
                   UNMASKING THE APOSTATE

   The winds of apostasy are raging worldwide. Such news is
not new or startling, for the Bible predicted that in the
last days apostates would flood into the church with their
heretical teachings.
   Many Christians are confused over the distinction between
an apostate and a heretic. The word apostate means "to stand
away from." He is one who professed to have accepted Christ
but knowingly rejects His deity and redemptive ministry;
thus, he does not possess salvation. Often his character and
lifestyle are contrary to what the Bible teaches. On the
other hand, the word heresy is from a Greek word meaning "to
choose." The heretic possesses salvation but chooses to hold
erroneous teachings which conflict with true biblical
doctrine. Both the apostate and the heretic are in error,
but the heretic is redeemed where the apostate is not.
   In this section, Jude made one final attempt to unmask
the true character of the apostate and warn the church
concerning his deceptive practices.

                 CHARACTER OF THE APOSTATE

   Jude began by presenting six word pictures to describe
the apostate's character. He wrote concerning the worthless
worship of these apostates, calling them "spots in your love
feast" (Verse 12). The love feast was a Sunday evening meal
brought to the local church, shared by all members, and
concluded with the Lord's Supper. The meal was to be an
expression of corporate love within the church, but it
rapidly degenerated into drunkenness and disorder (1 Cor.
11:20-22), soon to be held separately from the Lord's
Supper.

   The apostates had crept into these holy love feasts
spotting them with their defiled character and conduct. The
Greek word for spot can be translated "hidden rocks" and was
so used since the time of Homer to denote a rock hidden just
under the surface of the water on which ships, unaware of
the danger, crashed. The church was to guard against such
men who would make spiritual shipwreck of their fellowship.

   Second, Jude called these apostates wicked shepherds, for
they were "feeding themselves without fear" (Verse 12)
within the church. The word "feeding" means to tend a flock
of sheep, thus to shepherd. The shepherd is to feed, care,
nurture and protect the sheep. The apostate shepherd did the
opposite by exploiting the sheep and gratifying his own
appetites at their expense (Ezek. 34:2-8; Isa. 56:11; John
10:12-13). They did it "without fear" (Verse 12) or without
any conscience of wrong.

   Today there are many so-called shepherds (spiritual
leaders) who pretend to care, nurture, direct and protect
the Christian, when all along they are fleecing the sheep.
They build their own empires by living sumptuously off what
the sheep provide and give little or nothing in return.
Amazingly, many Christians continually support such
religious leaders, even when their immoral and financial
irresponsibility has been proven.
   What a contrast to Jesus the Good Shepherd who cares,
nurtures, protects and gives His "life for the sheep" (John
10:11).

   Third, Jude described these apostates as waterless
clouds: "clouds they are without water, carried about by
winds" (Verse 12). The farmer in Israel was always in need
of rain. He would be encouraged when dark clouds appeared on
the horizon promising rain to his thirsty fields. More often
than not, his hopes were dashed when the winds carried these
dark clouds past his field without dropping rain.
   So it was with the apostate whose appearance, manner and
talk aroused great expectation. They seemed to be shepherds
who could provide spiritual refreshment to the thirsty soul.
But the opposite was true. Since they lacked the water of
God's Word, they left their hearers spiritually dry.
   Many preachers, posture as men who can give spiritual
refreshment, but their hearers go away thirsty. Their hollow
messages on humanistic goodness, love and unity, principles
for positive mental attitudes, methods which will produce
physical healing and financial prosperity will provide
little refreshment to a thirsty soul. Only the sound
teaching of God's Word can quench man's spiritual thirst.

