Truth or Terror: The Biblical Reality of Apostasy

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For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. ~ Jude 1:4

Did you know that false teachers are marked for judgment. A false teacher is someone who pretends to speak for God or teach the Bible but instead twists Scripture, rejects sound doctrine, and leads others away from the truth. They are not just confused, they are willfully deceptive. They may use Christian language, quote verses out of context, or present themselves as loving and wise, but what they teach directly contradicts God’s Word. Jesus warned that false teachers are wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15), and the apostles repeatedly exposed them for what they are: enemies of the cross, agents of destruction, and corrupters of souls.

Jude doesn’t soften the truth. He tells us plainly in Jude 4 that the judgment of these people was “marked out long ago.” The Greek word used is prographó, it literally means “written beforehand.” In other words, their destruction was not a surprise to God. It was decreed in eternity past. Their damnation is not accidental, it’s intentional. God planned it. Their fate is sealed.

False teachers are not just wrong. They are beyond repentance. Hebrews 6:4-6, Hebrews 10:26-27, and 2 Peter 2:20-22 all describe the terrifying reality of apostates, those who have seen the truth, tasted the good things of God, and yet turned away deliberately. They are not ignorant, they are hardened. Their hearts are seared, their conscience is dead, and they have chosen darkness over light. Jude and Peter don’t tell us to try to win them back. They tell us to contend for the faith (Jude 3) and to rescue others from their influence (Jude 23), but the false teachers themselves are described as “twice dead,” “uprooted,” and “reserved for blackest darkness forever” (Jude 12-13).

This isn’t just some New Testament warning, it’s consistent with the whole Bible. In 2 Kings 19:25, God tells Hezekiah, “Did you not hear long ago how I made it, from ancient times that I formed it? Now I have brought it to pass.” God’s judgment is not an afterthought. It’s part of His eternal plan. The verdict against false teachers was written before the world began.

There’s a reason Scripture does not call us to have endless debates with these deceivers. We’re not told to “hear them out” or “build bridges.” The Bible calls them accursed (Galatians 1:8-9), dogs (Philippians 3:2), and ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15). They are children of wrath, vessels of destruction, enemies of righteousness, and they are headed straight for eternal judgment. Their presence in the church is a test, and those who follow them will share their fate unless they repent and return to the truth.

Let’s stop dancing around the issue. False teachers will pay dearly for what they are doing. God is not mocked. Judgment is coming, and it is already written in the books of heaven. If you’re following a teacher who distorts the gospel, denies the deity of Christ, promotes works-based salvation, twists Scripture to fit culture, or excuses sin, run. Their end is destruction (Philippians 3:19).

We don’t play games with the truth. We stand on it, proclaim it, and defend it. And we warn others plainly: God has already marked out judgment for the deceivers. You don’t want to go down with them.