Okay. Here’s a place where the CSB rendering makes a BIG difference — and again, if I had been a NASB reader, this would have already been familiar to me. But I haven’t read the NASB, and so it looks like a big difference. A big difference between spots, blemishes, and dangerous reefs.

These people are dangerous reefs at your love feasts as they eat with you without reverence. They are shepherds who only look after themselves. They are waterless clouds carried along by winds; trees in late autumn ​— ​fruitless, twice dead and uprooted. They are wild waves of the sea, foaming up their shameful deeds; wandering stars for whom the blackness of darkness is reserved forever.

(Jude 1:12-13 CSB)

Initially Jude had thought to write a letter to this group of believers to encourage them by reminding them of “the salvation we share.” Instead, he’s compelled to warn them of the danger they were in by appealing to them to “contend for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all” (Jd. 3). And the danger he warns them of? It was these people.

These people had “come in by stealth” (Jd. 4a). These weren’t outsiders, they were insiders. The logo on their t-shirt said, “Believer.” The first impressions from their behavior said, “Brother.” But, warns Jude, their bent said, “Beware.” For they would turn the grace of God into a reason to follow the flesh (Jd. 4b). And if you’re gonna follow the flesh then you are essentially denying that Jesus is the “only Master and Lord” (Jd. 4c).

Did I mention they were insiders? Eating at the church’s love feasts, they put on airs of reverence even as they fellowshipped around the table commemorating the church’s love for the Savior. Thus, according to the ESV, they were blemishes among the believers. They were spots (NKJV) among the saints. They were weeds among the wheat (Mt. 13:24-26).

But honestly, while blemishes, and spots, and weeds might sound disappointing in that not all God’s people were really good people, translate the original word differently and disappointing becomes downright DANGEROUS!

These people are dangerous reefs . . .

Not just spots, but rocks. Not just blemishes, but bad news for unsuspecting vessels. Capable of shipwrecking others’ faith as they claim the faith. Sounding good though, in reality, they are but shepherds who only look after themselves.

What a warning! Sounds a lot like Peter’s warning in 2Peter 2. That makes it a repeated warning!

Not that we should be seeing a heretic in every pew, but we’d be naïve to think this is only a possibility at someone else’s love feast. These dangerous reefs can pop up right were our churches have set sail.

So, wouldn’t it be prudent to heed Jude’s warning? To listen to Jude’s appeal? I’m thinkin’ . . .

Fight with everything you have in you for this faith entrusted to us as a gift to guard and cherish.

(Jude 1:3 MSG)

Contend for the faith. Know it. Study it. Internalize it. Obey it. Defend it.

When that’s our posture, then we’ll have activated the Spirit-powered sonar we’ve been given which is able to detect dangerous reefs.

Grace will then continue to be counted as God’s unmerited favor worthy of our worship and not twisted to be God’s “who cares” permission to do whatever we like. Jesus will be owned as Master and Lord and not misunderstood as but one means to an end, only obeying His commands when they’re convenient.

Dangerous reefs. Possibly in our midst.

So, contend for the faith.

By God’s grace. For God’s glory.