Jude 13 OUT OF CONTROL The description of present-day apostates is the same as those Jude wrote about who were living in his day. Self-centered, taking care of their own interests, promoting their own ideas and trying to impose them on others, is common practice of those who are merely religious but have no salvation. The danger is there even if it is unseen by those who look only on the outward appearance. False promises, disappointment and disillusionment create false expectations that soon are revealed for what they truly are. When there are no lasting results and no evidence of spiritual fruit in one's life, there is no reason to look to that person for guidance and instruction. They cannot be counted on to give the truth of God to His people because they do not know it themselves.
Those without divine life and divine guidance become very concerned and upset when we pay them no attention or when we refute their claims with the word of God. They may temporarily appear to be godly and righteous in life. But there is no inner power from God to maintain a facade very long. They are inwardly like the "troubled sea" and that usually appears outwardly as time passes. Jude uses two more metaphors to describe these false Christians as people who are out of control.
Winds that blow across the ocean will soon create waves that are incontrollable by man. A they approach the shore, the effect is to scrub the ocean floor in shallow water and move dirt, rocks and offal towards the shore. A person who rejects the truth of God will stir up strife that produces wild, uninformed accusations. They become agitated when confronted with their inconsistency. Like foaming waves, they will often use unclean words that express their own moral uncleanness. Then as their own shame is exposed for what it really is, in an attempt to maintain their pride and lawlessness, their released anger becomes disgraceful.
All that results from their own efforts is to display their own personality and conduct as that which is out of control and is a disgrace to one who professes to be a Christian. A raging sea is often watched from a distance by people who know when it has calmed down, there will be a lot of dirt, rocks, and junk that had been previously hidden. The "troubled sea" casts up "mire and dirt."
A "wandering star" attracts attention for a short time because of its temporary brightness and out-of-control movements. They appear unexpectedly and make a great show of light for a short time. Some people make a profession of faith in Christ and seem to take off in Christian endeavors like they were highly motivated by the new life they found. Generally, that is not only "a flash in the pan," but beside being unreal, it leads us to realize that person is an enemy of the cross of Christ.
Some make a profession and have a remarkable conversion for a short time, but deceive the Lord's people. New believers especially are vulnerable to those who have a dramatic conversion and call for bold changes in the teaching and practices of an assembly. Like a shooting star that quickly goes across the sky, a false teacher with a hidden agenda will go quickly out of sight when they don't get what they want and their own way.
Apostates who are like "spot," a false shepherd, a cloud without rain, trees with no fruit, uncontrolled waves, and shooting stars will all be "in the blackness of darkness forever." The choice to live in darkness during one's life means they will be in darkness eternally. There are consequences to choices that are inevitable and unchangeable. The greatest danger is that those who choose darkness want others to do the same.
A rock can be a protection, and another rock a danger. It depends on if the Rock is Christ, or one among us who is a stranger. One shepherd may be very good, and another a mere hireling. The Good Shepherd gave His life for His sheep, the other one simply coveting.
One cloud may be dark and filled with rain, another one look good to the eye. The one waters the earth with its rain, the other one leaves it high and dry. One tree gives life to men, the other one is fruitless and dead. From the one comes to us eternal life, the other one hopelessness instead.
From the sea there can comes nourishing food, or dirt, disease and decay. It depends on what one feeds their own soul. or on the One the seas obey. A shooting star is here now and then gone; another is the Bright Morning Star. One is only here for a brief time, the other One seen forever from afar.
It is wise for us when meeting one first, to know what they think of our Lord. We can usually tell a believer, and trust one whose testimony is based on God's word. But when one speaks mostly about their own self, and who focuses attention on him. We can suppose that because of the claims he makes, he is still lost in his sin.
"Father, through these verses of scripture I can see people like these about whom we are warned are here today. I pray for wisdom and clarity of thought when called upon to make an opinion or give some counsel regarding the reality of what they profess to believe. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen."