What does Jude 1:4 mean?
Jude explains why his readers should aggressively defend the truth. As predicted, immoral men had crept into the membership of first-century churches. Jude describes them as ungodly, accusing them of claiming that God's grace allowed them to lead an immoral life. According to Jude, they even rejected the fact that Jesus Christ is the ultimate authority and Lord. It seems these apostates believed it was acceptable to give in to the body's evil desires. The apostates' character, conduct, and condemnation had been predicted (Isaiah 8:19–22; 2 Thessalonians 2:6–10; 1 Timothy 4:1–2; 2 Timothy 3:1– 9; 2 Peter 2:1–9).Writing in Romans 6:1–2 the apostle Paul responds to those who think God's grace allows them to keep on sinning. He asks, "Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?" His answer is dramatic: "By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" The apostle Peter also contradicts the false teaching that grace permits immoral living, writing: "but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy'" (1 Peter 1:15–16).
The false teachers' notion that it doesn't matter whether the body is morally clean or unclean is addressed clearly in Romans 12:1, where the apostle Paul urges believers to offer their bodies "…as a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable to God." The body may be used to honor God or to offend him (Romans 6:12–14).