THE FUNDAMENTALIST
PREACHES AGAINST SIN
(Verses. 5-10)
VERSES 5-7: JUDE GIVES A HISTORY LESSON
Solomon said that there was nothing new under the sun (Eccl. 1:9), and this very much also applies to denial of and departure from the truths of God’s Word. Such departing is as old as the human race itself. Eve began the practice when she agreed with Satan when he said, “Yea, hath God said”–i.e., “Did God really say that?” She paid the price for her departure. Cain continued the practice when he decided to worship God his way, (via a bloodless offering) instead of the way that God had prescribed–through a blood offering. He paid the price for his defection. Then Israel departed from God’s truths–and paid the price for its disobedience; some of the angels departed from it–they paid the price for their departure; Sodom and Gomorrah departed from God’s Word regarding the sanctity of marriage, and practiced deviant sexual relations–they too paid the price.
VERSE 5: GOD DEALT WITH SINNING ISRAEL
“I will put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.”
“I will put you in remembrance,”
Literally: “But I purpose to remind you.”
We know these records well enough of those who have departed from God’s Word, (and paid the price for their actions), but because of the continuous decay of our knowledge, society and apostasy in the professing church, we must be reminded of them. Here Jude–in order to issue a warning to the evil men who were perverting the belief and conduct of the church-–in effect, says, “To show you what must be the doom of such rebellious ones, I will call certain facts from times past to your recollection, facts with which you are already familiar, respecting God’s treatment of the wicked and blatantly disobedient.”
“though ye once knew this,”
Literally: “though you know all these things once for all”–Vincent–N.T. Word Studies
“since you already know all this”– Dr. David Stern– Jewish New Testament
It is unfortunate that the translators of the KJV did not really render this Greek phrase (eidotas hapax) correctly. The participle is to be rendered as in the present tense, and the “once” does not mean, “formerly” but means, “once for all.”
In order to correctly understand what Jude is really saying, we must understand some possibilities. William Barclay proposes that these evil men who were corrupting the Church may not have really regarded themselves as enemies of the Church, or Christianity. They simply thought themselves to be “advance thinkers” (how often do we hear this, or similar phrases now–e.g.,“free thinkers”). They really considered that they were a “cut above” these “outmoded” Christian thinkers. To put it simply, they considered themselves to be some sort of “spiritual elite.”
“how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt,”
Literally: “that the Lord having saved a people out of the land of Egypt”
There is a great lesson for us here: After God has saved a people for His Name, He reserves the right to destroy those people if they become guilty of unbelief or the other sins to which unbelief leads. Take heed that you do not minimize this plain teaching of the justice of God in your zeal to protect the truth of the grace of God. The Holy Spirit would not have had Jude bring us to remembrance of this record regarding Israel’s apostasy, and its result to them, if it did not have any meaning for us. This reminder of God's judgments inflicted on some ought to be, warnings unto all. It should remind us that God does hate sin, and He will deal with it! Especially when the sin is in His Church. The lesson here is: Let none presume upon past mercies, as if he was now out of danger from judgment for his present sinning. Even those who have received the greatest privilege from God cannot consider themselves safe from judgment, but must always be on watch against sin in their lives.
“afterward destroyed them that believed not.”
Literally: “in the second place He destroyed the one not believing.”
The Greek word (deuteron) that the KJV translated as “afterward,” literally means, “the second time, secondly” or “in the second place” or even, “next.” In the first place, God saved them, then, or “next; in the second place” because of their apostasy He was forced to destroy them. Because of their unbelief they were not allowed to enter into the Promised Land. The reference is to Numbers 14:27-37, when all the people rescued from Egypt perished except Caleb and Joshua.
Jude is not the only writer giving warning of the possibility of destruction (i.e., death) of believers if they are guilty of certain sins. In I John 5:16 we are told, “there is a sin unto death.” Literally, this says, “there is sin that leads to death.” The article, “a” is not in the original Greek text. Also understand that there is nothing in this phrase which limits it to one in the church; there is nothing in the connection why what is said should be limited to such.
