Where Wolves III: Eliminating Wolves

As I have been writing this blog series I am keenly aware of how rare it is that I have ever been taught or even heard this topic addressed in all my years of church attendance. Despite the fact that there are two prominent passages quoting both Christ and Paul on the topic of wolves and despite the fact that there are dozens of passages warning us against false teachers, rarely, if ever, do I remember a sermon dedicated to these warnings. And even more rare is the message on what to do if and when we do come upon a wolf.  It is truly fascinating to me when I consider that it seems one of the only passages on the topic I have heard taught, or should I say mis-taught (more on that later), is taken from Philippians 1 where Paul makes the declaration,

The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition… What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.  (Philippians 1:17-18)

 I know I have been taught repeatedly something along the lines of  “well, as long as they are preaching Jesus, let it go.”

When I think about this reality I can’t help but be reminded of the popular series of commercials from Chik-fil-a where the cows are ardent advocates for the consumption of chicken. Some how it feels like there might be a “hidden” agenda.  Doesn’t it seem odd that most in the church are well versed on the couple of times in the New Testament that deal with the tithe but don’t seem to know what to do when confronted with wolves? This is true despite the fact that there are more then a dozen passages that address this threat to Christ’s church. The problem seems to be If the wolves we are warned against are most likely teachers in the church (and I think the Bible reveals this to be true) where will the flock go to learn about how to avoid and eliminate the wolves that threaten them? This is one of the reasons, I believe, Paul in particular is so adamant in his condemnation of wolves. Wolves are a very real and insidious threat. The very people the church turns to for teaching on what the bible says about spiritual matters are the people using their position to take advantage of the church. As a result it is important to look to God’s word, inspired and illuminated by the Holy Spirit, as the source of our direction when dealing with the existential threat to our spiritual well-being. Doesn’t that seem to be exactly what John is saying in 1 John 2:

 I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. (1 John 2:26)

 He’s not eliminating the need for teachers but he’s saying when these teachers are trying to deceive you the ultimate source of teaching is the Holy Spirit and obviously by extension the Holy Spirit inspired Word of God. This practice reflects the noble practice of the Bereans in Acts 17:

Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. (Acts 17:11)

Diligently studying God’s word and in concert being led by the Holy Spirit will always be the starting point when getting prepared to face down the wolves that threaten the flock.

I’ve discovered in my years of church experience that quite often before we can learn what God’s word is calling us to do we have to unlearn what God is not calling us to do and if ever there was a case that this was needed it’s in this case.  I referenced earlier the passage in Philippians that is used far too often in a way that the verse does not allow and in a way that provides cover to false teachers. When you look at the full passage and it’s context you discover that Paul is not saying that the way to deal with wolves/false teachers is to simply say “as long as they preach Jesus let it go”.

Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. (Philippians 1:15-18)

The first reason that this interpretation, or teaching, from this passage is false is that when you read this you discover there is a very specific type of conflict with which Paul is dealing.  The conflict is about personal rivalry with fellow ministers who are taking a position that is critical of Paul himself. Paul identifies two preaching factions and their motivations; one faction preaches from envy and rivalry and the other from goodwill. The determining factor for both is their view on Paul’s imprisonment.  “The latter do it out of love, knowing that I AM here for the defense of the Gospel” and “the former proclaim Christ… not sincerely but thinking to afflict ME in my imprisonment”.

The people Paul has issue with are not wolves, they are simply brothers who have found a point of contention with Paul himself. D.A. Carson explains it like this:

They think that Paul has done damage to the Christian cause by getting himself arrested. Probably they magnify their own ministry by putting Paul down. We can imagine their pompous reflections: “It really is sad that so great a man as Paul has frittered away his gospel opportunities simply because he is so inflexible. After all, I and many others manage to remain at large and preach the gospel. One must assume that Paul has a deep character flaw that puts him in the path of trouble. My ministry is being blessed, while he languishes in prison.”

