APOSTATE CHARACTERISTICS
Jude 8-16

8 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.
11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.
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.
14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.

1. These apostates reject divine authority (vv. 8-11)

• Note the word likewise. It ties what Jude is about to say to what he has already said.

• These apostates are in rebellion like the three examples of rebellion that Jude previously spoke about - rebellious Israel in unbelief, rebellious angels against God’s throne, and rebellious Sodom and Gomorrah in sexual sin.

  1) The cause of rebellion (v. 8)

  • The cause of rebellion is seen in the fact that they are “
    Reveal Answer
    .” These apostates live in a dream world of unreality and delusion. They covet positions and possessions. They have thoughts of success, grandeur, and personal recognition. They have dreams, but these dreams are filthy.

  2) The course of rebellion (v. 8)

  • Where did their rebellion lead them?
    1] Defilement of the
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    2] Despise
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    • When a person despises authority, he feels free to disobey God’s authority and live as he pleases.
      3] Speak evil of dignities (literally means to blaspheme God)
    • Blasphemy is more than just taking God’s name in vain. It also involves taking His Word and authority lightly.

  3) The consequence of rebellion (v. 10)

  • The consequence of rebellion is seen in the apostates’ ruin and destruction.
  • The word “corrupt” means “
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    .”

  4) The condemnation of rebellion (v. 11)

  • The condemnation (woe) of these apostates is seen in the three examples of rebellious men from the Old Testament.

    1] The way of Cain

    • Cain rebelled against God’s way of salvation. (Substitutionary sacrifice and blood atonement)

  • The “way of Cain” is the way of religion without faith, righteousness based on character and good works.

    2] The error of Balaam

    • The “way of Balaam” is merchandising one’s gifts and ministry just for the purpose of making money. It is using the spiritual to gain the material (see 1 Thes. 2:5-6; 1 Tim. 6:3-21). The false teachers were greedy for material gain and, like Balaam, would do anything for money. The “error of Balaam” is thinking that they can get away with this kind of rebellion.

    3] The gainsaying of Korah

    • Korah spoke against Moses as the authority figure for Israel. He spoke against God’s authority working through the man Moses.

2. These apostates resort to deliberate hypocrisy (vv. 12, 13, 16)

• Jude gives six pictures of these apostates that show just how dangerous they are.

  1) Filthy spots

  2) Selfish shepherds

  • The word “feeding” in vs. 12 means “
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    .” These apostates were selfishly feeding and tending unto themselves.

  3) Empty clouds

  • These apostates look like men who can bring much needed spiritual help, but they are unable to produce.

  4) Dead trees

  • These men are
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    and
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    (“plucked up by the root”); this is why they are “twice dead.”

  5) Raging waves

  • Jude says these men are like raging waves, not because their words have power like that of an ocean wave, but because of their pride. They speak great swelling words.

  6) Wandering stars

  • The word here means meteor or shooting star.
  • Fixed stars can be depended on to guide the traveler through the darkness, but wandering stars can only lead him astray.

  7) Murmurers and complainers

  • Two things:
    1] They complained to get people dissatisfied with life.

    2] They spoke great swelling words to impress.

3. The apostates will receive their due penalty (vv. 14-15)

• Four truths:
  1) It will be the
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  judgment of God.
  2) God will not judge alone.
  3) It will be a universal judgment. No one will escape. God will execute judgment “upon all.”
  4) It will be a
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  judgment.