VERSES 6-7: GOD DEALT WITH SEXUAL PERVERSION
VERSE 6: GOD DEALT WITH THE PERSION OF FALLEN ANGELS
“And the angels which kept their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”
No created creature in this universe is exempt from the judgment of God if they sin, not even the immortal angels. None can expect to escape the all-seeing eye of a holy God and His judgment of sin.
“And the angels which kept their first estate,”
Literally: “And those angels not having kept their first place.”
Jude is most likely referring back to Genesis 6:1-4, when fallen angels came to earth and cohabited with earthly women in order to totally corrupt and pollute the human race. The result of such union of fallen angel with human women was a form of hybrid being– part human and part fallen angel. The word Nephalim means, “fallen ones,” for it comes from the verb nephal which means, “to fall; to be cast down,” or as we might say it, “to desert.” This is the real reason that God destroyed the human race by the flood, for the entire race had been polluted by these rebellious angelic beings, except for Noah and his family. The wickedness of humanity as recorded in Gen. 6:5 was the result of this corrupting of humanity.
“but left their own habitation”
Literally: “but having deserted their dwelling place”
In 6:1-2 (which in the original is really one sentence) we see the term, “sons of God.”–“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God (bene HaElohim) saw the daughters of men that they {were} fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose” (denoting by force).
This term sons of God (bene HaElohim) only applies to those beings who were directly created by God–i.e., angels and Adam. Other than applying to Adam (who was directly created by God) this term always is applied to angels (see Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7). In John 1:12 we are told that believers are given the, “power to become Sons of God.” Believers are not yet Sons of God, but we have the power (or potential) that someday we will be, after we are recreated and receive our new bodies.
In Gen. 6:4 we read, “There were giants (literally in the Hebrew text: “mighty men”) in the earth in those days,” meaning before the Flood, but the writer goes on and says, “and also after that” meaning after the Flood, i.e., now; today! It is obvious that when the KJV translators were translating the O.T. that they were using the LXX (Septuagint), the Greek translation of the O.T. The Jewish people had been using this translation for over 200 years by the time of Jesus for by that time few, if any, could really read or understand the Hebrew language. Koine Greek was the common language in Israel by that time, and had been since 305 B.C. when Alexander the Great had conquered that part of the world. Since Alexander’s time, Israel had been under Greek culture and influence, so their O.T. (the Tanakh) had been translated into the Greek language. As a result, when the English translators came to this Greek word (gigantes) they mistranslated it to mean, “giants,” but it really means, “earth born.” This correct rendering of the word comes from the fact that the Greek word (gi) is rendered as “earth,” or “land.”
These Nephalim attempted to make a comeback, but were not as successful as they were before the flood. These are what the ten spies who were sent in the Promised Land by Moses were referring to when they reported back and said, “…there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak (these Anakim were one of the groups of the Nephilim), {which come} of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.” These men were telling the truth. The Nephilim had made a comeback! One of the characteristics of these Anakim was their exceedingly tall height. Goliath and his four brothers were of this group of Anakim. During the 400 years that the Israelites had been in Egypt, these Nephilim had been busy populating the Promised Land.
“He hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.”
Literally: “He has kept in everlasting chains under darkness (in Tartarus) for the judgment of a great day.”
The apostle Peter also makes reference to these rebellious angelic beings (II Pet. 4-5)–“For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down into chain of darkness (literally: Tartarus) to be reserved unto judgment; and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth {person} a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.”
VERSE 7: GOD DEALT WITH THE PERVERSION OF FALLEN HUMANITY
“Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
I realize that this passage is exceedingly unpopular in America today, because America has fallen away from the God she once knew. Instead of the Christian America this nation once was, it is now Christian Phobic America. I also realize that by dealing with this verse and to what it is dealing, I will incur the wrath and attack of ungodly men–by the bullies who avidly defend and practice these very things and bully, and physically attack, those who oppose them I may even be attacked and persecuted by the very Government of the United States which has become exceedingly anti-Christian and especially anti-Bible, and now advocates, and stands for these very things, and attacks (and even prosecutes in courts of law), those who opposes the very thing to which this verse speaks against.
