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The church in America does not need “diverse voices”. The church in America needs men and women who stand firmly upon the revealed Word of God, who are not willing to tolerate and accept falsehood.

Titus 1:10-11 There are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially of the circumcision party. They must be silenced since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.

I don’t think the apostle Paul would be concerned at all about skin color, social status, privilege etc. He was concerned that the truth of God’s Word be taught and guarded, and that those who taught in ways that contradicted that Word be not given a platform to promote their false beliefs. Those who taught in a way that contradicted Scripture were to be silenced.

False teaching has no place in the Church, no matter who is teaching it.

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I have been reading and rereading Jude the last few days. Often times I am amazed at how the Bible is so relevant to today. Jude is one of those books that I stop and think, wow, God really knew this book would be a help to the church and believers in 2020 America.

As in most New Testament books, this one is loaded with warnings about false teaching. It is a charge to watch out for those ungodly people who creep into the church unnoticed and pervert the grace of God and deny Jesus.

Jude warns of scoffers coming in the last days who follow their own ungodly passions. They cause divisions, they are worldly, devoid of the Spirit.

What are we to do about this? Jude speaks to this verses 20 and on. Build yourselves up in the faith, pray, keep yourselves in the love of God, wait for Jesus to return. Have mercy on doubters, snatch others out of the fire (share the Gospel so as to lead them to Christ), to others- show mercy with fear, knowing that you are also just as capable of stumbling and falling into the same sinful behavior that they are taking part in.

I think we often don’t take these directives seriously. We are quick to disregard the danger and true destructiveness of sin. We definitely do not view sin the same way God does.

To see sin for what it truly is, we must see God for who He truly is. He is pure and holy. Sin is not just a little problem to Him. It is disgusting and vile. When we coddle up next to sin or do not view it as a big deal, we are not only harming ourselves and our spiritual walk, but we fail to show others the holiness of God and harm the church that is meant to be a light to the world.

Verse 24 has some good news- He (God) is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory. He holds all glory, dominion, authority, forever.

I need to keep my focus on Him, be in the word, be in prayer, and love others the way that He loves, all with His help. It will be worth it all when I see Jesus!