   Fourth, Jude described them as withered trees. The phrase
"whose fruit withereth" (Verse 12) is made up of two Greek
words, phthino, "to waste away" and opora, "autumn." Thus,
it has reference to autumn trees without any fruit.
   Autumn is the time when fruit trees should be bowing over
with productivity, ready to be harvested; but these trees
were fruitless. Since the time mentioned was late autumn,
the trees were not only fruitless but leafless, giving an
appearance of death.
   The fruitless and leafless tree is a threefold picture of
the apostate. First, he is "without fruit" or devoid of
spiritual character and conduct. Second, he is "twice dead".
Spiritually dead inside he gives an outward appearance of
his condition as do leafless trees in late autumn. This
figure is not teaching that these men were true believers
and are now lost because of their apostasy. Jude was
teaching that these men were spiritually dead while they
lived (1 Tim. 5:6). The Bible speaks of a "second death"
(Rev. 2:11; 20:6; 21:8) in the lake of fire which all
apostates will experience after the Great White Throne
Judgement. This is not an annihilation of the individual,
for they are "tormented day and night forever and ever"
(Rev. 20:10) in the lake of fire. Third, they are to be
"plucked up by the roots" (Verse 12). In God's eyes they had
already been uprooted and judged, having their doom sealed.
A rootless tree has no life and will never produce fruit.
Men without roots and fruit are like branches that are
withered. They are gathered up and burned in the fire (John
15:6).
   The fruitful believer is pictured as a tree planted by a
river, producing fruit at the proper season (Psalm 1:3).
Only those connected to Christ, the life-giving vine, can
produce spiritual fruit (John 15:5).

   Fifth, Jude described the apostate as "Raging waves"
(Verse 13) or a wind tossed sea. A raging wave is wild,
fierce and untamable, depositing spewed up mire and dirt
wherever it flows (Isa. 57:20). Here is a picture of the
restless, untamed passions and appetites of the apostate who
constantly smashes against barriers put in place by God to
restrain and restrict his wickedness. He spews forth his
shameful words and acts like foam which has no substance. It
rides on the crest of the waves until it hits a barrier then
vanishes away.

   Sixth, Jude described apostates as "wandering stars"
(Verse 13). He was not referring to the fixed stars by which
travelers would get their bearings. These were like meteors
or shooting stars which streak across the sky with great
brightness and vanish quickly into the darkness of space,
never to shine again. They give no light, direction or
guidance to the traveler.
   The apostate is similar. He appears on the scene with a
big flash professing to bring new light to spiritual
pilgrims, but in reality he guides people into deep darkness
with himself.
   Jude said that such men have their destiny sealed in
hell. The word "reserved" (Verse 13) denotes that their fate
is firmly fixed forever. The intensity of their damnation is
amplified by the words, "blackness of darkness" (Verse 13).
Those who follow such apostate teachers will suffer the same
end.
   Today many Christian leaders are put in the limelight and
presented as luminaries of the truth to whom God has given
special gifts to direct, teach and heal the faithful.
Christians flock to such men believing that God has given
them special illumination or revelation which will bring
extraordinary blessing to their lives. More often than not
such men prove to be fallen stars who streak across the
religious world and vanish into disgraceful obscurity. One
should be very careful in whom they believe and follow after
and to whom they give support. They might seem to be a
bright light at first, but they soon turn out to be fallen
stars.

                 CONDEMNATION OF APOSTATES

   Jude presented a word from Enoch concerning the Lord's
judgement at His Second Coming: "And Enoch also, the seventh
from Adam, prophesied of these" (Verse 14). This is not the
Enoch from the line of sinful Cain (Gen.4:17) but the Enoch
from Seth's line, the son of Jared (Gen.5:19-24). Enoch was
a man of faith (Heb. 11:5) who "walked with God" (Gen.5:22,
24) in close communion and fellowship for some three hundred
years after the birth of his son Methuselah. His character
and conduct testified against the corrupt and godless age in
which he lived. He was a prophet who preached that the Lord
would come and execute judgement against the ungodly of his
day (Jude 14-15). He lived in total obedience to his Lord
and "had this testimony, that he pleased God" (Heb. 11:5).
Enoch's end was glorious; he "walked with God, and he was
not; for God took him" (Gen. 5:24). The writer of Hebrews
interpreted the meaning of "God took him": "Enoch was
translated that he should not see death, and was not found,
because God had translated him" (Heb. 11:5). The word
"translated" means to change or to be transferred to another
place. Enoch was bodily transferred from earth to paradise
without seeing death.
   Enoch's translation to paradise is a picture of living
Christians being raptured to Heaven when Christ comes for
His Church (1 Thess. 4:17). The two translations are not
strictly the same since Christians are in their glorified
bodies after the Rapture, something that Enoch could not
experience prior to Christ's resurrection and glorification
(1 Corin. 15:22-23, 51-53).
   The removal of Enoch prior to God's universal judgement
on the antediluvian age is no doubt a picture of the Church
being raptured prior to the Great Tribulation.

