Do you know why people water down the gospel? Jude

Jude 1:16 (NASBStr)

These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.

Jude is writing a short letter to echo what Peter and John have also addressed in their letters (2 Peter 2 and 2 John).   There are, within the church, a group of apostates (those who confessed Christ and now reject Him) or blasphemers (those who reject Christ and never believed), who Jude is warning the church to watch and to guard against.   These false believers, have, somehow, risen to the position of leadership and teaching in the church.   They attempt to persuade the followers of Christ to forsake the teachings of Paul, Peter, John and the other apostles and follow a watered down version of the gospel, or no version at all.  The reasons they do this and how they do this is listed in the above statement by Jude.   They are not content with the God-given leaders of the church.  So, like the nation of Israel who didn't yield to Moses' leadership, they grumble (Numbers 16:11).   This murmuring was to rally others to see failures and faults within the leadership of the church and follow these false teachers, instead.   Since these false teachers reject God's will and the will of Godly leadership they have one option left; to follow their own lusts and desires.   When we reject God's will there is only one will left to follow; our own.   But, like anyone, these false teachers don't want to be alone on the journey they have mapped for themselves.   Therefore they will entice others to join them by watering down the Word and requirements and play to their audience to curry their favor for one purpose:  They want to gain advantage.   Proverbs warns about taking a bribe and allowing the bribe to change what you teach or counsel you give ... saying what the audience wants to hear so that they will follow you deeper or accept you fuller (Proverbs 17:23).   We ought to be aware of those who change their message to gain reputation and power over their hearers.  Being politically correct would be today's version of this warning.   When we water down the commandments of God and the teachings of God so that we can be politically correct than we fall into the same vein as these teachers in the early church.   We are simply changing our message to gain an advantage over our audience for our own desires.