JUDE: PROTECTION FROM APOSTACY

IV. The Activities Of Apostates

(Jude 8-16)

I. Introduction

A. Paul predicted that people in general would go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived as the world drifted further into apostasy, cf. 2 Timothy 3:13; 4:3-4. Rising deception naturally coincides with a drop in trust wrought by the effects of people who have been painfully deceived, and a lack in trust in society tends to break down human institutions, the bedrock of society itself.

B. The Epistle of Jude addresses the problem of apostasy (Jude 3b), and Jude 8-16 describes the activities of apostates. We thus view this passage for our insight and edification (as follows):

II. The Activities Of Apostates, Jude 8-16.

A. Jude described the activities of apostates in Jude 8-16 ESV, what is a great service to the Church, for though errant doctrine might not initially be discerned by many believers, the deeds of apostates, springing from errant beliefs, often readily expose their sin, alerting God's people to the possible presence of apostates.

B. We view those activities to identify sinful deeds that can aid in our discernment of apostates (as follows):

1. Apostates often rely on human imagination and not actual Bible exposition for their teaching content:

a. They often rely on dreams [or visions] rather than objective, written Scripture for their beliefs (v. 8a).

b. They often pretend to be saved and produce Bible exposition while they are actually lost and give no edifying content like clouds without rain and fruitless autumn trees plucked up by their roots (v. 12c,d).

2. Apostates are often physically immoral, defiling their bodies, Jude 8b.

3. Apostates are often insubordinate (v. 8c) and rebellious against divinely instituted authority as seen in the rebellion of Korah against the authority of Moses and Aaron in Numbers 16 (v. 11c).

4. Apostates often slander even angelic beings (v. 8d).

5. Apostates often verbally demean what they do not understand (v. 10a), and they are often destroyed by what they like unreasoning animals instinctively do understand (v. 10b).

6. Apostates often walk in the way of Cain who had a self-made, artificial spirituality by offering up his own idea of a good sacrifice rather than obeying the Lord's directive (v. 11a; Genesis 4:3-7).

7. Apostates like Balaam often practice what is a false spirituality for financial gain (v. 11b; Num. 22-24).

8. Apostates like blemishes often pollute the fellowship of the local church (v. 12a) by functioning as spiritual shepherds who feed themselves at the expense of the flock's welfare (v. 12b with Zech. 11:4-6).

9. Apostates like raging waves of the sea are often typically coarsely boisterous and shameful (v. 13a).

10. Apostates are often spiritually unstable leaders, acting like wandering stars that mislead their followers who try to navigate through life by following them only to be harmed in the end (v. 13b).

11. Apostates are often unusually critical, functioning as typical grumblers (v. 16a) and faultfinders (v. 16b).

12. Apostates often follow their own evil desires rather than suffer discomfort in following the truth (v. 16c).

13. Apostates are often boastful (v. 16d).

14. Apostates often flatter to manipulate other people to gain an advantage in furthering their agenda (v. 16d).

C. In this presentation, Jude also shared critiques of the evil actions of apostates (as follows), Jude 9, 14-15:

1. Jude related how the archangel Michael, when disputing with Satan over the body of Moses, opposite the tendency of apostates to slander even angelic beings (v. 8d), presumed not to pronounce a slanderous judgment on Satan, but simply told him, "The Lord rebuke you," Jude 9.

2. Jude also told how the pre-Flood man Enoch, the seventh from Adam, who was taken to heaven because he walked with God (Gen. 5:24), predicted that God would come with ten thousands of His holy ones to execute judgment on apostates for all of their wicked deeds and words against Him, Jude 14-15.

Lesson: We can identify troublesome apostates often by their wicked actions such as relying on dreams instead of Bible exposition, lacking Biblical content in their teaching, being immoral and insubordinate to proper authorities, slandering, badmouthing, possessing a false spirituality, loving money, abusing God's people for unjust, personal gain, being boisterous, acting shamefully, grumbling, faultfinding, valuing their own desires above the uncomfortable truth, misguiding others, boasting and manipulating others to advance their own agendas.

Application: When we spot any such sinful behavior in a leader, may we realize that he is at least functioning in carnality and at the most is an apostate, that we follow up our initial observation by thoroughly testing the party.