   Jude's statement concerning Enoch's prophecy is similar
to one recorded in the Apocryphal book of Enoch (Enoch 1:9)
which did not surface until the first century B.C. Different
views are held concerning Jude's possible use of Enoch. Many
believe that he quoted directly from Enoch. Some believe
that Jude received the word's directly from God. Others
believe he quoted an oral tradition which was in circulation
at the time of his writing. Even if Jude had quoted from a
noncanonical book such as Enoch, this does not prove that it
is inspired nor that Jude considered it inspired. Paul
quoted from a number of noncanonical sources in his writings
which he did not endorse. It is possible that the Holy
Spirit led Jude to use a true statement concerning Enoch
that was also recorded in the Apocryphal book of Enoch.

   The first part of this prophecy dealt with the Second
Coming of Christ, "Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands
of his saints" (Verse 14). These are a number of interesting
truths revealed by this prophecy. The verb "cometh" (came)
is in the past tense. Even though the prophecy awaits future
fulfillment, Jude stated it in the past tense in order to
confirm and emphasize the absolute certainty of the Lord's
coming. He is coming with "ten thousands of his saints,"
literally an innumerable multitude or unlimited number. The
saints (holy ones) will include angels, the Church, Old
Testament believers and the Tribulation saints martyred for
their faith. Notice that the prophecy began with "Behold,"
indicating that the reader is to pay specific attention to
the eschatological coming of Christ.

   One purpose for Christ's coming is to implement the wrath
of God, "To execute judgement upon...all that are ungodly"
(Verse 15). Although this judgement will not be by flood as
in the days of Noah, it will be universal in scope. The word
"ungodly" is used four times to emphasize why judgement must
come on these individuals.
   Another purpose of His coming is "to convict all that are
ungodly" (Verse 15). He will present irrefutable evidence of
their guilt so that they are without appeal. The evidence
will deal with two areas of their lives: First, "all their
ungodly deeds" (Verse 15) will be judged, those actions
which came forth from their depraved nature; second, "all
their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken
against him" (Verse 15). The word "hard" means harsh, stern,
rough and offensive remarks made against Christ. God keeps
the records, and men will have to give account for every
idle word they have spoken in the day of judgement
(Matt.12:36). At the Great White Throne Judgement, the books
of man's deeds will be opened, and each man will be judged
according to his works (Rev. 20:13).

                    CONDUCT OF APOSTATES

   In Verse 16, Jude provided a summary of the apostates'
ungodliness. First, they were "murmurers" (Verse 16). The
murmurer is a discontented person who grumbles in an
undertone, muttering against God, believers or anything that
does not fall in line with his will. Second, they were
"complainers" (Verse 16) or faultfinders, ones who spoke out
against the faults in others but did not recognize or
acknowledge the faults in their own lives. Third, they were
"walking after their own lusts" (Verse 16) or ordering their
conduct after immoral desires which burned in their hearts.
Fourth, they spoke "great swelling words" (Verse 16). They
bragged about themselves with great arrogance using
bombastic speech to express their knowledge of God or things
spiritual. Fifth, they held "men's persons in admiration
because of advantage" (Verse 16). These men flattered
influential people in order to impress them for personal
gain, whether it be popularity, position, prestige, power or
profit.

   Many Christians live like the apostates! Strong statement
but true. They grumble under their breath against things
which do not go according to their will. They find faults in
others but are unwilling to recognized or admit shortcomings
pointed out by Christian brother or sister. They live with
immoral lust burning in their breast and satisfy their
desires in secret. Some brag proudly concerning their
knowledge of God or things spiritual. Many flatter pastors
or church leaders for personal gain.

   As the Church age draws to a close, apostasy will be
manifested worldwide like never before. Jude has unmasked
the character of the apostate so that Christians can be
discerning and not become prey to the pitfalls of their
distorted teachings and deceptive tactics.

   We must make periodic checks concerning our commitment in
order to guard against any heretical teachings which could
lead us astray. Jude would strongly warn: Make sure you
possess salvation! Make sure you are grounded in sound
biblical doctrine! Make sure your character and conduct
measure up to a godly walk.


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