Pulling You Down

These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. Jude 1:12-13

Apostates have been with us for years, but it seems that at the end they will increase. There is only a little bit of Jude in the Bible, and yet much of it is given to warning about apostates. So, what are these things? It would be so easy if they would oblige us with horns, green skin, repulsive appearance, two noses or perhaps a trunk, three beady eyes with shifty little spots, or something that would give them away. Of course we wouldn't need much of warning to avoid such creatures spouting blasphemous words. Unfortunately, the apostates look just like you and me. 

Jude's first example is the Israelites who walked through the Red Sea and out of Egypt. You might think all of them would believe in God with such a sign as walking on dry ground between walls of water in what would in a normal times be a drowning experience. However, some refused to believe and they reached out in unbelief to drag down other Israelites. Apostates share experiences of the miraculous with us and yet refuse to believe and would have us go down with them. Therefore, Jude told us to watch out for them, just as we must say to one another today. 

Love to you in Christ Jesus!

Bucky