Wolves in sheep's Clothing
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J
Great topic bill,the term "inwardly they are ravenous wolves" to me clarifies that the wolves in question are those who "desire to be heard" but not "challenged" like a wolf pack there is always one who is the leader according to "Strength" and "Intimidation" and so when challenged they try "viciously" to be unchallenged again,I think that's what it means,because as the scriptures point out many "couldn't withstand" simply "hearing" a different gospel or doctrine or worse yet "losing followers" or "members" from said gospel or doctrine,like with Jesus,particularly many couldn't stand "conviction" either and so they "did whatever they could" to "condemn such people" such as Jesus through some "fault" even if there wasn't any because it "pained them".
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Yes, they are deceived in their own mind. They are walking according to their own understanding (flesh).
Yes, they believe their religious strategy or philosophy is the truth.
Yes, we are to avoid those who attack the sheep and debate and condemn others who don't agree with them.
No, we are not to continue to strive with them, debate with them and try to change their mind because it is a spiritual battle. We are told to be wise as serpants around them but gentle as doves. Also, pray for them to see the truth.
Yes, they believe their religious strategy or philosophy is the truth.
Yes, we are to avoid those who attack the sheep and debate and condemn others who don't agree with them.
No, we are not to continue to strive with them, debate with them and try to change their mind because it is a spiritual battle. We are told to be wise as serpants around them but gentle as doves. Also, pray for them to see the truth.
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Call me "Captain Obvious," but a wolf is a wolf and a tare is a weed.
Wolves come in to devour. Tares are just weeds that look exactly like wheat, except you don't want to eat it because it's poisonous. Considering the idea isn't to eat each other, most are fairly safe with tares. The only real problem is they soak up the moisture and nutrition in the soil thus stunting growth of the real grain.
Wolves are those that are trying to steal the lambs. Bluto mentioned WoF, and I agree with that, but no less so than those who would have us believe in Catholicism saves, JW is the Way, Mormonism is the right way, and, one I saw recently, "Pentacostalism, since you can't be saved unless you have "the indwelling of the Holy Spirit" AFTER being saved. There really is active recruiters coming in to teach a different way, and wearing the wool of sheep.
Tares? Tares are the folks who think they're born Christians or raised Christians. They assume we're all the same, so don't try to recruit out of the church. They think they are the church.
Wolves require a rifle. Tares require the gospel. Not much we can do about tares, because you really can't tell if someone is tare or backslider. (The literal tares are only exposed at winnowing stage. The grain reacts differently to being winnowed, so you know which is grain fruit and which is weed fruit.)
Wolves come in to devour. Tares are just weeds that look exactly like wheat, except you don't want to eat it because it's poisonous. Considering the idea isn't to eat each other, most are fairly safe with tares. The only real problem is they soak up the moisture and nutrition in the soil thus stunting growth of the real grain.
Wolves are those that are trying to steal the lambs. Bluto mentioned WoF, and I agree with that, but no less so than those who would have us believe in Catholicism saves, JW is the Way, Mormonism is the right way, and, one I saw recently, "Pentacostalism, since you can't be saved unless you have "the indwelling of the Holy Spirit" AFTER being saved. There really is active recruiters coming in to teach a different way, and wearing the wool of sheep.
Tares? Tares are the folks who think they're born Christians or raised Christians. They assume we're all the same, so don't try to recruit out of the church. They think they are the church.
Wolves require a rifle. Tares require the gospel. Not much we can do about tares, because you really can't tell if someone is tare or backslider. (The literal tares are only exposed at winnowing stage. The grain reacts differently to being winnowed, so you know which is grain fruit and which is weed fruit.)
Islam and Muslims would not be among the wolves, but simply enemies of the Gospel, Christ, and Christians. Even the RCC is distinct from Protestant and evangelical churches, so they cannot do much harm internally.
The wolves are those who can -- and do -- enter into local churches (and today via radio, television, and internet into Christian homes and vehicles) pretending to be sheep but bent on "devouring" the flock either by financial extortion, or by planting false doctrines and causing divisions. The best examples are Word of Faith and Hyper Grace preachers who cleverly mix truth with error so that unwary sheep are confused.
They also preach the Prosperity Gospel but extort money from gullible Christians so that they can become personally wealthy on their backs. We also have the wolves of the Emergent Church Movement as well as theological liberals coming out of seminaries and attacking the Bible and the doctrines of Christianity. All false teachers, false apostles, and false prophets are wolves. The NAR (New Apostolic Reformation), the Dominionist Movement, and the Latter Rain groups can also be included.
The wolves are those who can -- and do -- enter into local churches (and today via radio, television, and internet into Christian homes and vehicles) pretending to be sheep but bent on "devouring" the flock either by financial extortion, or by planting false doctrines and causing divisions. The best examples are Word of Faith and Hyper Grace preachers who cleverly mix truth with error so that unwary sheep are confused.
