Brutes Jude 8-10 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
Brutes lack the ability to reason, they have no conscience, and they are like animals, stupid, gross and sensual. By checking the thirteen references to them in the Bible, we learn some very interesting things.
Brutes learn what they know naturally – Jude 8-10 – the trouble with this is that the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned [1 Cor 2:14]. So, they are hopeless to learn anything about God as long as they remain brutish [Jer 51:17a]. They will remain filthy dreamers, they will defile the flesh, they will despise dominion and they will speak evil of dignities. Even Michael would not bring a railing accusation against the devil. Yet, brutes speak evil of things they know not and thus they corrupt themselves. They curse God, they deny creation, they mock the Bible, those things God calls evil, they call good and those things God calls good, they call evil.
Brutes are presumptuous and self-willed – 2 Pet 2:10-12 – they walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness. So, the Spirit has no control over them at all; they despise government, so they will not be governed by men. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignities, which not even angels will do. So, they are their own gods, and they speak evil of things they understand not. Not only do they not understand what we understand from the words of God but they speak evil of these truths. We understand from the Bible that God is invisible [Rom 1:19-20], that the things which are seen were not made of things which do appear [Heb 11:3], that the heavens declare the glory of God [Ps 19:1-6], that the word of God is true and eternal [Ps 119:160], that heaven [2 Cor 5:1-2] and the lake of fire [Rev 20:15] are real places in which all mankind will spend eternity. As a result, they will perish in their own corruption.
Brutes are fools – Ps 94:6-11 – they may think of themselves as wise [Rom 1:22], but they are fools [1 Cor 1:20]. They are fools because they don’t understand the knowledge of God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge [Prov 1:7] and the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom [Prov 9:10]. They have no fear of God and thus they have no knowledge and no wisdom. What knowledge and wisdom they profess to have God calls “vanity.” They may make a living with it but they surely don’t have life by it [1 Jn 5:12].
Brutes will not be reproved – Prov 12:1 – they are like animals, which will not be reproved with words. They don’t love knowledge [the knowledge of God] and they hate reproof. If they ever hear a preacher they scoff at his words and in pride condemn his speech. Preaching to them is foolishness [1 Cor 1:18].
Brutes sometimes end up in the ministry – Jer 10:21 – Jeremiah lamented in his day and said, “the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord.” When you get a brutish man in the pulpit, he is going to lead according to his own will. He may cite the Bible but he doesn’t believe it and it bears no fruit in his life. He’s a natural man and has natural desires. Thus, much of his preaching is going to exalt the flesh, not Jesus Christ. Though he speaks fair, the Spirit of God is not in him and does not lead him [Rom 16:17-18]. He will lead his congregation away from God, and unless they are with God they won’t even know it. The only way to know if you are being misled is to read, believe and follow what the Bible says.
Brutes can be saved – Prov 30:1-6 – like anyone else, if a brute will believe the words of God, he can come around to the things of God and be saved. Agur was more brutish than any man and did not have the understanding of a man. That’s pretty rough. He hadn’t learned wisdom, and he did not have the knowledge of the holy. But it is obvious that he came around. So, if you know someone who is brutish, pray that he will believe God’s words. You won’t be able to reprove him but if he hears God’s words, he may humble himself to believe them and get saved.
Conclusion: the reason some people today seem to be so sensual and stupid and seem to have no conscience about them is that they are brutish. Now you know some of the characteristics of these brutes. They are tough to deal with and only by humbling themselves to believe the words of God will they ever come around. You are hopeless to do anything for them aside from that.