Paul’s expression here is an example of how ministers need to behave when they personally come under criticism, when they personally are being criticized for issues that are not biblically supported.  Paul is simply maintaining the position that he has always had,  acknowledging he as messenger is irrelevant in light of the message (1 Corinthians 3:5-9). Paul was saying he was not going to create division over his position or ministry. He was not saying that when a minister’s lifestyle and message are counter to the Gospel don’t oppose them as long they “preach Jesus”. This position is incompatible with the context of the passage and incompatible with everything else we see about Paul’s life and teachings.

And that ultimately is the second reason this is a wrong interpretation of this passage, everything we see from Paul reveals a man who is not afraid to confront publicly and emphatically those who live and teach counter to the Gospel.

People don’t seem to realize there are many passages in which Paul, Peter, John, James are specifically critical of the integrity and message brought by other teachers, other leaders, and they are not vague and they’re not hidden and they’re not even private. Just in Paul’s writings to Timothy there are about twelve incidences where he calls out a warning about false teachers and teachings and on 2 two of these occasions he names them:  

Some have rejected these (faith and good conscience) and so have shipwrecked their faith.  Among them are Hymanaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme... (I Timothy 1:19-20)

and again in 2 Timothy 2:

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.  But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some. (2 Timothy 2:15-18)

He’s confronting by NAME false teachers and there are at least a half dozen other places in scripture where dozens of names are mentioned.  And think about this; How do we  know that there was a conflict/confrontation between Peter and Paul? We know because we can read in it in a passage of scripture written by Paul:

But when Cephas (Peter) came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.  For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.  But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to (Peter) before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?” (Galatians 2:11-14)  

He calls him a hypocrite, publicly, in a letter that is going to be passed from church meeting to church meeting, where it would be read aloud and that, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was included in the canon of scripture and would be read for generations.  When Paul saw Peter behaving in a manner that was inconsistent with the message of Jesus Christ he called him out, publicly. Does anyone doubt that Peter was “preaching Jesus”? No, of course not, but Paul saw an inconsistency with the Gospel in his public behavior and out of compassion for both the people being led astray and for Peter himself he publicly brought correction.

And so in this we begin to see an indication of one of the patterns for response to those who may be wolves. We can not be afraid of identifying and responding to false teachers.*

I believe there are two reasonable responses to the threat of a wolf and each is dictated by the role we have in God’s kingdom.

The first is the least glamorous and the most effective; flee. It seems reasonable to assume the best thing for sheep to do when confronted by a wolf is run. As “cowardly” as that might seem it appears to be the best advice for the preservation of the flock and the neutering of the wolf.  This approach does seem to carry with it a natural logic. It is probably the rare occasion in the animal kingdom when some “ninja sheep” finds the courage to stand his ground and fight the marauding wolf and my assumption is even when that happens the outcome is probably not what the lamb was looking for.

As in the animal kingdom, it appears fleeing is the first prescription in the church world. In Romans 16 Paul instructs the church to “avoid” those who “do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites” who “by smooth talk and flattery… deceive the hearts of the naive.” In Colossians 2 he tells us to make sure “no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit” and in 1 Timothy Paul extensively describes the mark of false teachers and then gives a simple instruction in regards to our response:

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, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. But as for you, O man of God, FLEE these things. (1 Timothy 6:3-11)

 And all of these admonishments reflect Christ’s own statement in John 10;

“But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” (John 10:2-5)

When leaders speak in a “voice” other than that of Christ Himself the reasonable response from the flock is to flee.

Beyond the obvious analogous image of sheep fleeing wolves the truth is that this response by members of God’s community will most efficiently eliminate the threat of wolves to the church.  When you understand that the primary focus of the wolf is to satisfy his ravenous hunger with the blood of the sheep it becomes clear that when the wolf lacks access to the sheep he will ultimately die.  A false teacher will not deceive with un-Christlike teaching where there is no audience and he will not have his greed satisfied where there are no offerings.  A church populated by vigilant people committed to a Gospel message and Gospel leadership, who are willing to walk away when it becomes clear that the teaching and lifestyle of “pastors” do not match the pattern of Christ will effectively remove the power of false teachers to profit from peddling the Gospel and from victimizing the flock.

