Cain, Balaam, and Korah: Three Warnings for a Pure Faith in Jude 11

How do you keep your faith pure when it's easy to follow God halfway? Jude 11 answers with three warning signs from the Old Testament: Cain, Balaam, and Korah. Cain worshiped God on his own terms. Balaam served God for personal gain. Korah wanted to be in authority without being under authority. Each one shows a heart issue you can check and fix today.

Why does Jude warn about Cain, Balaam, and Korah?

Jude warns about them because their attitudes still live in the house of God. These men have been gone for thousands of years, but their symptoms haven't.

Woe to them! They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam's error; they have been destroyed in Korah's rebellion.

Jude 11

Jude reminds his readers of judgment in the Old Testament. He mentions Israel's unbelief, the angels who sinned, and Sodom and Gomorrah. Sodom was known for immorality, and Pastor Marty Sloan pointed out that idolatry always comes first. Then Jude names three people who put their own plans above God's plan.

When the Bible says "woe," you should pay attention. If you're driving and see a sign that says "Bridge Out," you don't speed up. You turn around. These three warnings work the same way.

What is the way of Cain?

The way of Cain is worship without surrender: worshiping God on your terms instead of His. Cain is known as the man who killed his brother in Genesis 4. His real issue was with God, and he took it out on Abel.

Selective obedience is obeying God in some areas while doing things your own way in others. Cain brought an offering, but he brought what he wanted to bring. Hebrews 11:4 shows his offering lacked the faith Abel's had. You come to Jesus as you are. From there you walk a road of lordship. Lordship means He is in charge and you are not.

For example, imagine telling your boss, "I know it's your company, but I'm doing things my way." Or imagine telling a commanding officer in the military that you've decided on a different plan. Neither would work. Jesus is even more in charge of your life than a boss or an officer.

Pastor Marty remembered believing as a child that his parents sat in their room plotting rules against him. Then he became a parent and realized rules and correction were never the fun part. "There is not a downside to obeying a good God," he said. Everything God tells you to do is for your benefit.

Here is how to avoid the way of Cain:

• Obey when it's inconvenient. Jesus didn't find the cross convenient, yet He prayed, "Not my will, but yours be done." Obedience can be hard, and it always works for your good.
• Give God your best. Give Him the first and most alert part of your day, and your first fruits through your tithe. That goes for your spouse too: your best, not your leftovers.
• Repent quickly. When Scripture confronts you, don't throw the book away. Turn and go God's way.
• Worship with reverence. Worship is more than a song. It's how you live and work every day.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:9

Repentance is turning from your own path to go God's way. First John 1:9 was written to people in the church. God still forgives His children after salvation.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, this is your true and proper worship.

Romans 12:1

What was Balaam's error?

Balaam's error was practice without pure motives: serving God for personal gain. He was a prophet for hire (Numbers 22 to 24), and he loved the rewards of unrighteousness. His practices looked right, yet his motives were not pure. He used his spiritual gifts to build his own platform instead of God's kingdom.

Pastor Marty applied this to himself first as a pastor. He said he'd be fine if, years after he's gone, people can't remember his name. His goal is to make Jesus famous. People come to church for all kinds of reasons, including business leads or finding a date. So every believer should ask, "Why am I here? Am I serving God with a pure heart?"

One test is simple. If you find yourself chasing someone's recognition, you've found where your worth is coming from. What if you serve in the nursery for years and nobody thanks you? Pastor Marty's answer: "I hope you're changing diapers for Jesus." Your motives affect the blessing God brings to your life.

These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Isaiah 29:13

Keep your motives pure, learn to serve unnoticed (Matthew 6:1), and build your character more than your charisma. To God, the inside matters more than the outside. As 1 Samuel 16:7 puts it, people look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

What was Korah's rebellion?

Korah's rebellion was authority without submission: a grab for authority by someone who refused to be under authority. In Numbers 16, Korah gathered a group of men to rise up against Moses and Aaron. He saw himself as equal to them, though God had given them a different assignment.

Authority is a gift from God. Because the world is fallen, people will sometimes misuse it. Pastor Marty recalled an airport worker yelling at an older man who was struggling with his ticket, phone, ID, and mask. Some people in authority want you to know they're in charge. Even so, authority itself is God's idea and a blessing.

Pastor Marty lives this out by staying under the counsel of seasoned mentors and overseers. Calvary has a board and a staff structure for the same reason. Everyone in authority should also be under authority.

He also honored Mike, a Calvary staff painter who just marked 25 years at the church. Odds are Mike painted most of the walls you see there. He's gifted, faithful, and has a servant's heart. "When I grow up, I want to be like Mike," Pastor Marty said. Honoring someone else's gift never goes wrong in God's kingdom.

To overcome Korah, embrace God's order. Honor spiritual authority, embrace accountability, stay planted, respond to the authority of God's Word, and celebrate other people's callings.

Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account.

Hebrews 13:17

How are the three warnings connected?

The three warnings form a progression: worship, then motives, then authority. When one collapses, the others follow. Pastor Marty's charge: don't build a Christianity that fits you. Submit your life to Christ and let your roots go deep in Him. If you want to keep studying these Old Testament lives, he recommended Kings and Prophets by Mark Rutland and the teaching of Alistair Begg's Truth for Life.

Common questions

What is "the way of Cain" in Jude 11?

The way of Cain is approaching God on your own terms instead of His. Cain brought an offering, but he brought what he wanted rather than what God required. Today it looks like selective obedience, following Scripture only where it suits you.

What was Balaam's error?

Balaam served as a prophet for personal gain. His spiritual practices looked right, but his motives were selfish. Jude uses him as a warning to serve God with a pure heart and make Jesus famous instead of yourself.

What did Korah do wrong?

In Numbers 16, Korah led a rebellion against Moses and Aaron. He wanted to be in authority without being under authority and treated himself as equal to leaders God had given a different assignment. The answer to his spirit is honor, prayer for leaders, and accountability.

Can Christians be forgiven after they are saved?

Yes. First John 1:9 was written to believers and promises that God is faithful to forgive and cleanse when you confess. Repentance is a gift to embrace.