This is the sixth in an series of verse-by-verse expositions of the book of Jude. This message was delivered at Hillcrest Baptist Church on the evening of December 9, 2012. The message deals with the traits and characteristics which are common to false teachers. This post contains an audio recording of the sermon, plus my sermon notes. Please note that the notes are not a full transcript. To get the entire message, you’ll need to listen to the Audio.
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SERMON NOTES:
Jude 12-13 / Traits of a False Teacher
v.12:
Jude 12 and 13 present seven vivid pictures of the false teachers and help to explain why they are dangerous to the church.
1) SPOTS:
Where the church should be a loving fellowship which portrays nothing but beauty, these false teachers are a blemish. They mar the beauty of the body of Christ.
Like a fine and rare piece of art, if it is stained, it loses its value.
The false teachers are stains which must be removed, if the [spiritual] value of the church is to be retained.
2) SERVE ONLY THEMSELVES:
The word that is translated serve, means shepherding.
Instead of shepherding the flock and caring for the needs of the people, these false teachers only take care of themselves.
They are like those irresponsible leaders of Israel mentioned in Isaiah 56:10-12
It is a serious thing to be a shepherd over God’s flock. Our example must be Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep.
False shepherds use and abuse people in order to get what they want, and yet all the while, the people love it!
2 Corinthians 11:20
And they do it all without fear.
3) CLOUDS WITHOUT WATER:
Like empty clouds, they promise rain, but come up dry. While their crops are in need of the Living water, they allow them to wither up and die.
They promise liberty, but can only deliver bondage.
2 Peter 2:19
4) AUTUMN TREES WITHOUT FRUIT:
At the very time the farmer expects fruit, these trees are fruitless.
Alas, we will know them by their fruit (or lack of it).
Matthew 7:16-17
Those who teach and preach the Word have the responsibility of feeding others, but the false teachers have nothing to give.
5) TWICE DEAD:
They are pulled up by the roots, twice dead. They will die physically, and then they will die eternally, as God plucks them up and executes judgment, leaving no remnant behind.
“Born once, die twice. Born twice, die once.”
v.13:
6) RAGING WAVES:
Like waves of the sea, raging back and forth and producing only froth on the shore, these apostates spewed their foam with nothing solid, edifying, helpful, or nourishing.
The waves don’t build up, they erode. There is great power in waves, but it is a destructive power.
Isaiah also compares the wicked to a troubled sea.
Isaiah 57:20
7) WANDERING STARS:
Stars are useful for navigation. Since the beginning of time they have provided direction. That’s because stars have a fixed position, you always know where to find them.
The shepherd of a flock should be able to provide direction, and be able to give the flock a constant point of focus.
A wandering star is unable to do that. It will never be in the same place, and will never provide good direction.
All the false teacher can do is lead people astray, to be swallowed up in the blackness of darkness forever.
They are a danger to the church, because they are completely contrary to everything that God is.
We need to learn to recognize them, and cast them out. Don’t allow anyone to lead you astray.
In Defense: The Blog 
Michael Lee
January 27, 2013
Good message! you had said: ‘They are a danger to the church, because they are completely contrary to everything that God is.’
Also contrary to all that God has said. Point of fact God said His Law was forever and would never be done away with. However Paul really is quite contrary to this isn’t he?
Till heaven and earth pass not one jot or tittle from the Law shall fail.
Pastor David Palmer
January 27, 2013
Thanks. If I understand your question correctly, you are asking if Paul’s message of grace was contrary to the law. The entire book of Galatians was written by Paul to refute the idea of legalism (by that I mean works based salvation). Paul never argued that the law had been abolished, just that it was not the means of salvation. In fact, Paul certainly recognized the purpose of the law, and the fact that it does still fulfill its intended purpose.
Galatians 3:24-26
“Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
Sons and Heirs
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
The law has a purpose, but has never been the means of salvation. Even the Old Testament saints were saved through faith, not the law.
Romans 4:3
“For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”
So, I would submit that Paul was not at all contrary.
By the way, I have an entire series on the book of Galatians, which provides much more detail.
Thanks again for your question.