Year of the Bible: Part Twelve of TwelveEgzanp

Motivation Matters

Jude points out the motive of a mocker/false teacher: ungodly desires and passions.

Today, it is culturally encouraged to follow your feelings, goals, and intentions without regard for any input. As believers, we need to ask ourselves what the intent of our hearts is. What motivates us to choose, and what are godly and ungodly motivations?

False teachers or mockers:

• They are hypocrites and liars. They have a seared, scarred, or dead conscience (1 Timothy 4:2).

• They are self-centered lovers of themselves and obsessed with money. They boast as they strut around in arrogance and mock what is right. They ignore their own families. They are ungrateful and ungodly. They become addicted to hateful and malicious slander. Slaves to their desires, they are belligerent haters of what is good and right. They act without restraint, bigoted and wrapped in clouds of their conceit. They find delight in the pleasures of this world more than the pleasures of the loving God. They may pretend to respect God but want nothing to do with God’s power. Stay away from people like these! (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

• They question God’s words and the timing of His promises (2 Peter 3:3-5).

• They do not acknowledge that Jesus Christ came as a man (2 John 1:7).

• They insult anything they don’t understand. They behave by doing whatever they feel like doing. Because they live by their instincts, they corrupt themselves and bring about their destruction (Jude 1:10).

• They are always complaining and never satisfied—finding fault with everyone. They follow their own evil desires, and their mouths speak scandalous things, showing favoritism to gain advantage/manipulate (Jude 1:16).

• They cause divisions and are followers of their own instincts (Jude 1:19)

Jude encourages us to, instead:

• Build ourselves up in the faith (Ephesians 6:18, Romans 8:26).

• Pray in the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 13:14, Acts 13:43).

• Keep ourselves in God’s love (Titus 2:13, 2 Peter 3:12).

• Wait for the mercy of Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life while showing mercy to those who doubt (Jude 1:21-22).

Jude closes his letter with the reassurance that Jesus can keep us from stumbling and present us faultless before God!

Question: What motivates you, and how can you remain motivated toward the right things for the right reasons?

Prayer: Thank the Holy Spirit for empowering and leading you into all truth. Ask God to help you through the word to discern your intentions and stand in his promises.