“For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation,
ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”
— Jude 4

Like many, I’ve been watching the news stories unfold about the fallout from the raid on the FLDS compound in Texas. The heartbreaking separation of mothers and children has stirred grief and confusion. People on all sides have passionate opinions about what should happen next.

But beyond the headlines, there’s a deeper question I find myself asking:
How did it get this far?

How did a group of people—many of them sincere, well-meaning individuals—become so profoundly deceived?

And then I remember…
God already told us this could happen.

“Certain Men Have Crept In…”

The book of Jude is just one chapter long, but it contains a powerful warning.

Jude 4 tells us that certain men have crept in unnoticed.
Not from the outside, but from within—those who profess Christianity but deny Christ by their actions and beliefs.
They twist the grace of God into a license for immorality.
They deny the unique deity and authority of Jesus.

If you’re familiar with the teachings of the FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints), these words sound alarmingly familiar.

• They claim to follow Christ, yet their doctrines elevate human men to would-be gods.

• They require men to marry multiple women—often very young girls—as a condition for salvation.

• They promise future godhood, their own planets, and power—ideas rooted in fantasy, not Scripture.

• They promote a hierarchy where husbands determine the eternal fate of their wives, and their “prophet” decides who is worthy of heaven.

This is not the gospel.
This is not the way of Christ.
This is a tragic distortion of truth—exactly the kind of deception Jude warns us to recognize and resist.

Turning Grace into Lewdness

Jude 4 explicitly names this sin: turning the grace of God into lewdness.

The grace of God is meant to free us from sin—not to excuse it.

Yet here, entire doctrines have been built around granting men sexual access to young women under the guise of religion. It is disturbing. And it is not new.

“Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.”
— Jude 8

False teachers throughout history have used their imagined visions, dreams, and “revelations” to control others, manipulate Scripture, and satisfy their own desires. The leaders of the FLDS do just that.

And Jude is clear: just as God did not spare the fallen angels, or the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, He will not spare those who twist His truth and defile His name.

What About Us? How Do We Stay Faithful?

It’s easy to point fingers. But the deeper question is this:
How do we make sure we don’t fall into deception ourselves?

Thankfully, Jude doesn’t leave us wondering.

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”
— Jude 20–21

Here’s what we’re called to do:

• Build yourselves up on your faith—stay rooted in the truth of Scripture.

• Pray in the Holy Spirit—stay connected to God in relationship, not just ritual.

• Keep yourselves in the love of God—cling to the One who will never let you go.

• Look for His mercy—because He’s coming back, and His judgment will be just.

And when we see others caught in deception?

“On some have compassion, making a distinction;
but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.”
— Jude 22–23

We don’t just condemn.
We reach out.
We pray.
We stay anchored in truth and lead with love.

To the Only One Who Can Keep Us

False teaching is real.
Deception is powerful.
And none of us are immune to it.

But the final verses of Jude offer us this promise:

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy…”
— Jude 24

God is able to keep us.
Even when the world is dark.
Even when others fall away.
Even when deception is disguised as truth.

A Final Thought

It’s heartbreaking to see how deeply people can be led astray—especially in the name of God. But it’s also a wake-up call for us as believers to stay grounded, vigilant, and full of grace.

We are called to:

• Know the Word

• Stay in the Spirit

• Live in the love of Christ

• And keep pointing others to the true Light of the world

False teachers will rise.
But Jesus reigns.
And He alone is wise.

“To God our Savior,
Who alone is wise,
Be glory and majesty, dominion and power,
Both now and forever. Amen.”
— Jude 25