Daily Archive

Over the next few posts we will embark on a study of warnings in the Scripture concerning wolves, otherwise identified as false teachers. We will look at passages like 2 Peter 2, Matthew 23, and others, focusing on the specific words of Christ given in Matthew 7:15, “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

Shepherds and Discernment

The premise behind these posts is based upon God’s Word given to the Prophet Ezekiel about his role as a Watchman (Ezekiel 33:1-9). While we understand that too many “discernment” blogs are in reality more personal vendetta sites or attempts at self-promotion, there is value to the people of God in having Watchmen look out for us and warn us when needed. We believe that these must be ministers of the gospel – elders/pastors working within the framework of shepherding a local congregation, or at least those working under their oversight. These men have been given to oversee the work of the church and to equip the saints for their service to the Lord, each other, and the lost world (Eph. 4:11-16).

Being discerning is more than pointing out error or identifying heretics and false teachers. There are plenty of those to go around. Neither should we disregard someone’s profession of faith just because we have doctrinal or practical disagreements. Most of the time, we have trouble agreeing with ourselves (Romans 7:21-25). There are essentials and non-essentials, and our discussions over those things must be governed by a spirit of love and humility and a submission to the Word of God as our only infallible rule for matters of faith and practice. Our task is to learn what God says about whatever the topic at hand might be and then to strive to be at peace with all men, as much as depends on us (Romans 12:18).

Charles Spurgeon said, ”Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.” True. But here we need to go one step further. We must all be discerning, and then we must go beyond merely discerning true teachers from the false teachers. We must be on the lookout for the roaming, roaring lion who is the Devil, and those servants of his who appear in sheep’s clothing but are in fact ravenous wolves seeking to devour and bring dissention (1 Peter 5:8; Matt. 7:15; Acts 20:29-31).

What is a wolf in sheep’s clothing?

Often we can deduce a person’s work or vocation based on the clothes they wear. At times it is a uniform like for a police officer or fireman, or clothing related to functions within the job, like a lab coat for a doctor or protective gear for a welder. In the time Jesus was giving this warning, a shepherd could be recognized because he wore clothing made from wool – sheep’s clothing. If a wolf was trying to infiltrate the flock and feed himself on the sheep, what better way than to imitate the shepherd?

Throughout the ages, we have had to be on guard and are often caught off guard when ministers, missionaries, deacons, teachers, or evangelists are exposed living in wickedness. At times it is seen in the fall of a man of God into disqualifying sin (1 Cor. 9:27). Other times they are outright and obvious heretics who persuade people with their flattering words (they appeal to and feed the flesh of their hearers). At times there are cover-ups, outright denials of what really happened, or excuses that tell us that “all have sinned”, and “let he who is without sin cast the first stone.” At other times, it is the victims who are blamed and the villains who are defended.

Our task in all of this, as the church of Jesus Christ, is to be on guard, heed the warnings of Scripture, and when necessary, speak up to warn about those who have been exposed as ravenous wolves. What the church does with these warnings is on their own head, but let no one ever be able to say that they were not warned!

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Ezekiel 33 ¹ And the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, ² “Son of man, speak to the sons of your people and say to them, ‘If I bring a sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one man from among them and make him their watchman, ³ and he sees the sword coming upon the land and blows on the trumpet and warns the people, ⁴ then he who hears the sound of the trumpet and does not take warning, and a sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. ⁵ He heard the sound of the trumpet but did not take warning; his blood will be on himself. But had he taken warning, he would have escaped with his life. ⁶ But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman’s hand.’ ⁷ “Now as for you, son of man, I have given you as a watchman for the house of Israel; so you will hear a word from My mouth and give them warning from Me. ⁸ When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require from your hand. ⁹ But as for you, if you on your part warn a wicked man to turn from his way and he does not turn from his way, he will die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your life.