Beware | Watching for Wolves Among the Sheep
Romans: For the Gospel • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 27 viewsNotes
Transcript
Today, we embark on a journey through a familiar story with a deeper lesson—Little Red Riding Hood. As you recall, Little Red Riding Hood innocently ventured into the forest to visit her grandmother, only to encounter a cunning wolf disguised in sheep's clothing. This tale isn't just a children's fable; it echoes a profound truth that we, as a church, must heed. Just as Little Red Riding Hood faced danger in the form of a deceptive wolf, we too must be vigilant against wolves in the church—false teachers and deceptive influences that threaten to lead us astray.
As we delve into today's message, let's explore how we can discern these wolves among us, protect our faith, and uphold the truth of the Gospel, ensuring that our community remains a place of genuine spiritual growth and unwavering truth.
There Be Wolves
There Be Wolves
First, Paul calls them watch out. This is a call to alertness. The reality of existence of wolves necessitates the need for diligence. Jesus warns us about them:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
We have to be diligent? Why? Because wolves in sheep’s clothing aren’t easy to spot. It would be great if those who are enemies of the cross had long mustaches they twirled and laughed maniacally to let us know who they were, but they don’t.
Here’s a truth: Wolves don’t often know they’re wolves.
Note the chilling passage in Matthew 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
Notice what Jesus says: that they think they’re right. They think they are doing what God wants them to do. We tend to think that those who oppose the things of God know they’re opposing the things of God, but they often don’t. How can that be?
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?
False teachers are often deceived by their deceitful hearts.
always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth.
Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.
Not only that, but they lack understanding because their minds are corrupted. They think that their view is biblical. They are deceived by the enemy into thinking what they believe is true.
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,
Now if demons disguise themselves as angels of light, is it any wonder that some believe they are following God in their false teachings? No, because they too are deceived.
So the question becomes, how do we discover the wolves when the wolves don’t even recognize themselves?
What are some characteristics of wolves that we can watch out for?
Deceptive Disguises
Deceptive Disguises
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
The first mark of a false teacher is that they disguise themselves in sooth talk and piety.
having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
2 Corinthians 11:13 Paul says they are “masquerading as apostles of Christ”
Paul says these people have an appearance of godliness. They look godly. They talk godly. Their disguise is so convincing that they fool even themselves.
Often those who teach destructive and divisive heresies clothe themselves in Christian clothing, they attempt to look pious, but Paul notes that they aren’t.
Let’s look at the full verse:
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.
For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
Jon Bloom gives three attributes of the disguise of wolves here:
Their Wolfish Aim: self-indulgence
Their Sheeplike Clothing: “the appearance of godliness”
Their Recognizable Fruit: a lack of personal holiness (“denying its power”)
These people put on godliness like a coat, but soon they are found out.
Several years ago I knew a local church leader who on the outside he looked the part. He had all the right credentials, he wore the right clothes, he had a flare and seemed impressive. But over time the real him began to seep out. He was abusive and angry, and his character got the better of him.
It was his fruit that bore him out.
We must watch for the fruit people bear, but realize it takes time for fruit to grow. You have to watch for signs. Watch for a permissive application of “grace” towards worldliness and self-indulgence. Watch out for manipulation of others, using smooth words to gain the trust of others. Watch for lax sexual ethics. See if they cajole or pressure others for personal gain. Are they abusive when confronted? Do they attack those who question them? Wolves always show their teeth!
Do they promote an “Us vs. them” mentality? Wolves always attempt to create a pack around themselves!
Are they creepy? Do they give you or your wife unease? A wolf in sheep’s clothing isn’t right. Like Red Riding Hood, we should notice that something is off.
Distorted Doctrine
Distorted Doctrine
Romans 16:18–19 (ESV)
…they deceive the hearts of the naive.
For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.
Paul warns that we watch for those who cause division and “create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught,” and who “deceive the hearts of the naive.” The word for obstacles is a Greek word here is skandala, and it’s where we get our word scandalous. It means a snare or trap. One of the primary ways that false teachers destroy is by dividing the church and teaching doctrines that lead to people losing their faith.
They distort the truth.
as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
Jesus and Paul note that false teachers produce diseased fruit, but unfortunately it’s not always easy to tell rotten fruit when you first look at it.
Several years ago I pastored a church that had a peach farmer as a member. He told me about a particular pest, the Oriental Fruit Moth. The Oriental Fruit Moth is an invasive species that latches onto the branches of the peach tree and lays its eggs on the stem or bud of a peach flower. As the fruit grows, it actually grows around the eggs and later they hatch and the worms eat their way out of the fruit. They’re incredibly hard to kill because you have to kill them before the flowers fall off the tree because the damage is already done if you spray after the fruit is formed.
In the same way, false teaching. It may look good. It may feel good. It may taste good. It may make you feel good about yourself. But it’s invasive and pervasive and ultimately the fruit it bears is damaged and diseased.
Their doctrine is false. It doesn’t align with the preaching of the word of God. Right now, I’m afraid in pulpits all over our country, well meaning men and women who don’t realize their fruit is diseased are preaching a gospel that is not the gospel.
If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness,
he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions,
They are teaching a me-centered gospel that is about self-improvement, and self-acceptance. That gospel may make you feel better, may seem loving, but like makeup on a corpse, it simply hides the rot inside.
We need to measure the words that are taught against the words of Christ, and not just some of the words, but all of the words of scripture. All Scripture is Christian scripture and it must be taught.
If someone says, “I only believe the red-letters”, run.
If someone says, “I preach the Bible, but Paul got it wrong,” flee.
If someone says, “I don’t preach that, it’s Old Testament stuff,” get out.
If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.
If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.
Eminent End
Eminent End
Look at what Paul says to the Romans at the end of the text:
The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
There’s a promise here that we should latch on to: ultimately the wolves can’t win.
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.
And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
In the end, false teachers will face the judgment of God. Unfortunately, so will the many who follow them in their teachings. Ultimately, those who reject the gospel of Christ will face the consequences of those actions. We see this in scripture in the story of Demas.
Demas is mentioned in several of Paul's letters, and while initially described as a fellow worker and companion in ministry, later references indicate that he abandoned Paul and left the faith.
In Paul's letter to Philemon, written around AD 60–62, Demas is mentioned alongside Luke, another of Paul's companions:
Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you,
and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.
However, in Paul's second letter to Timothy, written shortly before his martyrdom, Demas is mentioned in a different context:
2 Timothy 4:9–10 (ESV)
For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica.
We must be diligent.
By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?
In the story of the Three Little Pigs, three pigs built homes of straw, sticks and bricks. At the end of the story, the one who had the well-made house lived. What are some “Bricks” we can build our spiritual house on?
Know the Word of God. (Eph 4:14)
so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
Be a Fruit Inspector (1 John 4:1
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Pray for Discernment (James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Flee from Them (1 Timothy 6:20-21
O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,”
for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.
Surround Yourself with a Godly Community John 8:31-32
So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
As we conclude our reflection on false teachers, let us remember the timeless truth encapsulated in the song sung by the pigs at the end of the Disney animated version of the Three Little Pigs, "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" Just as the characters in the story were wise to recognize and confront the threat of the wolf, so too must we be vigilant in identifying and overcoming the influence of false teachers in our lives. By grounding ourselves in the unshakeable foundation of God's Word, testing every spirit, and remaining steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ, we can confidently face and overcome any threat posed by deception and falsehood. Let us continue to stand firm in the truth, knowing that our ultimate victory is assured through Christ, who has already triumphed over every form of darkness and deception.