These people 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. Jude 1:12
Einstein defined insanity as, “Doing the same thing over and over but expecting to get different results.” If this is the case then sin is insanity.
Jude, a brother to Jesus, did not believe Jesus as the Messiah until the resurrection. After becoming a believer himself, Jude ministered to the converted Jews of Jerusalem. False teaching infiltrated the church leadership and Jude took immediate action with this letter. He gave harsh descriptions of their character: A shepherd that lets their flock starve? Trees that take up space in the orchard yet produce no fruit?
Sin has great charisma and no ethic, a toxic combination through the ages. Although attractive and hard to resist, believers are not left defenseless to resist sin. Through faith we can and must call on the strength of the LORD.
Love,
Gretchen