Secondarily the Bible calls pastors in their role as (under)shepherds to fight against wolves for the protection of the flock.  Again the analogy of sheep, (under) shepherds and wolves lends itself towards the concept of pastors engaging the fight for the good of the flock, but additionally, the Bible charges pastors with this responsibility as a part of their pastoral function.  Read Paul’s instruction the the elders, pastors, of Ephesus in Acts 20. Before he warns them of the threat of wolves he provides them this instruction:

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.  Therefore be alert.. (Acts 20:28-31a)

The call to the elders is to protect the flock from wolves.

 In 1 Timothy 4 we see Paul encouraging Timothy to expose the fallacies being taught by in the church:

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, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared...  If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed. (1 Timothy 4:1-2, 6)

Notice he says “if you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus.” It seems clear it is the role of a good (under)shepherd to make it clear to the church when there is error being taught. But this tactic of protection reaches it’s fullest potential when the pastor couples it with a commitment to sound teaching:

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:1-5)

The role of an effective pastor is not simply to attack wolves but to diligently feed your flock. It’s in this principle that I fear too often well intentioned “wolf hunters” get into trouble. The truth is I don’t see a biblical role for a “wolf hunter.”  I only see faithful (under)shepherds, who in the context of their duties, are required, on occasion, to set their sights on wolves.  We see in the modern church culture a proliferation of guys who feel it is their responsibility to take shots at every perceived wolf on the radar screen. Anybody with a blog and bad attitude can be on the attack. I’m not sure this is helpful or beneficial. I tend to think this is a problem because it is disconnected from what I believe is the proper church function that has been established by God in His word for the Church’s fight against wolves.  He hasn’t left us defenseless. If we as the Church do what he is instructing us to do we won’t need the individual disconnected from the ecclesiastical structure stepping into the ring of conflict.

If sheep flee, as a result of their diligent examination of God’s word and the leading of the Holy Spirit when they observe pastors who are not living and teaching as a reflection of Christ’s Gospel but their own greed, and if true pastors teach their congregation the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ that courageously exposes wolves within their sphere of responsibility, there will be sufficient defense to keep the church pure.

Unfortunately, this is not happening nearly as much as it should. Lay people are too willing to accept teachings and lifestyles exhibited by pastors because it is more convenient and self serving. They sit and watch fellow christians being mistreated and devoured, they observe their pastors living in luxury and teaching a message that accommodates their greed because they like the comfort of their community and the approval of their own self serving lifestyle. Too often pastors are unwilling to call out the wolves in our midst because it is difficult and not without consequence. Many will refrain because of a misguided sense of fraternity with anyone who claims the mantle of Christ, while others realize that in doing so it might highlight their own failings, empowering people to confront them, and might even prevent them from some day building their own self serving kingdom.

This is a dangerous game the church is playing. When we permit the “peddling of the Word of God for profit,” abiding the prostitution of the Gospel for the purpose of self aggrandizement we are collectively leading the church down a destructive path. If God judges this nation it will not be because our society has tolerated gay marriage as much as it will be because our churches have tolerated pimps masquerading as pastors.

*Note: I am not calling Peter a wolf here. The marks of a wolf I clearly dealt with in the last 2 blog posts and Peter doesn’t rise to the level on either point. What I am saying is, if Paul is willing to confront those who are in the wrong, even someone as “right” as Peter, how can we be unwilling to confront those who are wolves.

Where Wolves II: Identifying the Wolf - Part 2

The most conclusive identifier of a wolf is revealed in the very imagery of the term wolf as it is used by Christ and repeated by Paul.

