Read with Me
Jude 12-13 (HCSB)
These are the ones who are like dangerous reefs at your love feasts. They feast with you, nurturing only themselves without fear. They are waterless clouds carried along by winds; trees in late autumn—fruitless, twice dead, pulled out by the roots; wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shameful deeds; wandering stars for whom the blackness of darkness is reserved forever!
Listen with Me
Jude has absolutely nothing positive to say about the false teachers who were injecting gnostic ideas into the congregations that allowed them to speak and teach. His words sound harsh to some modern ears which elevate tolerance to the highest virtue. But Jude realized that this was a life-and-death issue for the Church, that those who listened to these false teachers were being led off the narrow kingdom road and into the wide road that leads to hell (Matthew 7:13-14).
Jude’s first description portrays these false shepherds as caring only about themselves, fattening themselves at the love feast with the food that was intended to provide for those in need. They contributed nothing of real spiritual value to the Church, but received or took for themselves whatever they wanted. This was not a demonstration of the Christ-like agape love that is expected of true Christian leaders, but was instead self-focused, self-serving worldly love.
The next description Jude gives of these false teachers shows that they were completely unable to provide what they promised, like rain clouds that pass over without dropping any rain, leaving the dry ground parched, and like fruit trees that produce no edible fruit, leaving the people starving, despite their promise. These false teachers promised spiritual enlightenment, as well as spiritual power, none of which they themselves possessed, and therefore they had no chance of passing them on.
The final picture of these false teachers painted by Jude is that of demonic destruction. Like powerful, storm-driven tidal waves, these people swept through a city, and left destruction in their wake, lost and confused souls who had been confident and holy before they had been led astray. He also compared them to demonic spirits, the so-called wandering stars, those angelic beings he referred to previously who had refused to keep their place, but instead chose to align themselves with the evil one, and to lead people astray and enslave them to false theology and false promises.
Again, none of this is in any way positive. Jude sees these men as an unmitigated evil to be resisted at all costs, and to be clearly decried for the pain and destruction that they were leaving in their wake.
Pray with Me
Father, so many of us have been taught that it is our responsibility to be “nice” to everyone, and to never take a hard stand on anything for fear of driving people away. But Jude understood that false doctrines, false expectations, and bad actions, if they are simply allowed to continue and not directly and strongly confronted, can literally cause the destruction of souls who are precious to Jesus, and for whom he died. This is an important word for Your people today who are being pressured by an increasingly loud chorus to ignore Your word and to moderate our standards on the basis of tolerance and inclusion, and at the same time to ignore the very real spiritual destruction that happens when we not only tolerate and allow what You Yourself call sin, but instead actively promote it and celebrate it. Help us, Lord, to stand firm on what You say, and to ignore all the other voices. Amen.