November 22
“These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever,” Jude 12-13.
Jude was moved by the Holy Spirit to very vividly describe the emptiness of the teachings and the disgusting conduct of false teachers. They are deceivers against whom Christians must constantly be on guard. They mingled and associated with the early Christians at their love-feasts, which were celebrated in connection with the Lord’s Supper. Of course, they showed no reverence for the Lord’s Supper. It had no spiritual significance for them. They were not interested in any kind of Christian fellowship. While they associated with true Christians in worship, there was no sincerity. They only put on a front, as we say. They were only serving themselves.
False teachers remind us of the words of the Lord Jesus: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” Matthew 7:21-23.
On another occasion, Jesus spoke of false teachers, as well as their followers: “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men . . . They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch,” Matthew 15:8-9, 14.
Jude continues, “They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds.” When the farmer is praying and waiting for rain to make the seeds sprout and grow, and all he sees are clouds carried about by the wind, but no rain, it is quite hopeless for a crop to appear.
False teachers are like, “Late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots.” They are like autumn trees without foliage and without fruit. Such trees are really dead wood, and need to be rooted out! They have no spiritual food.
They are like, “Raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame.” Don’t get caught in a boat on the raging waves of a sea which is foaming with filth and dirt in the water. Don’t get caught listening to false teachers. They can do untold spiritual damage.
They are like, “Wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.” They are like stars that give no light, but lead you into spiritual darkness.
As Christians, let us heed the words of Paul: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers . . . ‘Come out from among them and be separate,’ says the Lord. ‘Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters,’ says the Lord Almighty,” 2 Corinthians 6:14, 17-18.
“Oh, for a faith that will not shrink
Tho’ pressed by many a foe;
That will not tremble on the brink
Of poverty or woe.
That will not murmur nor complain
Beneath the chast’ning rod,
But in the hour of grief or pain
Can lean upon its God.” Amen.