THEY DEFILED THEIR FLESH
“Even as Sodom and Gomorrah,”
Literally: “As Sodom and Gomorrah,”
The story of these cities is recorded in Genesis chapter 19. The story of their final wickedness is told in Gen. 19:1-11; and the story of their fate (destruction by fire) is recorded in verses 12-28. These two cities are referred to by name because they were probably the largest and most prominent of the five “cities of the plain,” as they are called in Gen. 13:12.
Why is it important that we understand why these cities were destroyed? It is important because the Lord Jesus Christ has actually mentioned that time as a sign of what would be taking place in the world (as it is now, especially here in America) just before He returns. In Luke 17:26 Jesus said that the conditions before He returns would be as they were in the days of Noah–(the time of the Nephalim; the time of refusal to hear the preaching of God’s Word). But in Luke 27:28-30 Jesus went on and said that time before He returns would also be as it was in Lot’s day: “Likewise as it was in the days of Lot…Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” Both of these signs: the sign of Noah’s Day, and the sign of Lot’s Day are in full force NOW! TODAY! This should tell all believers just how near the time is when we will be going home; that is, how near is the time of the “Rapture,” (the harpazo, or “taking out”) of the Church really is! It shows just how little time we have left to be bringing in the sheaves of the harvest. The sin of Noah’s day was the rejection of God’s Word; the sin of Lot’s day was perversion.
“and the cities about them in like manner,”
Literally: “and the cities around them
The other three cities of the “cities of the plain” were Zoar, Admah and Zeboim (Deut. 29:23; Hosea 11:8). They too were destroyed when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
“giving themselves over to fornication,”
Literally: “committing fornication”
America, and the world, is on a binge of booze, drugs, lust and sex. I hear young people, and the hell–ivision talking about “making love,” but true love has nothing whatsoever to do with it. It is simply animalistic LUST running wild and unchecked. Instead of being “in love” they are really “in lust.” Automobiles have on them a gadget called a “brake.” People also have within themselves a“brake.” We are now a people who have forgotten this fact. Thanks to the censorship caused by Political Correctness and the flood of indoctrination coming forth from our state-run schools, the “news” media and the hell-ivision, our young people seldom, if ever, hear of true love and moral decency.
Even our terminology for sin has changed. Adultery is no longer called adultery: now it is simply referred to as, “having an affair.” But to God it is still adultery. In Heb. 13:4 we are told, “Marriage {is} honorable in all, but the (marriage) bed undefiled.”
“and going after strange flesh”
Literally: “and going away after other flesh”
That is, departing from the course of nature, and going after that which is unnatural. This is simply referring to homosexuality; aka, sodomy. Regardless of how disobedient and rebellious America attempts to justify and protect this practice and to punish those who speak out against it, God still calls it sin. He will always call it sin. He will never stop calling it sin. Always remember this: the sin of uncleanness is remarkably followed with vengeance, even with eternal vengeance: God returns flames for flames, and revenges the fire of lust with the fire of hell.
In later times the most enlightened heathen nations indulged in the sin of Sodom without compunction or shame. In the time of Jesus this was referred to as the “practice of the Greeks” for they were notorious for practicing sodomy and all the other practices of homosexuality.
I realize I will be in “deep kemshi” for what I have written, as do all who speak out against this sin get in trouble–both with those who practice this, with the society that is protecting and attempt to justify this practice, and even with my own government who is even now punishing people for speaking out against it.
“are set forth for an example”
Literally: “set before an example”
Jude is reminding these evil men of the fate of those in ancient times who defied the moral law of God. It may be that those whom Jude is attacking had also descended to sodomy and were perverting the grace of God to cover even this sin. Jude is saying “Remember Sodom” to these people. He may be saying that the literal fire that fell from heaven on these cities bears as a type of the everlasting fire that is reserved for the Devil and his angels and followers.
“suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.”
