By: Robert Serreyn
Question? What the heck is Jude 12, & 13 speaking about?
Jude 1:12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots. (13) Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.
Answer:
When Jude started out writing his epistle(by Divine Inspiration – 2 Peter 1:20,21) he was DIRECTED BY the Holy Spirit to give these Jewish and possiable Gentiles believers WARNING about needing to CONTEND FOR THE FAITH.
Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
In V4 he EXPLAINS WHY he is giving this warning in V3 to WARN those believers of FALSE TEACHERS.
Jude 1:4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
In V12 and 13 Jude uses METAPHORIC LANGUAGE to describe what these false teachers are truly are.
Jude Calls them as follows:
– Spots:
Gr. GPILAG = Hidden Rocks, in biblical times in order to sink a large ship they would HIDE LARGE STONES down inside the bottom of that ship.
This word WAS USED to ILLUSTRATE how false teachers HIDE their FALSE DOCTRINES by using christian terminologies that sound the same but their meanings are altogether different and if you ARE NOT keen on the Word of God you could end up believing a false doctrine if you HAVE NOT compared what that preacher, church or organization believes with the Word of God.
Satan’s WHOLE INTENDENDED purpose is to RUIN YOU DOCTINALLY so the Lord CANNOT USE YOU.
1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
– Feeding themselves without fear:
NO FEAR of Detection or Judgement.
Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
– Clouds they are without water carried about of winds:
Their False Teachings and False Gospel DO NOT water the soul (for salvation or doctrinal purity) because they DO NOT stand on the truth of God’s Word and like the wind that changes direction THEY TEACH whatever seems to be the MOST popular or accepted at that time.
Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.
– Trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit:
False Teachers (corrupt tree) PRODUCE False Converts (Evil Fruit = lost, unsaved people)
Matthew 7:15-23 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (16) Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? (17) Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. (18) A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. (19) Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (20) Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. (21) Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (22) Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? (23) And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
– Twice dead, plucked up by the roots:
Not only the False Teacher is Lost, but by their False Gospel and Doctrines they Take a Lost Person and make them a Religious Lost Person who’s minds are blinded to the Gospel.
Matthew 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
– Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame:
These False Teachers are like a stormy sea which is dangerous to travel and what they teach (foaming out) is just as DANGEROUS DOCTRINALLY and DIRTY and MUDDY(mire).
Isaiah 57:20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
– Wandering stars:
Like a Meteroid, or a Comet in outer space that DOES NOT stay in one place, Doctrinally these False Teachers are all over the place, One False Teacher will preach this false gospel and doctrines, another will contradict that one and teach a different False Gospel as truth.
– To whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever:
God simply ANNOUNCES what these False Teachers have to look forward to which is hell.
Matthew 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Matthew 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
Matthew 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
The MOST IMPORTANT thing to know IS Jesus Christ as savior, just simply believe that Jesus Christ went to the cross and DIED and shed his blood, was BURIED and three days later RESURRECTED from the dead to pay for your sins.
-Christ DIED for you – Romans 5:8
-Christ PAID your sins in full – 2 Corinthians 5:21,1 Peter 2:24
-BELIEVE (Trust In Completely) in Christ ALONE as the complete payment of sin for salvation – John 3:16, Acts 16:31, Ephesians 2:8,9
“For the wages(payment) of sin is death (eternal torment in hell); but the GIFT(salvation) of God is eternal life THROUGH Jesus Christ our Lord”. Romans 6:23
IT IS THAT SIMPLE – THE GOSPEL TRUTH