove those who are agitators in the church.