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

As Christ makes this declaration he is painting a picture of the motivations and actions of wolves. He describes the wolf as being ravenous. The greek word that is translated here is harpax and the word has a multi-layered definition. When you look at Thayer’s greek lexicon it defines this word first  as rapacious, ravenous and then the second definition is an extortioner and a robber. When you take the totality of the meaning of the word it is very telling the declaration Christ is making.  

Rapacious means aggressively greedy and ravenous means hungry. The second definition extortioner becomes important especially when you consider that the four other times the word harpax appears in the New Testament it is translated as extortioner. So in this one word you get both the motivation and the action of the wolves to which Christ is referring. Jesus is saying that, disguised as sheep, there will be wolves who, motivated by their aggressively greedy hunger, will extort and rob.  Now the victim of these greedy extortioners is clearly the sheep. The wolves feed on the sheep to satisfy their own hunger.

This becomes even more identifying when you begin to work your way through all the warnings against false teachers found in the New Testament. What you will discover is that virtually all of them resolve with people who are looking to their own self gratification.

Look at Paul’s warning again in Acts:

I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.

What does he say will reveal the wolf? They will “twist things to draw away the disciples after them”.  It’s the image that these “pastors” are looking to build a following after themselves.  Is it possible that this is what we are seeing with the now too common practice of “territorial protectionism” we see with pastors? Or the new phenomenon of “no-compete clauses” demanded by pastors of new staff hires? Could this be what is reflected in the declarations of pastors who insist “these are my people” as they discourage others from infringing on their claim to portions of God’s flock?

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. (Romans 16:17-18)

Notice how through “smooth talk” they deceive the naive to feed their own appetites, and he declares unequivocally that they DO NOT serve Jesus.

Paul’s final warning in I Timothy about false teachers identifies clearly their theology of self indulgence:

Teach and urge these things. 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, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. (1 Timothy 6:2-5)

Remember this passage is about wolves. Paul is wrapping up this letter to Timothy by revisiting the warning against false teachers with which he opened this letter. He says these frauds “teach a different doctrine” that is not in accordance with the words, the teaching and the godliness of Christ  (the Gospel) and they “imagine that godliness is a means of (financial) gain”.  This is a direct indictment against the theology that  godliness or righteousness will result in financial wealth but, it seems, this passage is indicating that it is the false teacher who is teaching, leading people in all kinds of false ideas and that he sees his “godliness”, or his position of ministry, will be his means of financial gain. Adam Clarke in his commentary on this passage describes these teachers as;

Professing religion only for the sake of secular profit; defending their own cause for the emoluments (profit from employment) it produced;

And the passage culminates in describing these folks as being driven by the destructive desire to be rich.

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. (1 Timothy 6:9)

Peter in his second book addresses false prophets and says:

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. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. (2 Peter 2:1-3)

In this passage we see the culmination of the definition of wolf. They are motivated by their greedy hunger and will exploit/extort God’s people by using false teaching. And after making this declaration Peter gets serious:

But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,

Peter emphasises in this passage the almost animalistic desire for self gratification that controls the wolves in the church. He reveals the deceptive relationship that these wolves have with the flock when he states they sit and eat with them in fellowship all the while seeing the sheep as simply the means of satisfying their sinful greed.  And then he brilliantly reveals why it is so difficult to identify the wolf among us. He illustrates beautifully the progressive self deception that forms these wolves and at the same time camouflages them.

Look at the model he uses for the wolf he is identifying. He references Balaam. Now Balaam was a prophet of God. Balaam was a man that God had spoken to and a man that God had called. He had served God and the people of Israel. But he was willing to compromise the message of God for the appeasement of the corrupt in exchange for his own personal gratification. Albert Barnes describes Peter’s reference to Balaam;

(Balaam) was supremely influenced by the love of gain, and was capable of being employed, for a price, in a wicked design; thus prostituting his high office, as a professed prophet of the Most High, to base and ignoble ends. That Balaam, though he professed to be influenced by a supreme regard to the will of God was really influenced by the desire of reward, and was willing to prostitute his great office to secure such a reward...

