What constitutes a wolf in sheep's clothing?

[know1]

What kind of person would you consider a wolf in sheep's clothing?
If any of you say the op, just to get some kudos from others, it might help to state why you think I might be considered a candidate.
Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.


Most of you don't believe in prophets for today so lets remove the words false prophets. Now what kind of person would you put in the false prophet's place? What characteristic traits, knowledge, gift, ...etc,.

 

[crossnote]

There may not be prophets speaking new revelation but there are many false teachers today as 2Peter chap 2 aptly describes.
One of their earmarks is that they are 'waterless' meaning dry, devoid of the Spirit...not true of any born again Christian.

These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
(2Pe 2:17)

read all of 2Pet 2 to get a clear picture.

Jude is also helpful...

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Jud 1:4)

 

[know1]

There may not be prophets speaking new revelation but there are many false teachers today as 2Peter chap 2 aptly describes.
One of their earmarks is that they are 'waterless' meaning dry, devoid of the Spirit...not true of any born again Christian.

These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
(2Pe 2:17)

read all of 2Pet 2 to get a clear picture.

Jude is also helpful...

For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Jud 1:4)

Thank you sir for your comments, but who in today's society can tell us who is a false teacher and who is not, when we have so many variations of even the most basic bible doctrines?

 

[SolidGround]

Congrats on your 1000th post know1.

The Scripture give a us guidelines for testing spirits and prophecies.
Agreement with the Lorship of Christ.
The accuracy of the prophecy.
Agreement with the Word.
Humility of the prophet.
Fruit of the prophecy in agreement with the Word.

 

[know1]

Congrats on your 1000th post know1.

The Scripture give a us guidelines for testing spirits and prophecies.
Agreement with the Lorship of Christ.
The accuracy of the prophecy.
Agreement with the Word.
Humility of the prophet.
Fruit of the prophecy in agreement with the Word.

Okay, but what about false teachers, teaching doctrines of devils?
1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

 

[JesusIsAll]

Thank you sir for your comments, but who in today's society can tell us who is a false teacher and who is not, when we have so many variations of even the most basic bible doctrines?

This is why you must learn the Bible, and not from everybody, especially people in web forums. The ignorance and error is wall-to-wall in this age of instant experts, qualified by having a login, often parroting some utter trash they got from an apostate website. This is not way to learn God's word. You have to be very well grounded in God's word, to recognize the counterfeit and ignorant. Prayerfully reading the Bible, especially the New Testament, if unsure of Christian doctrine, and this over the years is the first must. In the course of this, listen only to fine Bible teachers, Adrian Rogers one I'd highly recommend, would highly recommend listening to his every sermon. Use learned fundamentalist commentaries, like those of John Walvoord, John MacArthur, Warren Wiersbe, Matthew Henry, four names that come to mind. Or writings of A.W. Tozer excellent. Get a good Bible software package, multiple Bible translations, commentaries, Hebrew and Greek lexicons, get a Smith's Bible Dictionary and a good concordance. Put together such old school, reliable tools, prayerfully study your Bible in light of them, tuning out all the web noise, until you're quite comfortable you know what the whole Bible and whole gospel teaches, from the Bible and reliable Bible aids. I simply shudder to think what sort of horror of a Bible education would result from surfing the web for what people think, bearing in mind there are many popular authors selling books with popular theories, such as on prophecy, which are pure garbage, infecting the minds of millions. Anyway, just some tips, and the Lord be with you in your quest for truth!

 

[JesusIsAll]

Now the short answer. A Biblical wolf in sheep's clothing is anybody pretending to be of God and not really so, in the case of a teacher of Christianity, somebody who teaches things contrary to the word of God, even using partial truth(s), a classic trick of the devil. So, you need to know what the word of God, your Bible, teaches, to know what's contrary. If you were to know this as a person in your life over time, you'd eventually find their deeds don't match their lip service, their teachings start becoming inconsistent, the focus moves away from Jesus Christ, not closer to, teachings of psychobabble solely about living for this life in the flesh, as opposed to eternity, sin winked at or even advocated, so-called new revelations from God, etc.

Matthew 7:15-20 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

 

[GodIsSalvation]

In terms of prophets, this is very simple to discover. The test of the prophets is all their prophecies must come to pass or else they are not a prophet. Not one prophecy can be in error.

It is also helpful to compare a supposed prophecy to the real prophecies by the real prophets we know are in fact prophets of God. As one will see in the Bible many of the true prophets have prophecies that overlap or coincide with eachother (ie: Daniel's prophecies on the Last Days match very well with the Apocalypse of Jesus given to John) thus strengthening and supporting the veracity of such prophecies.

As far as teachers go, just read the Bible I suppose.

 

[breno785au]

On here, it can be anybody you disagree with lol

 

[JesusLives]

I always pray for the Holy Spirit to guide me to the truth and have found He is the best teacher I have ever had. He is the one who explained salvation to me. I stumbled around for a long time searching for salvation and He gave me the answer at 56 when I was ready to listen.

False sheep/wolves will be known by their fruits and usually tear down what God has built up. They hurt instead of help.

 

[Ella85]

From their HEART!

 

[RedTent]

I always pray for the Holy Spirit to guide me to the truth and have found He is the best teacher I have ever had. He is the one who explained salvation to me. I stumbled around for a long time searching for salvation and He gave me the answer at 56 when I was ready to listen.

False sheep/wolves will be known by their fruits and usually tear down what God has built up. They hurt instead of help.

This is good, but I think we need to check even more. All scripture is God breathed, so if we think that one scripture disagrees with any other scripture, it means we must search and search, pray and learn until we know the truth. The truth is always based on one God speaking with one voice.

