CHRISTIAN STEADFASTNESS - THE DEGRADATION

Our main question last week was are we fighting for God or fighting God? Power leads to perversion – whether we pervert the word of God like we will see today, or we engage in a lifestyle that is perverted in God’s eyes – we must guard our hearts and minds as to who we allow to speak into our lives – who do we allow to be a spiritual authority in our lives?

Last week Jude spoke about the depravity of the situation, today he brings to light the degradation – and ties into 3 examples from Old Testament that they were following and warns us to not follow suit.

Let us pray!

Jude 10-13

But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

I. THE DEGRADATION—vv. 10-16

1. Problem—vv. 10–11 – But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.

Blasphemeo – speak abusively against, revile, to be evil spoken of

They spoke evil of, abusively of heavenly things they could not understand

Their pride and hunger for power and control fueled their appetites to exalt themselves as experts of heavenly things

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 12:4-5 – and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses—

Paul understood the power, glory and majesty of God and all of God’s creations, including angels and their work and mission and heaven

Heard what could not be told – man cannot even begin to utter

John tries to describe heaven – rainbow like emeralds – roads city of pure gold that are transparent – no human words to describe

2 Corinthians 12:6-7 Paul continues – though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.

Paul knew his place in God’s kingdom, God’s Plan –

These false prophets – so hungry for power and prestige and claiming knowledge they did not have – made them to be as knowledgeable as unreasoning animals

Purposefully leading people away from God for your power trip leads to destruction –

2 Peter 2:10-13 – and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you.

v11 – Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.

Cain – picture of selfishness, pride, arrogance, envy, sin, enticing others to sin (Cannanites) – did not love his brother – envied and allowed jealousy to rule his heart – not focused on God – chose wickedness over godliness, goodness

Cain – evil sacrifice to God – when his sin was revealed instead of repenting – kills

Balaam’s error – comes from Numbers & Revelations 2 – addressing the church in Pergamum – greed, enticing people into sexual immorality promoting apostasy (abandoning God)– boasting of visions, prophetic dreams and visions that stand in contrast to God’s Word – God’s Character

Numbers 31:16 – Behold, these, on Balaam’s advice, caused the people of Israel to act treacherously against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and so the plague came among the congregation of the Lord.

Revelation 2:13-14 – “‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faith even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality.

Balaam’s motive – greed – change God’s message to sell more books, get more speaking engagements, get more people to come and give money

It is ok to participate in sexual immorality – what is the American Church saying today –

Homosexual marriage is marriage – divorce between homosexuals breaks God’s heart like it does heterosexual marriage

Homosexuality was only a sin in Old Testament times – even though Paul wrote a lot about it

Ties back to Jude 4 – For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Pervert the grace, love and mercy of our Living God

Korah’s Rebellion again is recorded in Numbers 16

Numbers 16:3 – They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?”

Everyone is holy – all can be priests – God chose who should be set apart – God chose His leaders

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram did not rebel so much against Moses and Aaron but against God – His Word – His Will – His Way

They led people away from God’s Law and God’s Purpose – God Himself

The same with these false teachers

Jude’s 3 Warnings for us –

a. Devoid of Love –

b. Deired Money over God

c. Deliberately disobeyed God’s Ordinances and were not subject to the God-led, leaders God placed over them

Indifference – Claims to have special knowledge – God only told them – like Joseph Smith – Mormons

This causes –

a. Indifferent to the demands of morality

b. Indifferent to the needs of fellow believers – superiority complex

c. Indifferent to faith leaders – those holding true to Biblical Truth

2. People—vv. 12–13. Picture of today’s people. -

v12 – These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;

Hidden reefs – sink ships, wreck havoc, destroy and damage –

1 Timothy 1:19-20 has a similar warning – holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

These false teachers purposefully come into your fests – your agape fests – Holy Communion – God loving – God serving fellowship – used this time to sink, destroy and wreck havoc

Generally, a meal first – a common fellowship meal then celebrating the Eucharist – Holy Communion

Paul warned of this in 1 Corinthians 11:20-22 – When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

They have no fear – arrogance – they were above those who were not seen as equal to them as a “teacher” – another translation says – as they revel recklessly – they elevate themselves over others – the opposite of Jesus’ teachings

shepherds feeding themselves– They act as shepherds to themselves – Jude probably remembering Ezekiel

Ezekiel 34:1-4 – The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.

Ezekiel 34:8-10 – As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.

Instead of looking after them, protecting them, feeding them, caring them, they lead them astray and instead of laying down their life for the sheep – they sacrifice them and move onto the next flock

Waterless clouds swept by the wind –

Proverbs 25:14 – Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give.

Agriculture society – like here – when you see clouds forming on the horizon – you expect rain – but when it doesn’t happen – what is the feeling

We hope – we look forward to God’s blessing – but when it doesn’t happen – there is the letdown, disappointment –

These false teachers were doing the same – they promised much but delivered nothing –

fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted

Grapes, Pomegranates, Olives, Quince (kwins) – are fall harvests – so any of these trees that had no fruit on it to harvest would have been come to mind – the uselessness of such trees to remain in an orchard

Matthew 7:20 – Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

2 Peter 1:8 – For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 3:18 – You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Such trees are uprooted – twice dead – an uprooted tree cannot bear leaves also cannot bear fruit

Twice dead – dead in their sins and now also dead as they are cut off the root –

John 15:1-7 – “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

v13 – wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

Jude now changes his direction and focuses on their evil works

Wild uncontrolled waves – casting up useless foam – their own shame – mud and muck like Isaiah said

Isaiah 57:20 – But the wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest,

whose waves cast up mire and mud

wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

Like shooting or falling stars who burn out and lose their light

Also when satan and his fallen angels were cast out of heaven

Matthew 8:12 – while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

v22:13 – Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

v25:30 – And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Isaiah 14:12 – “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!

Revelation 12:9 – And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

2 Peter 2:4 – For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;

v17 – These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved.

When false teachers violate Scripture and misrepresent God – His Word – His Will – His Way – They are as dangerous as sunken rocks, as selfish as perverted shepherds, as useless as rainless clouds, as dead as barren trees, as dirty as the foaming sea, and as certain of doom as the fallen angels.

How are you living out your faith?

Are you a waterless cloud blown by any stray wind or are you nurturing and feeding others?

Are you a fruitless tree – not making a difference for God or are you bearing fruit?

Are you a wave just casting foam, mud and muck or are you helping move the ships of God’s Will?