These men are blemishes at your love feasts, eating with you without the slightest qualm—shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without rain, blown along by the wind; autumn trees, without fruit and uprooted—twice dead. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shame; wandering stars, for whom blackest darkness has been reserved forever (12,13).When I was younger and naive I used to read those words and think, Wow, there must have been some really wicked scam artists in the New Testament times. I'm glad that got sorted out in the church councils, reformation, etc.
Sadly, I was wrong. It didn't get sorted out. If you don't believe me, turn on your television. This clip from TBN's fall 2007 "fleece-a-thon" is a case study of Jude's warnings about "clouds without water"--manipulative promises of wealth, healing, children's salvation, etc. ... If you go to the phone right now.
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