Literally: “undergoing vengeance of everlasting fire”
Why does Jude speak of Sodom and Gomorrah, and the other cities, as “suffering the punishment of eternal fire?” The answer is that the ungodly enter fiery torment immediately upon death. Jesus taught this in Luke 16:19-31. Let me say here most emphatically that there is no such thing as Purgatory where the sinner is supposed to go to work out his punish-ment for his sinning. The ONLY thing that can take care of or remove the penalty for your sins is the blood of Christ, which paid for them. This teaching of Purgatory is nothing but a pagan myth. Jude is telling us that what happened to Sodom is just another example for the instruction of God’s people. The inhabitants of those cities have been dead for 4000 years, but their punishment of fire in hell has not decreased one tiny bit. Understand this: the Lake of Fire is the final destiny of all who despise the goodness and Word of God, but there is also an intermediate state, place and time of woe before then. This place is called hell! Some 2000 years have passed since Jude (by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit) wrote of Sodom’s punishment, but these spirit inspired words still stand! Unbelievers still give them no heed, but they are really not given to the unbelievers. They are really addressed to us who are the called and kept ones of Christ.
The apostle Peter also makes reference to these rebellious angelic beings (II Pet. 4-5)–“For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down into chain of darkness (literally: Tartarus) to be reserved unto judgment; and spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth {person} a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly.”
VERSE 8-9: JUDE SHOWS HIS CONTEMPT FOR APOSTASY
VERSE 8: CONTEMPT FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS
“Likewise also these {filthy} dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.”
“Likewise also these {filthy} dreamers”
Literally: “Likewise, indeed, also these dreaming {ones}”
Jude goes on and says that likewise, those who dream, or think about such sinful things, also defile the flesh, or at least resemble the inhabitants of Sodom. Jude is telling us that their character resembles that of these Sodomites. These false teachers and their followers were as unbelieving and disobedient as the Israelites in the wilderness, as rebellious against the authority of God as were the fallen angels, and as impure and unholy as were the Sodomites; and that consequently they must expect similar punishment from God. Even their character was like that of the inhabitants of Sodom. The example which Jude shows of the punishment which was brought on those sinners, makes it to be clear that the ones of whom he was speaking would be punished in a similar manner.
FILTHY DREAMERS: (enupniazô)–The word “filthy” has been supplied by our translators, but there is no good reason why it should have been introduced.
The Greek word (enupniazô), means to “to dream”; and is applied to those holding doctrines and opinions which sustained the same relation to truth which dreams do to good sense. Their doctrines were the fruits of mere imagination–foolish vagaries and fancies. The word occurs elsewhere in the N.T. only in Acts 2:17, where it is applied to visions and dreams.
“defile the flesh,”
Literally: “even defile flesh”
We have already seen what these Gnostics taught regarding the flesh:
1. That the flesh was evil; therefore, it was of no importance.
Then it stood to reason (at least to them) that the instincts of the body could be given their way without any controls placed upon it.
2. That the grace of God was all-forgiving; therefore sin did not matter since grace would cover and forgive every sin.
They even taught that sinning was the only means by which grace was given its opportunity to operate.
The apostle Peter describes these: he said, “they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities,” He also said of them, “They walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness” and he describes them as being “presumptuous”– meaning they are daring, bold, and audacious men. Understand this, the doctrines which seducers bring, are NOT the truths of Christ, but their own dreams.
“despise dominion,”
Literally: “despise lordship”
“That is, they regard all government in the state, the church, and the family, as an evil. Advocates for unbridled freedom of all sorts; declaimers on liberty and on the evils of oppression; defenders of what they regard as the rights of injured man, and yet secretly themselves lusting for the exercise of the very power which they would deny to others–they make no just distinctions about what constitutes true freedom, and in their zeal array themselves against government in all forms. No topic of declamation would be more popular than this, and from none would they hope to secure more followers; for if they could succeed in removing all respect for the just restraints of law, the way would be open for the accomplishment of their own purposes, in setting up a dominion over the minds of others. It is a common result of such views, that men of this description become impatient of the government of God himself, and seek to throw off all authority, and to live in the unrestrained indulgence of their vicious propensities.”–Albert Barnes N.T Commentary
One of the chief marks of these apostates is that they rebel against all authority, especially the authority of God, or His Word, over their lives. To put it simply, such despise all authority, except their own. It is a frequent effect of certain forms of error to lead men to speak disrespectfully of those in authority, whether be in religious authority or civil authority, and to attempt to throw off all the restraints of law. It is a very certain indication that men hold wrong opinions when they show disrespect to those in authority, and despise the restraints of law.
“and speak evil of dignities.”
