Verse 7
3. The example of certain pagans v. 7
This example shows God’s judgment on those who practice immorality and sexual perversion, which the false teachers of Jude’s day evidently felt liberated to practice. The fire that burned up the cities of the plain was the instrument of God’s punishment. That punishment will eternally burn against those who similarly disregard God’s will (Revelation 20:15). Here Jude seems to have had in view false teachers who were unsaved.
Each one of these illustrations highlights a particular aspect of the false teachers’ error. It was a sin of rebellion by professing, and perhaps genuine, believers. It was a proud departure from a position of superior privilege. Moreover it involved immoral behavior, which the Gentile pagans practiced.
"No matter who may be the sinners, or what the circumstances of the sin, outrageous offences, such as impurity and rebellion, are certain of Divine chastisement." [Note: Alfred Plummer, "The General Epistles of St. James and St. Jude," in An Exposition of the Bible, 6:655.]
"When we examine these examples of the past, we discover that they are not chronologically arranged. . . . Why this unchronological arrangement in this Epistle? . . . We believe the arrangement is made in the manner as it is to teach us the starting point and the goal of apostasy. It starts with unbelief. . . . Unbelief leads to rebellion against God. . . . The predicted lawlessness with which this age ends is the fruitage of infidelity. Such is the development of apostasy. Unbelief, rebellion against God and his revealed truth, immorality and anarchy. These steps may be traced in our own times." [Note: Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible, 4:179-80. See also Richard Lenski, The Interpretation of the Epistles of St. Peter, St. John and St. Jude, p. 616; Morgan, 2:2:198.]
They are also observable in the history of Israel in the Old Testament.
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