What Jesus' Brother Jude Wanted Us To Know | Verse 13, Part 2 | Restless Stars
The final descriptor in this little section that Jude gives for the active, heretical nature of false teachers is that they are “wandering stars” (vs. 13)—fitting for a number of reasons.
Not only does this continue the theme of fidgety activity that is so prevalent in these men and women—they are waterless clouds, swept away; fruitless trees, uprooted; shameless waves of the sea casting up their vile foam—it makes a fitting segue into Jude’s ultimate message, which is their impending doom.
Stars that fly across the night sky disappear as fast as they are visible. They are bright for a time, but fade out completely. Their position is never fixed or firm, rather it is ever-changing, moving fast from where it started. So it is with false teachers. They shine for a time in the lime-light of popular opinion, but they fade away forever. Their position is never firm or fixed, but changing and malleable. Ultimately, like wandering stars, they themselves shoot off towards “the gloom of utter darkness.”
This is Jude’s second articulation of the damning consequences of their heresy. In such a short letter—indeed, just six verses of separation—Jude tells us that the reality of Hell looms. In verse five, he says they will be “destroyed.” In verse six, he speaks of the “gloomy darkness” that they, like fallen angels, will experience, ultimately suffering condemnation at the “judgement of the great day.” In verse seven, he states plainly that they will “[undergo] a punishment of eternal fire.”
It cannot be missed that here in verse 13, Jude says Hell has actually been “reserved” for them and, not surprisingly, Peter had expressed the same truths earlier (2 Pet 2:17). This idea of damnation being reserved for the ungodly is sobering. It isn’t too often we sit down and ponder Hell. For obvious reasons, we tend to avoid the thought and are usually content just to know it is real and then be thankful that we aren’t going there—to the praise of God’s glorious grace! Yet, it is most certainly helpful to contemplate its reality just as we might Heaven’s, from time to time.
Why?
This will increase our appreciation of God’s mercy on us. This will increase our amazement of God’s grace He has given us. This will spur on our evangelistic zeal and it will most certainly spur on our heavenly-minded work on earth as we are reminded of the eternal realities that eclipse all earthly endeavors.
No doubt, this is Jude’s intent when making such a case against those who would teach what is not true; what does not save; what does not sanctify; what does not purify. It only makes sense that his righteous indignation is at a climax when addressing false teachers because it is their false teaching that will damn others also. It is out of the most meaningful love that Jude writes such with such severe language.
In verse four, he started his epistle saying “certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation.” His point was then continually being explained and drawn out all the way to verse 13, with one final appeal to Enoch, which we will see in the following installment of this series.
Only an absence of this profound love and an ignorance of eternity will make it difficult to consider modern men and women of our own day as some of those wandering stars headed for the gloom of utter darkness. Today, it is nearly impossible to get someone to point out a false teacher and give the reason for why they qualify. Perhaps they see what seems to be largely orthodox statements coming from some teachers who simply make controversial claims and statements every now and then. Should not the good outweigh the bad? Should not Christian charity excuse these extremely popular, best-selling personalities as they pose questions that may challenge the historical Christian truths we have long believed? After all, they are only asking questions and not directly denying doctrine. So the reasoning goes.
Yet, the Bible warns us of these very scenarios.
The Apostle Paul charged Timothy to “charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion” (1 Tim 1:3–6) (emphasis mine).
The number one reality that we have to come to grips with is that, unlike false religions whose teachers are obviously heretical at every turn, the false teachers that Scripture always warns us about are those within the evangelical church; those who seem to be orthodox; those who give all of the right lip service. The danger for us is that if we only judge whether or not someone is worth accepting based on what is so easily pretended, then we will be duped every time.
Paul wrote in no unclear terms: “Such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds” (2 Cor 11:13–15).
The Apostle John said clearly, “do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 Jn 4:1).
If we are unwilling to be like the most noble Bereans who “received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so,” (Acts 17:11) then we dare might prove once and for all we care nothing for truth, thus we care nothing for Jesus Christ who is the truth and consequently the way and the life (Jn 14:6).
We must be willing to test the best-sellers of pop-Christianity and even the backwoods teachers who have no social media platforms if that is who you sit under. No one, including myself, is independent of the authority of God and His Word. We must view everything and everyone through the lens of Scripture.
Ironically, today, we use "star" as a metaphor for someone who is famous and broadly liked. Jude may have been on to something bigger than he anticipated when he said it is the star-like quality in people we have to be most wary of.
If we were to condense the multitude of warnings given by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Apostle’s Paul and Peter and finally Jesus’ brother Jude in all that they have written to those who profess Christ, it is this:
Holding the hand of error will eventually lead to a full embrace of it.
Stand firm, Christian soldier.
In Christ Alone,
Ben
