When Spiritual Confidence Becomes Arrogance | Jude 8-10

Welcome to The Daily.

ESTHER:

We will begin Esther next Monday. I have titled this one, FOR SUCH A TIME: Courage When God Seems Silent. Grab the Esther Journal now. If you are a Project23 donor giving $35/month or more, do not purchase one; we have already sent this to you in the mail.

Our text today is Jude 8-10

Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, ‘The Lord rebuke you.’ But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. — Jude 8-10

Some people sound the most certain when they understand the least.

We’ve all seen it.

A strong opinion. A spiritual tone. Maybe a Bible phrase or two. And suddenly someone speaks as though they are God.

That’s the kind of arrogance Jude is confronting.

These false teachers were “relying on their dreams.” In other words, they were using personal experiences and spiritual claims to justify what they wanted to believe.

We see the same pattern today when people elevate personal impressions, “God told me” moments, or emotional experiences above Scripture's clear teaching. A verse may say one thing, but a feeling or a supposed revelation is used to override it. In those moments, experience doesn’t just influence interpretation—it replaces it.

They didn’t submit their experiences to God’s truth. That’s always dangerous.

A dream, impression, feeling, or strong desire might feel deeply personal. But feeling certain does not make something fact. Every experience must be tested under the authority of Scripture.

When personal experience becomes the highest authority, Jude says three things begin to happen.

1. Desire takes over the body.
2. Pride rejects authority.
3. Arrogance corrupts speech.

Notice they didn’t want anyone telling them what to do. Not Scripture. Not spiritual leaders. Not even God himself. They wanted spiritual freedom without spiritual submission. But that isn’t freedom. It’s rebellion dressed up in religious language.

Then Jude gives us a bizarre example involving Michael the archangel, the devil, and the body of Moses.

Jude does not explain why they were disputing over Moses’ body, and Scripture doesn’t give us enough information to fill in all the blanks. So we shouldn’t pretend we know more than we do.

And that’s actually part of Jude’s point.

Michael was an archangel. He had real spiritual authority. Yet when confronting the devil, he did not speak recklessly or act as though ultimate authority belonged to him.

He simply said, “The Lord rebuke you.” In other words, even Michael knew his place. He did not rely on himself. He relied on the Lord. That is a powerful picture of spiritual humility.

And Michael had more spiritual knowledge than any of these false teachers, yet he spoke with greater restraint than they did. The false teachers were loud about things they did not understand. But Michael was careful even in an area he understood better than they ever could.

Spiritual maturity does not make you louder about everything. Sometimes it makes you calmer and quieter, and it teaches you when to speak and how to speak.

Jude says these people “blaspheme all that they do not understand.” They attacked what they had never taken the time to understand. Then they followed whatever they understood “instinctively.”

And that still happens. It's happening like wildfire in our postmodern culture.

We turn a strong feeling into a deeply held spiritual conviction. Or turn a personal preference into an authoritative command. We speak confidently about subjects we have barely studied. Just listen to most opinion podcasters today, and this is what you get. Feeling and opinions elevated to supreme authority, with complete disregard for the facts.

And believers do the same when we wrongly use the phrase “God told me” to protect a choice from wise questions or biblical correction. Then, when anyone challenges us, we call it persecution when it is really just correction.

I can see this tendency in myself. When I care deeply about truth, confidence can slowly turn into certainty about things Scripture has not made completely clear. I can speak too quickly, assume too much, and call it discernment.

Biblical humility does not mean having weak convictions. It means placing our strongest convictions under Christ's authority.

It means speaking clearly where Scripture is clear. Speaking carefully where Scripture leaves questions. And refusing to act like our opinions carry the same weight as God’s Word.

So before you speak today, pause. Ask whether you are defending God’s truth or protecting your pride. Ask whether you understand the issue or are simply reacting to it.

And remember Michael’s words: “The Lord rebuke you.” The authority, the truth, and the judgment are his. Stay humble, my friends.

DO THIS:

Before making a strong statement today, stop and ask: Is this clearly taught in Scripture? Do I understand the issue well enough to speak? Am I responding with humility or reacting from pride? Choose one conversation where you will listen longer and speak more carefully.

ASK THIS:

1. Have you ever treated a strong feeling or personal experience as though it carried the same authority as Scripture?
2. Where are you most tempted to speak confidently about something you do not fully understand?
3. How can you hold strong biblical convictions without becoming proud, harsh, or unteachable?

PRAY THIS:

Lord, keep my convictions rooted in your Word, my words under your authority, and my heart humble enough to receive correction. Amen.

PLAY THIS:

Confidence