Literally: “and speak evil of glories”
To put it simply, they are phobes when it comes to everything that is pure, or holy. Today we have them in our government and “news” media: Christian phobes who attack and belittle everything Christians hold dear and have glory in. Their lives are spent in blasphemy or speaking injuriously of all that is of God (See II Pet. 2:10-11.) They treat governors and government with contempt, and attack and misrepresent all Divine and civil institutions.
The word rendered “dignities” here, (doxas), means “honor, glory, splendor;” or that which is fitted to inspire respect; that which is dignified or exalted. It is applied here to men of exalted rank; and the meaning is, that they did not regard rank, or station, or office–thus violating the plainest rules of propriety and of religion.|
Understand this little fact: It is one of the effects of religion to produce respect for superiors; but when men are self-willed, and when they purpose to give indulgence to corruptness, it is natural for them to dislike all government.
The men whom Jude is attacking are false teachers, dreamers of false dreams, seducers of the people, and they should be treated as such. Their false teachings caused them to do two things;
1. It caused them to defile their flesh.
2. It caused them to despise and speak evil of angels.
THEY DESPISED ANGELS
VERSE 9: CONTEMPT FOR ANGELS
“Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, the Lord rebuke thee.”
“Yet Michael the archangel,”
Literally: “But Michael the archangel”
The word archangel is significant that in the Scriptures there is never reference to plural “archangels”; but only the singular “archangel”, also preceded with the definite article, “the,” as in “the archangel.” This word is also referred to in I Thess.4:16, where Christ is distinguished from the archangel, with whose voice He shall descend to raise the dead. There can be properly only one archangel, one chief or head of all the angelic host. Nor is the word devil, as applied to the great enemy of mankind, ever found in the plural; there can be but one monarch of all fallen spirits. Michael is this archangel, and head of all the angelic orders; the devil, great dragon, or Satan, is head of all the diabolic orders. When these two hosts are opposed to each other they are said to act under these two chiefs, as leaders; hence in Rev. 12:7, it is said: MICHAEL and his angels fought against the DRAGON and his angels.
Also understand that “archangel” is not to be confused with, “the Angel of the Lord,” Who is really a Theophany, (a physical appearance of God), or more properly, a Christophany-–that is, a pre-Bethlehem appearance of Christ. Paul tells us that Christ is the bodily fulfillment of God, or physical appearance of God (Col. 2:9). Jesus told Philip, “he that hath seen Me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). Therefore, they are in error who attempt to identify Christ with Michael, for Christ is really the One who created Michael.
The name “Michael” means, “Who is like God?” In Dan. 10:13 he is called “One (‘the first,’) of the chief princes.” The phrase, “chief prince” simply means archangel. Michael is brought forward as a contrast with those who speak evil of dignities. Michael is the champion angel of Israel.
“when contending with the devil”
Literally: “when contending with the devil”
We do not know for sure when this took place, but it may have taken place in the neighborhood of 1400 B.C., just before the Israelites crossed over the Jordan River and began their conquest of the Promised Land. In Rev. 12:7 the conflict between Michael and Satan is again alluded to.
“about the body of Moses,”
Literally: “he argued about the body of Moses”
Evidently, God had assigned to Michael the job of burying the body of Moses, but the devil may have attempted to steal the body. There are two quite puzzling things about this passage.
1. There is no reference anywhere in the O.T. about the devil contending for the body of Moses.
As to where Jude got his information about this, he gives us no indication. He may have been recording information that had been handed down mouth-to-mouth over the centuries; or he may be referring to some Talmudic writings or some other extra-Biblical writings; or he may have received this information by direct revelation from God. We can never know for sure. We do know that in v. 14 he makes reference to something that Enoch did that also is not recorded in the O.T.
2. As to why the devil contended for the body of Moses, there is no real indication.
As to why the devil attempted to do this there are many theories, opinions and just plain guesses. Perhaps the devil knew that God would resurrect Moses in the latter day and he did not want Moses to be resurrected because he had thwarted his (the devil’s) plan by leading the Israelites out of Egyptian slavery. Or, he may have wanted to take the body of Moses, and perhaps have the Egyptians embalm it (make a mummy out of it) and set it up as some sort of “holy relic” for people to worship instead of God.
