What We Should Know...

Schooner Valley Revival, Fall 2022

Houlka, MS

Jude

Text: Jude 12-16.

ETS: Jude described the false teachers and their destiny.

ESS: Believers should be aware of the common traits of false teachers and their destiny.

OSS: [MO: Consecrative] {SO: I want the hearers to commit to correcting false teaching with the truth of the Gospel.} Cognitive: I want the hearers to know how to recognize false teachers and their works. Affective: I want the hearers to feel the urgency as they begin to recognize the presence of false teachers. Psycho-Motor: I want the hearers to commit to correcting false teachers are they recognize their presence and works among us.

PQ: How does Jude describe the false teachers?

UW: Ways

Intro.: [AGS]: Before soldiers go into the battle field in enemy territory, they study the terrain of the land and the way of the people that they will encounter. Perhaps they ask the question, “What should we know about them? What are we up against? [TS]: Jude not only appeals to the believers to contend for the faith, but he also provided for them a description of the false teachers they would be encountering along the way. {RS]: We should study those whom we encounter that are living in the depths of a lie (FT). Familiarity enables us to recognize them when we see them, and it allows us to know the dangers of their message before encountering so that we might respond positively correcting their false teaching with the truth of the Gospel. As we seek to familiarize ourselves with false teachers...

TS: Let’s examine a few ways Jude describes the false teachers now

Firstly, he described them as divisive. (v. 12a)

He described them as “dangerous reefs” or “blemishes” at the believers’ love feasts.

Reefs pose a dangerous threat to ships in the ocean because they can damage the structural integrity of the ship.

The love feasts were likely what we would consider similar to potluck meals, today. They were fellowship meals where believers gathered together to seek encouragement, unity, and instruction. Yet, these dangerous people were in their midst with ill intent, seeking to divide them.

Secondly, he described them as selfish. (vv. 12b and 16)

Two aspects should be highlighted in v. 12 on this thought: (1) they were at the believers’ love feasts. (2) they were considered shepherds- acknowledged leaders. Thus, as mentioned previously, they were on the inside and potentially even leaders on the inside of the church.

Yet, they were selfish- only looking out for themselves.

They were discontented grumblers- not content with what God provided because they wanted only what they desired for themselves.

They were arrogant, seeking to impress people for their own personal gain.

Thirdly, he described them as worthless. (vv. 12c-13a)

He used several descriptions to communicate this:

Waterless clouds: not people of character nor of promise. They could not sustain what they promised.

Fruitless trees: twice-dead and uprooted likely refers to trees that are dead at both the root and the fruit. They are uprooted because they are worthless.

Wild waves of the sea: some say this refers to a storm bringing up sea debris and polluting the beaches as they crash upon the shore. Perhaps it could refer to their lack of being grounded in sound doctrine.

Wandering stars: They are neither constant nor consistent- like a shooting star, they are seen momentarily and then disappear. They never sustain, nor do the principles they teach. They are worthless.

Finally, he described them as destined for judgement. (vv. 13b-15)

Key to these verses is the term “ungodly” (ἀσεβεῖς) which appears three times in the Greek in v. 15. It simply means having the wrong attitude towards God, one that is not of proper reverence. This described both the character and works of the false teachers.

Jude stated that judgement would be executed on the false teachers because of their ungodliness and selfishness.

Daniel Akin commented on v. 14, “The ‘tens of thousands of his holy ones’ refers to the angels. Numerous times in both the OT and the NT God is pictured as coming with his angels (cf. Zech. 14:5, Matt. 16:27, 25:31; 1 Thess. 3:13, 2 Thess. 1:7). At this coming, things will be radically different from his first visit to earth. Here he comes to a crown, not a cross. He comes to a throne, not a cradle. He comes to reign, not to die. He comes to judge, not to be judged. The next time he comes will be the last time he comes, and angels will be both his escort and his agents of judgement (v. 15)” (Akin, Jude. 171)

DRAWING HOPE:

Corrie Ten Boom said, “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within you’ll be depressed. If you look to God you’ll be at rest.”

CONCLUSION:

[1] Each of us encounter at least some false teaching daily in our culture. We need to be familiar enough to recognize the false teaching as well as those proclaiming it so that we are not led astray.

[2] The question I pose tonight is this: What will it take for you, as you begin recognizing false teachers by their character and works, to contend for the faith?