The Ways Of The Rebellious Series

Let me start by saying that I like things that feel good…

• Warm fudge brownies

• Driving fast

• Telling someone off when they deserve it

• Sleeping in late

• Lots of Coffee

Let me also say that not everything that feels good is good for me.

Warm fudge brownies are wonderful … but too much of it is unhealthy, and can make one fat(ter).

Driving fast is fun…but it’s dangerous, and it could cost a speeding ticket.

Telling someone off may feel good…but it can damage or destroy relationships.

Sleeping in feels good…but too much of it and you lose your job.

Lots of coffee is …but too much caffeine can get me wired, plus have a negative impact on my health.

But, in spite of the negatives, we naturally tend to do just those things that feel good. We take the path of least resistance. We must MAKE ourselves do those things that are better, nobler, more healthy. And we have to stay alert against those things that just feel good but are damaging. We have to guard against our natural tendency to do only what feels good. Here’s the deal…there is sin – a lot of sin – that just plain feels good. I’m not going to lie to you…it’s easier to just follow your desires and do what feels good and forget that there are consequences.

Sin feels good – otherwise it wouldn’t be so tempting. Sin feels good because it is our natural state! Our natural tendency is to drift into “feel good sin.” Our natural tendency is to fall asleep. Our natural tendency is to let our guard down. That’ is why we must be diligent. We need to stay alert against our tendency to slip into “feel good sin.”

Jude calls us to stay alert against that tendency. And that’s the one thing…that’s the point I want you to get today… We need to stay alert against our tendency to slip into “feel good sin.” (1) That is the message of the world. False teachers teach things that play on our desires to feel good.

2 Timothy 4:3 (NKJV) For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers

Jude and much of the New Testament warns that there will be false teachers and those that will lead the church astray. Some of them are easy to see, at least for those who are informed by the Word of God. They are out there, just turn on your TVs. There are Televangelists who will promise you health and wealth if you only send in your monetary contributions and you will be blessed. They will play on our sense of what is right for us. They will appeal to our nature, and to our lust. They speak flowering words that makes sense to our natural man, to our sinful nature. But what do they look like, what are their ways? In these focal verses today we will consider their ways.

Jude 8 (NKJV) Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.

It is interesting that Jude refer to these as dreamers. In the Greek, the word means one who rely on dreams. Dreamers: what does this mean? Some translations use the phrase filthy dreamers and the term means “Those who have fantasies.” Or those who are led by their dreams rather than by truth. Probably a mixture of the two…these people have fantasies…sexual fantasies and fantasies about living without any restraint…and they let those fantasies guide their lives, their decisions and how they choose to obey/follow/submit to the authority of God through the scriptures and through the church. (2) Obviously, not all dreams come from God.

“defile the flesh” Referring back to verse 7 and “given themselves over to sexual immorality” they defile their own flesh and those they entice as well. They are living lives that are morally reprehensible. The word “defile” means to pollute.

1 Corinthians 6:18 (NKJV) Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

Sexual immorality defiles our bodies. We are called to be holy, separated for God. How can we expect God to use us if we defile ourselves. Yet, in the church today, pre-marital and extra marital sex, living together outside of the bond of marriage has become acceptable in our eyes, yet the Bible position has never changed.

Titus 1:15 (NKJV) To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.

But not only do these dreamers defile themselves and others, they “reject authority”. Why? Because they want to live without any restraints or restrictions. They live by the motto: "if it feels good, do it.” They regard God and authorities in general as “kill Joys.