When someone teaches that God changed His mind about a principle God has, or that some scripture was written only for us to ignore we can know they are a false prophet. I think it is the same with the Holy Spirit. If someone teaches it is only reading scripture, without prayer and being humble, and listening to the Holy Spirit the counts, you can know it is false because we must have to Holy Spirit to understand. In the same way if they say they don't need scripture because they have the Holy Spirit it is also false.

 

[sassylady]

We need to stay very close to the Lord and study the Word every day. It is much harder to deceive somebody, if at all, when they know their Lord.

 

[Agricola]

I would just like to point out that simply holding a different theology does not mean the person is a so called wolf in sheep clothing or false teacher etc. People can get too hung up on tiny things, timing of rapture can get ridiculously out of hand and both camps accusing each other of false teaching.

THis is misleading, while this goes on the real false teachers are going unoticed. A good example of wolf in sheep's clothing is Todd Bentley who claims he has a new ministry from God which involves calling spiritual fire down on people, but when you look at how he came about this, it is clear his angel encounters were proberbly Satan himself.

A wolf in sheeps clothing, looks like a sheep, but its not! that also goes hand in hand with the saying you do not forge a $19 bill.

The wolf will say all the right things and do all the right things, but there will be something, a tiny little thing that will go unnoticed, but it is that thing which is poison and will bring demons into peoples lives and take people away from God.

 

[inthewind]

What kind of person would you consider a wolf in sheep's clothing?
If any of you say the op, just to get some kudos from others, it might help to state why you think I might be considered a candidate.
Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.


Most of you don't believe in prophets for today so lets remove the words false prophets. Now what kind of person would you put in the false prophet's place? What characteristic traits, knowledge, gift, ...etc,.

Matthew 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost::", and verse 20 "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

2 Timothy 4
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; [SUP]2 [/SUP]preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. [SUP]3 [/SUP]For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; [SUP]4 [/SUP]and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. [SUP]5 [/SUP]But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

2 John 1
[SUP]4 [/SUP]I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. [SUP]5 [/SUP]And now I ask you, dear lady—not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning—that we love one another. [SUP]6 [/SUP]And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. [SUP]7 [/SUP]For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. [SUP]8 [/SUP]Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we[SUP][a][/SUP] have worked for, but may win a full reward. [SUP]9 [/SUP]Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. [SUP]10 [/SUP]If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, [SUP]11 [/SUP]for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.

2 Peter 2
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. [SUP]2 [/SUP]And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. [SUP]3 [/SUP]And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

Teacher seems to me to be an appropriate word for those that come to us in sheep's clothing and as scripture says we are to beware and watch out for such that are false. I wouldn't classify such false teachers into "kinds" but rather I would be wary if they do not teach those things which Jesus so commanded the disciples. (My short list - those commandments that were recorded as the words spoken by Jesus - number 38.)

 

[JesusLives]

This is good, but I think we need to check even more. All scripture is God breathed, so if we think that one scripture disagrees with any other scripture, it means we must search and search, pray and learn until we know the truth. The truth is always based on one God speaking with one voice.

When someone teaches that God changed His mind about a principle God has, or that some scripture was written only for us to ignore we can know they are a false prophet. I think it is the same with the Holy Spirit. If someone teaches it is only reading scripture, without prayer and being humble, and listening to the Holy Spirit the counts, you can know it is false because we must have to Holy Spirit to understand. In the same way if they say they don't need scripture because they have the Holy Spirit it is also false.

I have missed chatting with you Red Tent glad our paths cross again. Yes every morning I spend time in God's holy word the Bible asking the Holy Spirit to be with me in my reading. The Bible is another way God speaks to me and I love to hear what He has to say. We agree.

Side note - I still plan on my trip next year and would love to meet you will PM as trip gets closer....Have a wonderful Sabbath Day Red Tent.

 

[kennethcadwell]

A wolf in sheep clothing is one who teaches the bible, but twist the words or leave parts out as if they do not apply to us.

They refuse to believe in what the Lord said as applied to salvation. They teach a false doctrine of believe only, but leave out the ones that say we are to walk in obedience, and observe all that He taught.

Example:

OT - Exodus 21:24 Eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot
Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man.

( Some still go by these two scriptures, but what does our Lord say ? )

NT - Matthew 5:38-42 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

Matthew 6:14-15 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

( We are specifically told to forgive others of their trespasses/sins, and we are not to hold them to the OT punishments that came with the law. Putting to death for committing a sin is not the way of our Lord. )

 

[psychomom]

do the preceding verses apply at all, do you think?
v. 13-14
Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.

which makes me think of John 10, and i'll just put v. 7-9 here
So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
“All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them.
“I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture."
For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

idk...i'm either on to something or under coffee-ed.

 

[achduke]

On here, it can be anybody you disagree with lol

If wolves in sheep clothing produce bad fruit and the elect produce good fruit then identify the good fruit and the wolves will not be able to produce it.

Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

So what is good fruit using scriptures and not our own understanding?

 

[sacraig67]

A wolf is a very cunning creature. Wolves in sheep's clothing are very cunning also. The best way to find out if someone is that is to check their teaching against the Word of God. Is their teaching in line or way off the mark. Do they twist words to make it sound correct. The best example I can think of are the Jehovahs Witness. When you first talk with them they make it sound wonderful. They have their own "Bible" they can "prove" things with. But when checked against other translations or the original language you can find these twists they use. They have "stolen" so many people because they are so cunning.
Check all teaching against the Word of God that's how you can find the "wolf"