This is a nice article from Discernment 4 Truth

 

Sheep among wolves


This morning I read Matthew 10 and a particular verse that stayed with me is verse 15
“I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town. I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”

Now in the past I always thought this verse applied to people that don’t believe in God and those outside of the church. I read this verse and it struck me who the wolves are. Those within the church that portray a form of godliness, those that claim to know the way but instead they show deception. There are wolves within churches. Could Jesus have been talking about those that actually claim to know God? This verse is not just for those that don’t know God, it is for those who are out there that are influencing the church negatively leading them to another doctrine other than the true gospel.

The verse where we need to be shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves is towards those who claim to know it all, those in leadership that are blinding the sheep and leading them to another Jesus. Honestly, when I look at the verse the way I now see it, it makes so much sense.

People that have never heard about Jesus or new born christians will embrace truth more than the ‘christian’ who has been in the church for more than 20 years who has the feeling in their heart that they know it all. A person who is devoted to Todd Bently and the lakeland revival is so blinded to the truth that they are harder to rebuke, teach, encourage than the unsaved. The wolves are not those outside the church as their influence is not to steer someone away from true doctrine and a christian will not follow the outsider who drinks and lives in sin, the christian is more likely to be deceived by a self acclaimed apostle or prophet.. They are the wolves. Mind boggling.. and I hope I have made sense here.

It is funny because the one time before walking into the church I had a picture in my mind of the majority of them being wolves and I shut my mind up thinking that I was being silly but looking back, it makes a lot more sense.

The point that I am trying to make is that we really ought to discern more and never be afraid to question what is going on. We have a duty to look out for oneanother in all things. We are sheep among wolves and we need to be focused on the Good shepherd and follow His leading in everything.

“Savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.”
Acts 20:29-30

“There will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them – bringing swift destruction on themselves.”
2 Peter 2:1

“Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.”
1 John 4:1-3

2 Cor. 11:3-4 “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted– you may well put up with it. (you will have to endure it, or you wear it beautifully, and some do).”

Gal 1:6-9: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”