Daily Archive

More than being a false teacher, a wolf infiltrates the flock through subterfuge. He says the right things. He does the right things. At least when people are watching. He wants those he is deceiving to be confident in him. He can pass a doctrinal test, but the qualifications for ministry are not found in a system of theology, but in a list of character qualities (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). This is because sound doctrine leads to sound living – the proof of belief is behavior.

While a wolf may be able to teach sound doctrine, deep down he doesn’t believe it. The true fruit being produced in and by his life demonstrate what he truly believes. He teaches in order to deceive. He wants to build a platform for himself. In fact, that is who he worships – himself. And he wants others to worship him too.

He deceives and seeks to cause division. Just like any predator after the sheep, he wants to separate the weak, or those who might expose him for what he is, from the rest of the flock. If he is good at it, he will convince others that the one sounding the warning is the one to avoid.

The signs will be evident. He will seek to divide and conquer. Being divisive serves his purposes. A common enemy lulls people into a false sense of comradery and fellowship. To serve together in a cause as brothers can at times blind us to who we are working with in our common cause.

After sowing division, the wolf will rise to the top. He will suddenly appear as the logical choice for leadership. There will be a void to fill as good and godly men are run out and need to be replaced. He will “humbly” accept being nominated for leadership, as if he is as surprised as everyone else is that he has been chosen. But this is by design – he chose himself, promoted himself, undermined others for himself, and won’t be happy until the show is all about him.

Behind the scenes, the true fruit being produced is rotten to the core. His true beliefs manifest in the boldness of his sin when no one is watching, or at least no one from church who knows him. He lurks and leers. He is a predator. He seeks to serve his own fleshly desires. And amazingly, at times, the wolf will tell his prey that he is a “man of God” and a “preacher” as if that means he can do no wrong. He justifies his lust and his depravity.

If you aren’t sure or are suspicious about a wolf, look closely. Is he accountable to anyone? Does anyone really know him – his habits, his whereabouts when no one else is about? Does he promote himself? Does he always seem to be around when there is division and difficulty? Does he know how to hide his true emotions? Look for flashes of anger. Watch for those times when he notices that others are watching him.

Look at his history. If he has bounced from place to place and from church to church, never staying long in one place, that is a red flag. Talk to those who are where he was previously and find out if they know why he left. It is interesting that often these wolves will have been disciplined or asked to leave previous churches. Even more interesting how quickly he can explain it all away and justify himself. It was that other pastor, or those other elders, or someone else who sinned and he was just an innocent victim or was falsely accused.

A wolf will rally others to his side, often by turning them against a common enemy. It comes down to having to choose sides. It is all or nothing. And as he rallies others to his side, he seeks to gain influence all while trying to stay ahead of the truth. The truth that he is a savage wolf. And the flock is his prey.

Titus 3:10 Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, 11 knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.