How can we protect our church from "clouds without water"? A vivid warning from Jude 1:12 “These are the hidden reefs in your love feasts, shamelessly feasting with you, shepherds who feed only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, uprooted.” Who the “clouds without water” are • False teachers who appear promising but provide no life-giving truth (2 Peter 2:17) • Professors of faith whose lives remain barren (Matthew 7:15-20) • Smooth talkers who drift from congregation to congregation, carried by every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14) Guardrail 1 – Saturate the church in sound doctrine • Teach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27) • Read, preach, and memorize Scripture publicly and privately (1 Timothy 4:13) • Remember: “All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable…” (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Guardrail 2 – Test every spirit and teaching • “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” (1 John 4:1) • Compare sermons, songs, and studies to the written Word (Acts 17:11) • Reject any message that diminishes the deity of Christ, the authority of Scripture, or the necessity of obedience (Galatians 1:8) Guardrail 3 – Equip faithful shepherds and watchmen • Elders must “hold firmly to the trustworthy word” so they can exhort and refute (Titus 1:9) • Train leaders to recognize doctrinal drift early (Acts 20:28-31) • Provide ongoing theological development for teachers and small-group leaders Guardrail 4 – Practice loving, firm church discipline • Follow Matthew 18:15-17 for personal offenses • Remove persistent false teachers from the flock (Romans 16:17; 2 Thessalonians 3:6) • Aim for restoration, yet protect the purity of the body (1 Corinthians 5:6-7) Guardrail 5 – Cultivate a Berean culture • Encourage every member to bring an open Bible to gatherings • Celebrate questions that seek clarity, not controversy • Equip families to discuss sermons at home (Deuteronomy 6:6-9) Guardrail 6 – Prize spiritual fruit over flashy gifts • Look for humility, holiness, and love (Galatians 5:22-23) • Evaluate teachers by their marriages, finances, and reputations, not just pulpit skill • Remember: “A good tree cannot bear bad fruit.” (Matthew 7:18) Guardrail 7 – Keep prayer and dependence on the Spirit central • Ask the Lord to expose wolves and strengthen saints (Ephesians 6:18) • Seek continual filling so discernment stays sharp (Galatians 5:16) • Trust that Christ Himself will keep His church blameless (Jude 1:24-25) The promised outcome When doctrine stays pure, discipline stays loving, and dependence stays fixed on Christ, “clouds without water” evaporate quickly, and the congregation remains a refreshing oasis of grace and truth. |
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