The Sins of Others

6, 7. How do some wrongdoers try to influence others?

⁶ Yet some who apparently love what is right seem to have allowed their hearts to deceive them, for they do not appear to hate what is bad. (Psalm 97:10; Amos 5:15) As a result, they get involved in doing sinful things and do not maintain the fight to do what is right. At times, they may go even further, seeking to involve others in their sinful course. How important that we reject such suggestions!​—Compare Proverbs 1:10-15.

⁷ Sometimes those who apparently do not hate what is bad talk so smoothly that a yearning to do what is wrong may develop in the hearts of those listening to them. The encouragement may be to engage in immorality or in some action bordering on conduct disapproved by God. Or a person may be urged to become involved in a situation that is potentially dangerous in a spiritual way. Those thus trying to persuade others may claim that Jehovah is a loving God who will be merciful when we sin. Such treachery of the heart can cause lasting damage. (Jeremiah 17:9; Jude 4) Surely, we should ‘hold back our foot from their roadway’!​—Proverbs 1:15.

1. Why did Jude change his purpose in writing to fellow Christians?

NINETEEN centuries ago, the disciple Jude had intended to write fellow believers about ‘the salvation they held in common.’ But he found it necessary to urge them to “put up a hard fight for the faith that was once for all time delivered to the holy ones.” Why? Because certain “ungodly men” had slipped into the congregation and were “turning the undeserved kindness of our God into an excuse for loose conduct.”​—Jude 3, 4.

2. Although it is refreshing to discuss salvation, at times what must we consider prayerfully?

² How refreshing to discuss salvation held in common! Meditating on that message brings great satisfaction, and we rejoice when anticipating all the blessings of that salvation. Nevertheless, there are times when, rather than speaking about salvation, we are faced with the need to consider other serious matters. If not corrected, these can tear down our faith and cause us to lose out in the race for life. Even as Jude’s warning against wrong conduct was strong and forceful, so Christians today must at times prayerfully consider Scriptural counsel that is direct, very much to the point.

13. How did Jude show that we must be concerned about protecting Jehovah’s people from wrongdoers?

¹³ We must also be concerned about protecting Jehovah’s people from those who would seek to entice them into wrongdoing. The “ungodly men” of Jude’s day sought to ‘turn the undeserved kindness of God into an excuse for loose conduct,’ but that loyal disciple acted to warn fellow believers and thus protect them. He reminded them of warning examples provided by unfaithful Israelites, the disobedient angels, and others.