Balaam starts out as a prophet of God, as a messenger of God. He even, at times, speaks God’s word and God’s truth and as a result he is perceived as a man of God.  But over time the allure of personal profit and gain entices him to bend and twist his words, his calling for personal reward.  This progression, this evolution, from the calling of God’s service to self gratification is what forms the essence of wolves and it is what makes the identification of wolves so difficult. They seem like good guys but their lives will reveal “that their belly is their god.” I’ve seen it repeatedly first hand in ministry.

There was a pastor I knew well. He was someone with whom I was always impressed. He exhibited great humility and I always felt he was a man of integrity. He came to the Lord in his late teens, early twenties and as such he always seemed very moved by God’s grace and it was reflected in his ministry. He was a church planter and I remember visiting with him shortly after he launched his church. It had been a highly “successful” launch and from the beginning there were lots of people and lots of resources. As he and I were driving to his very modest home on the outskirts of town I noticed a dealer tag on the key chain. I asked him if he had just purchased the van. He replied, almost embarrassingly, that it was a used car that the church had given to him and his family because the car he had been driving was on it’s last legs. He said he argued with the board over it, not wanting to be a burden, but they insisted that he take it. I remember the impression that made on me. I remember thinking how he maintained his humility and servant’s heart even as he experienced such ministry success. Over time his church continued to grow and became a “mega-church”.  

I didn’t have much contact with him over the years, a moment here or there, but even in those limited interactions there seemed to be a change. He seemed “bigger” some how. He carried himself as more important with more influence. I lost touch with him years ago and it wasn’t until recently he returned to my radar. Someone told me he had fallen. He had an affair with a young intern at his church. He lost his position, he lost his influence and he lost his ministry.  Shortly after I received the news someone sent me a link to the real estate listing for the house he was selling. In a community whose average home price is $137,000 he was selling his $1.1 million mansion. It was a home that was dripping with excess. He had used his position to acquire a home that far exceeded his needs, purchased with the emoluments of ministry and furnished with offerings of his flock.  In a community with roughly a quarter of a million people living below the poverty level this “minister of the gospel” believed he honored the name of Christ by living in such excess. I do not mourn the sin that saw him lose his ministry, I pray the same for all wolves because only in that is there hope for their repentance, but I mourn the man he once was, because that transformation fooled many and put his own soul in jeopardy.

I know of another mega-church pastor who in his youth professed a call to India to work on the streets with orphans and lepers. A young man humble in his mission and his calling wanting to work amongst the least of these.  Over time and circumstance he turned his back on that calling choosing instead to minister amongst the wealth of suburban America. Now he lives in a mini-mansion furnished with his church’s money, driving expensive luxury cars, wearing designer clothes and being whisked around the globe flying first class, all the while he is teaching the nonsense that to reach the rich people in his community he has to live himself in wealth.

Consider for a moment how that philosophy of ministry is so counter to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It may carry with it the weight of a “fine sounding argument” but does it at all reflect the ministry, the message, the nature of Jesus Christ.  This isn’t an idea that needs deep speculation. Jesus ministered to the wealthy. Jesus brought his message to the rich. Did he ever feel the need to assume their status to effectively convey the truth? Was his failure in converting the rich young ruler a result of his not assuming the posture of rich young ruler or was it the result of that man’s deep affection for the offerings of the this world? How is it that this peasant preacher, who couldn’t afford to pay his taxes without divine intervention, was able to enter the extravagant home of Zaccheus in his dusty rags and yet bring salvation and repentance to this rich man’s household?  We are admonished in scripture as ministers to follow the example of Paul. When he entered the courts of royalty to bring the truth of Jesus he did not wear the gold chains of wealth but the dull steel chains of a prisoner.  To teach that wealth must be embraced in order to effectively reach the wealthy, especially in a culture whose greatest idols are wealth and consumerism, is to teach a gospel that has no resemblance to Christ’s Gospel.