They also preach the Prosperity Gospel but extort money from gullible Christians so that they can become personally wealthy on their backs. We also have the wolves of the Emergent Church Movement as well as theological liberals coming out of seminaries and attacking the Bible and the doctrines of Christianity. All false teachers, false apostles, and false prophets are wolves. The NAR (New Apostolic Reformation), the Dominionist Movement, and the Latter Rain groups can also be included.
A
If anyone knows and is a friend of the Shepherd, is familiar with His nature, recognizes His Voice above their own understanding, and reflects His same gentle, humble, loving character, that person is a sheep whom God uses to bring others into His flock. The lost in this world are drawn to Christ in them.
If anyone uses the scripture to bully, accuse and condemn those sheep who don't follow the same religious philosophies and rules they do, that person is a wolf in sheep's clothing. They do not resemble Christ Jesus and the lost in this world are repelled by them.
If anyone uses the scripture to bully, accuse and condemn those sheep who don't follow the same religious philosophies and rules they do, that person is a wolf in sheep's clothing. They do not resemble Christ Jesus and the lost in this world are repelled by them.
IMO followers of Jesus include both believers and seekers.
If a person deceives a seeker or causes a believer to be either ineffective or less effective in his/her walk with the Lord; that person is a wolf. If the wolf poses as a believer he/she is a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Believing a deception does not make it less of a deception. A wolf can be a wolf unwittingly.
If a person deceives a seeker or causes a believer to be either ineffective or less effective in his/her walk with the Lord; that person is a wolf. If the wolf poses as a believer he/she is a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Believing a deception does not make it less of a deception. A wolf can be a wolf unwittingly.
Since God created all things, and said all was good, I don't believe he's using the wolf as an image of destruction, in total. Wolves are intelligent, leaders, strong protective of their pack, have strong endurance, and mate for life, and many other qualities. HOW ever, when it comes to getting something like meat they can become extremely aggressive. This character is not Christ like, as he said, were to be gentle with all men. Back biters, snake bites, as Jesus called some you brood of vipers. Yes there are the wolves in sheep's clothing, extremely AGGRESSIVE and stay away from such. They when are in a frenzy state of aggression, as to get their meals, will even turn on their own. A study of their behaviors is worth studying, as many parables using his creatures, for examples, such as the ant. { Take a lesson from the ant, they gather their food in the summer, for the winter. such a small creature, yet wise.} Bible verse.
Hi Bill,
Maybe this will help. John 8:38-44 (KJV)
[SUP]38 [/SUP] I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. [SUP]39 [/SUP] They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. [SUP]40 [/SUP] But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. [SUP]41 [/SUP] Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. [SUP]42 [/SUP] Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. [SUP]43 [/SUP] Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. [SUP]44 [/SUP] Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy. His children are no different. Steal your salvation, kill you spiritually, destroy you as a child of God. Satan has no rules to obey, so he will do everything he can as well as through his children.
Maybe this will help. John 8:38-44 (KJV)
[SUP]38 [/SUP] I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. [SUP]39 [/SUP] They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. [SUP]40 [/SUP] But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. [SUP]41 [/SUP] Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. [SUP]42 [/SUP] Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. [SUP]43 [/SUP] Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. [SUP]44 [/SUP] Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy. His children are no different. Steal your salvation, kill you spiritually, destroy you as a child of God. Satan has no rules to obey, so he will do everything he can as well as through his children.
One could say that the Baptist religion has wolves, the Pentecostal religion has wolves in it. All denominations have wolves in it so we could pick the one that we disagree with the most and call them "wolves" for sure..
Wolves and false teachers are those that try to get us to rely on what we do instead of what Jesus has done in His finished work.
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D
One could say that the Baptist religion has wolves, the Pentecostal religion has wolves in it. All denominations have wolves in it so we could pick the one that we disagree with the most and call them "wolves" for sure..
Wolves and false teachers are those that try to get us to rely on what we do instead of what Jesus has done in His finished work.
The wolf does not care that he is a wolf. A wolf in sheep's clothing is not an accident or misunderstanding it is a strategy of Satan. He does not come to play nice, he comes to kill. There are many in the church who are out to weaken the body not secure it. The greatest and most obvious threats are those who wish the church to bend to the modern culture, to accept the sensibilities and norms of the homosexual and liberal world. To exchange truth for peace, to barter away the word of God for money and attendance.
The wolf wears a $3,000 Armani suit, drives a $250,000 Bentley and lives in a $15,000,000 mansion. The wolf likes being a wolf. Wolves love to steal a sheep but they live on the meat of goats.
The wolf wears a $3,000 Armani suit, drives a $250,000 Bentley and lives in a $15,000,000 mansion. The wolf likes being a wolf. Wolves love to steal a sheep but they live on the meat of goats.
