Tell-Tale Signs of False Teachers | Jude 3
Alexander Solzhenitsyn, the exiled Russian dissident, once said that the disasters that destroyed his nation came because “men have forgotten God.” Forgetting God never leaves a vacuum; it invites false gods and counterfeit faiths to fill the void. The Bible names this tragic drift with one powerful word—apostasy, meaning “a falling away.” It is a withdrawal from biblical truth, not from religious activity.
What Is Apostasy?
The apostle Paul warned that before the Antichrist is revealed, there will come “a falling away” (2 Thessalonians 2:3). Apostasy describes those who still claim faith yet invent a god, a Jesus, or a spirituality alien to Scripture.
Dr. Merrill Unger defined it well: “Apostasy departs from the faith, but not from the outward profession of it.”
Paul told Timothy that such people “have a form of godliness but deny its power” (2 Timothy 3:5). They may sound spiritual and use the right language, but their message denies the clear claims of Scripture. That is why studying this subject is not optional—it is eternal.
Apostasy in Action
Both Peter and Jude sounded the same alarm. Peter wrote, “There will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies” (2 Peter 2:1). Jude echoed him: “Certain men have crept in unnoticed … ungodly men who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 4).
Notice—they are inside the Church. Apostasy is an inside job. It doesn’t mean leaving church; it means redefining faith.
False teachers infiltrate pulpits, seminaries, and denominational leadership. Jesus warned, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15).
The Art of Equivocation
Apostate ministers are experts in equivocation—using vague or double-meaning words to deceive. They may say “Jesus,” “salvation,” or “grace,” but redefine each to fit their system.
Mormonism offers a clear example. With millions of followers worldwide, it presents itself as another Christian church. Yet it elevates The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price to the same level as Scripture. It teaches that faithful men can become gods and that God was once a man—beliefs utterly foreign to biblical Christianity.
This is equivocation in religious dress: familiar words with alien meanings.
Recognizing the Counterfeit
How can believers discern truth from error? The American Bankers Association once trained tellers to spot counterfeit bills without ever seeing a fake. For two weeks, they handled only genuine currency until they knew it so well that counterfeits were obvious.
Likewise, Christians must immerse themselves in God’s Word until anything false feels foreign to their hearts.
Jude’s brief letter gives believers a survival manual for times of deception. Before describing false teachers, he reassures true believers that we are called, loved, and kept by Jesus Christ (Jude 1). God’s love and power secure His people even in seasons of doctrinal chaos.
Four Signs of False Teachers
They pretend to be genuine.
They slip in unnoticed, using spiritual language but lacking spiritual reality. Their goal is to “exploit you with deceptive words” (2 Peter 2:3).They infiltrate the church.
Apostates begin in Bible studies, schools, or leadership roles—appearing orthodox while gradually introducing distortion.They were predicted to come.
Jude reminds us that Scripture foresaw them. Isaiah 5:20 warns, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.”They pervert the truth.
They reject authority, defile purity, and blaspheme Christ Himself. Their speech is “alogos”—without the Word, void of truth.
Contend for the Faith
Jude’s challenge is clear: “Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).
The Greek word for “contend” carries the intensity of an athletic contest. Every believer is called to fight for truth with courage and conviction.
In an age when false teachers promise liberty but live in bondage, when popular spirituality replaces sound doctrine, Jude’s message still resounds: Know the truth so well that you can’t be fooled by the counterfeit.
Study Questions
What does the word “apostasy” mean?
Where will false teachers spread their message? How can we discern between what is true and what is not?
Examine 2 Peter 2 and Jude. What can we learn about the characteristics of false teachers, and how can this knowledge protect us?
What does “equivocation” mean, and how does it apply to the study of false religions?
How does Jude emphasize the security of the believer in his letter?
How can you contend for the faith in light of the false teachers you encounter today?