And ultimately this is where the first mark of a wolf finds its convergence with the second mark; wolves propagate false teachings that defy the Gospel as a means of facilitating the satiation of their greed. The bringing together of these two realities is what most clearly reveals a wolf.

You have to understand people do teach wrong things. People make mistakes and these errors do not in and of themselves become marks of a wolf but when those errors in teaching, those ideas counter to the Gospel, reflect and facilitate self gratification I can almost guarantee, you have come upon a wolf.  When the feeding of the flock the pure beauty of the Gospel takes a back seat to a gospel message that helps satisfy a “shepherds” rapaciousness you can know with near certainty it’s time to either run or fight.

Where Wolves II: Identifying the Wolf - Part 1

I went deer hunting. Once. It’s not as easy as it sounds. Before I tried it I always thought, “It can’t be that hard.” Deer are docile and non-threatening and honestly they seem a little… slow.  Not slow as in they can’t run fast (because I know they can) but more like they’re not real quick on the uptake.  I mean, they see headlights from an oncoming vehicle and just stand there. How smart can they be? And so I figured finding one and shooting one shouldn’t be that tough. I was wrong.

I went hunting with my father in law, who is such an accomplished deer hunter I am quite certain that at halloween many of the teenage deer dress up like him in much the same manner teens in the human world dress up like Jason from the “Friday the 13th” franchise.  I figured being with him afforded me an advantage. And to a degree I was right as I found two deer.

The first one I found while sitting in a tree stand alone and since I couldn’t get a good shot, and he was a little ways off, I jumped down to try to get closer. As I approached him he started to run. I started to chase him. Not surprisingly he won. This is how I know they’re not slow.   

The second deer I found provided me a much better opportunity. My father in law brought me to a clearing that was about 180 yards across, surrounded completely by trees and full of clover. We settled down amongst the brush and waited to see if a deer would venture out into the clearing where we could get a good shot. Sure enough, in no time a small buck tentatively worked his way out to the edge of the clearing and provided me an inviting target. I lined up the shot and pulled the trigger. The crack of the gun echoed through the forest and, as my shot was high by about 3 feet, it simply scared the deer back into the woods. We figured he would be long gone and so I thought it might be time to pack it in but in just a few moments he began to work his way back out of the woods and into the clearing. He was tentative but continued into the open. I lined up my shot. I figured I had to compensate for going high the last time and so as I pulled the trigger I felt confident that this time it would hit the mark. I was wrong. I came up about 4 ft short and the deer scurried to the edge of the woods and, to my surprise, stopped. He looked around and then worked his way back to the the clover. I took another shot and missed right. The young buck flinched and jumped back but didn’t head for the woods. He ate more clover. I took another shot and this time he just lifted up his head and then went back to eating.  There is nothing quite as emasculating as standing there with a high powered rifle and knowing a deer doesn’t fear you because your shots are so far off the mark that he’s not convinced you’re even trying to hit him.

I tell you this story because hunting in general isn’t always easy and when hunting “wolves” the challenge appears even greater.  Think for a moment about Christ’s description in Matthew:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

He is telling us that those who are the greatest threat to the well being of the sheep will look like the sheep. That it will be difficult to distinguish the ravenous wolves from those that we cherish and call family. That creates a unique challenge. As difficult as it was for me to hunt deer at least I could identify what a deer looked like. And I am certain, even if the deer attempted to hide amongst my children, my family and those that I cherish, I would be able to make the distinction. Because I know how to identify deer. I know their characteristics, I know what they look like, I know how they behave.  

If we are going to work to eliminate the threat of wolves in the kingdom of God we are going to have to know how to identify them. Fortunately, there is much in God’s word that reveals the characteristics of ravenous wolves.

