Leadership: Godly vs. Ungodly
- Chad Lee
- Dec 8, 2024
- 2 min read
". . . shepherds feeding themselves . . ."
-Jude 12 ESV
Leadership can be either godly or ungodly. Godly leadership is incredibly nourishing, life-giving, and helpful. However, ungodly leadership is incredibly destructive and harmful.
Scripture reports that occasionally false teachers will infiltrate the church, even rising into leadership in the church. Jude, the author of the New Testament book by the same name, claims that he had actually wanted to write about something else, but instead he "found it necessary" to write about fighting for preserving the faith. He says,
Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.
-Jude 3 ESVWhy? Because some false teachers had infiltrated the church and were leading the church in a bad direction.
The following chart is adapted from the book of Jude. In the chart, I will contrast godly and ungodly leadership from the book of Jude.
Godly | Ungodly |
Servant of Jesus Christ (v. 1) | Denies Jesus Christ (v. 4) |
Contends for the faith already delivered / wants to preserve it (v. 3) | Perverts the grace of God / wants to change it (v. 4) |
Godly (v. 4) | Ungodly (v. 4) |
Called (v. 1) | Designated for condemnation (v. 4) |
Relies on Scripture (v. 17) | Relies on dreams (v. 8) |
Focused on the love of God (v. 21) | Focused on personal gain (v. 11) |
Has the fear of God (v. 12) | Lacks the fear of God (v. 12) |
Selfless / feeds sheep (v. 12) | Selfish / feeds themselves (v. 12) |
Content | positive, hopeful, thankful, encouraging (v. 16) | Discontent | negative, grumbling, complaining, critical, fault-finding (v. 16) |
Follows God's desires (vv. 17-23) | Follows sinful desires (vv. 16, 18) |
Humble (v. 16) | Loud-mouthed boasters (v. 16) |
Seeks what is best for others (v. 16); has mercy on others (vv. 22-23) | Flatterers, manipulative, uses people (v. 16) |
Seeks unity (v. 19) | Causes divisions (v. 19) |
Spiritual (v. 19) | Worldly (v. 19) |
Builds up faith and prays in the Holy Spirit (v. 20) | Devoid of the Holy Spirit (v. 19) |
Their end is eternal life / waits for the mercy of God (v. 21) | Their end is eternal death / will be judged (vv. 7, 15) |
Good leadership can help people flourish. Bad leadership can harm people deeply. "When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan" (Prov. 29:2).
Thankfully, despite the fact that false teachers and bad leaders at times bring pain to Christ's church, we can end on a positive note as Jude does. Why? Because ultimately we have a perfect leader in heaven who will successfully bring his people into his perfect, joyful kingdom despite every present struggle.
24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
-Jude 24-25 ESV