“…how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.”  

1:18

how they told you that there would be mockers 

The apostles warned Jude’s readers that some would “mock” Christianity. New Testament authors warned that “mockers” would diminish Christianity in the future.

in the last time

The “last time” refers to the end of the church age and the Tribulation.

who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts.

Scoffers walk according to their own norms, which are “ungodly lusts.”

1:19

These are sensual persons,

A sensual person is one who centers his life around himself. He is “sensual” as opposed to “spiritual.” Sensual people are essentially “animal” in nature. These apostates are all “soul” (mind, emotion, will) but no “spirit” (capacity to relate to God).

who cause divisions,

False teachers are divisive. False teachers cause divisions in the local church between those faithful to the New Testament (apostle’s teaching) and unbelievers. They want their own following, even if it means splitting a church. They love to make theological distinctions.

not having the Spirit.

Scoffers follow their natural instincts. By this, they minimize the Holy Spirit. They are not Christians because they do not have the Holy Spirit.

PRINCIPLE:

Questioning God’s Word makes us vulnerable to satanic attack.

APPLICATION:

Some traffic in religion today. These people no longer believe in the deity of Christ, His virgin birth, or substitutionary sacrifice for sins. These people allow their souls to dominate their beliefs. They do not accept the Word of God by faith. They operate on a pure human viewpoint rather than a divine viewpoint.

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. Ro 8:9

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. 1 Co 2:12

But the natural man [soulish man] does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Co 2:14