As I stated in my first post in this series the identity of wolves seems to always be that of those in leadership (elders, pastors, teachers, prophets) and as such one of the first identifiers is their teaching.  Christ, in the Matthew passage, says there will be prophets and therefore the implication is that they will make declarations, they will teach ideas. This concept is reinforced by Peter:

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies… (2 Peter 2:1)

And in Romans Paul says:

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; (Romans 16:17)

In this passage you see the divisions and obstacles are created by wrong doctrinal teaching. Again, it seems he’s not talking about divisions created by “unruly” sheep but by the purveyors of false teaching. In 1 Timothy 4, following his teaching on overseers and deacons, Paul warns:

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, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared…  (1 Timothy 4:1-2)

And in 2 Timothy he says:

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions… (2 Timothy 4:3)

It is clear that the first (but not only) way to identify wolves is by what they teach. So what do they teach that marks them as wolves? I think the easiest way to categorize false teaching is any teaching that is contrary to the Gospel.

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.  As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6-9)

What a strong admonition. If you don’t teach the Gospel of Christ, Paul says, you should be cursed. This is why understanding what the Gospel is is so important.

Now I know this might seem elementary. Your response may be “who doesn’t know the Gospel, especially teachers in the church.”  But the truth is, unfortunately, many don’t. Many are fixated on the Gospel as simply the means of conversion. When asked, “what is the Gospel?” many pastors and teachers respond with, “Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sin, rose again and if we believe on Him you will be saved” and although this is central and important to the Gospel message it is not ultimately THE Gospel message.  Again, notice I said it’s CENTRAL to the Gospel message. I am not meaning to diminish the great truth of Christ’s work and how it is a gift to us but we need to understand that the Gospel message moves beyond our conversion experience to our entire Christian experience.

Far too often what is taught is the Gospel as the means of salvation and then it is put on a shelf in exchange for “good advice”.  The Gospel is meant to encompass the entire life, teaching, work, death, resurrection and glorification of Jesus Christ. It is on the image, the message, the ministry of Christ which all sound teaching is supposed to be focused.  When we move away from the nature of Christ embodied in His existence and proclaimed in His preaching we begin to exchange the Truth of Christ for the ideas of man. This is Paul’s warning in Colossians:

My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments…. So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him,  rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. (Colossians 2:2-4, 6-9)

Sound doctrine, the Gospel, that builds up the church and believer is not “fine sounding arguments” and “deceptive philosophy”  but it is the full riches of completely understanding God’s mystery, which is Christ.  It’s why when there is division in the church Paul doesn’t call for a “mediation session” but he points to the image of Christ and says emulate His humility:

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:4-8)

When Paul offers marriage advice he doesn’t turn to “7 Steps to Happy Husbandry” he simply looks to the work of Jesus and says imitate His Gospel work:

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. (Ephesians 5:25-28)

It’s why we are told to forgive as He forgave, love as He loved, sacrifice as He sacrificed, serve as He served, suffer as He suffered.  The sound doctrine of Gospel teaching leads us to Christ’s example of humility, Christ’s example of love, Christ’s example of sacrifice, Christ’s example of mercy, Christ’s example of holiness, Christ’s example of community, Christ’s example of truth and on and on and on. What this leaves us with is any teaching that does not reflect His nature is simply not sound teaching.

This is why we get pastors that espouse ideas like “we don’t have to practice unconditional love” or we should should stop “walking with turkeys ‘cause otherwise we won’t be able to fly like eagles” or “God wants you to have comfort and prosperity in this life” or “leaders need to be make tough decisions and sometimes that means removing people who aren’t pulling their weight”  All of these are teachings I have heard from “reputable” teachers and they are all counter to the Gospel and they are all false teachings. These may (or may not) be good advice but they are absent the Gospel. Christ exhibited unconditional love, Christ “walked with turkeys”, Christ didn’t seek nor find comfort and prosperity in this life and he never “removed” people that didn’t unify behind some vision, he cared for them and ultimately sacrificed for them, providing a way for them. Any teaching that does not reveal the nature of Christ is not a teaching that reflects the Gospel.

This is the first identifying marker of wolves but it is not the only one. In fact the first marker most often will/must be combined with the second to truly produce the biblical image of a wolf.