VERSE 10: “FLESHINESS” OF GNOSTICISM
“But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.”
In this verse Jude gives us two results of Gnostic thinking.
1. They criticize everything that they don’t understand.
Anything, and everything, that is outside their sphere of “reasoning” and experience they simply disregard as worthless and irrelevant.
2. They themselves are corrupted by the things that they do understand.
All that they understand are their fleshly instincts where are the basic “animalistic” desires of the flesh. They live only to let these instincts have sway in their manner of living. Jude says that these have lost all awareness to spiritual things. The unfortunate truth of this is that the facts of the first statement is really the result of the second statement.
“But these speak evil of those things which they know not:”
Literally: “But what things they do not know, they speak evil of (blaspheme) these”
We should realize that this verse really should show us that vv. 8-10 are all connected by the same basic thought–the “railing at dignities.” The apostate does not hesitate to condemn any and all matters that he does not know of or understand. The Greek word (blasphêmousin) that is rendered as, “speak evil of” is from the same basic root that we get our word, “blaspheme.” It literally means, “to speak reproachfully of, to rail against.” Understand this: in this verse Jude is writing primarily to those who once had a knowledge of the truth and then turned away from it. Oh, how well does this describe America today! We should not be amazed that an atheist, or an apostate, should speak reproachfully of the Lord’s people, but it is truly amazing when this verse applies to professing Christians who do not dream that they are exhibiting the mark of apostates. Just look at how many mainline churches are now turning against Israel and putting forth this heresy called “Replacement Theology.”
In this verse Jude is giving us a description of the false teachers he spoke of in verse 8 as they are in contrast to what he spoke of in verse 9. False teachers are dreamers; they defile and grievously wound the soul. These teachers of whom Jude speaks are of a disturbed mind and a seditious spirit.
“as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.”
Literally: “And what things they understand naturally, like animals without reason, they are corrupted by these.”
The apostle Peter also describes such as “brute beasts” in II Peter 2:12–“But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption.” They will be destroyed by their own actions and teachings.
They do not even understand the origin and utility of civil government; they revile that which even protects their own persons and their property. This is especially true in most insurrections and seditions.
NATURAL BRUTE BEASTS: (aloga zôa)–literally: “unreasoning animals.”
By instinct, they are as animals void of reason. This is demonstrated by the fact that their understanding is not raised above that of the irrational animals; that to them only the sensual is something to be known. They also speak evil of that spiritual world, those spiritual beings, of which they really know nothing. The idea of Jude’s seems to be that their knowledge was confined to those base things. They did not rise above them to the intelligent contemplation of those higher things. Instead, against spiritual things they speak only in reproach. There are many such men in the world. Towards high and holy objects they use only the language of attack and condemnation.
They are destitute of reflection; their minds are uncultivated; they follow mere natural in-stinct, and are slaves to their animal propensities. William Burkitt’s Notes has this to say about them–“Where sin reigns, it turns men into brute beasts, (Psa. 49:12). Hence they are compared to dogs for filthiness, to swine for uncleanness, to wolves for cruelty; of the two it is worse to be like a beast, than to be a beast: the beast is what God has made it; but he that is like a beast, is what sin and the devil has made him.”
“in those things they corrupt themselves.”
Literally: “they are corrupted by these”
This is a fearful description; and true of many in this present day. There is a lesson that we all must understand: we need to understand the principle of atrophy. Understand that a man may lose a faculty if he refuses to use it. We see this display in such a simple thing as games and skills. If a person even gives up practicing a piano he will lose that ability. One may become proficient in foreign languages, but if he does not use this ability he becomes “rusty” in doing so. I personally have found this to be so. At one time, as a “ham” radio operator I could send and receive Morse Code at the rate of about 35 words-per-minute. Now, after being away from it and not using it for some years, I am lucky to be able to copy code at 10 wpm.
Therefore, if a man consistently refuses to listen to God and makes his instincts his only rule of conduct, in the end he will become unable to hear the voice of God, and will have nothing left to master him except his brute desires. They will find that they live only for sensual indulgence, and sink deeper and deeper into sensual gratifications.