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Sifting the Wolves
"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. 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? " ( Matthew 7:14-16, KJV, emphasis mine)
Nowadays, wolves seem to be everywhere; so much so that we feel compelled to keep everyone at arm's length. However, Jesus has instructions for us:
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. " (Matthew 22:37-40, KJV, emphasis mine)
So, how are we supposed to reach out to those in need, christian and nonbeliever alike, without opening ourselves up to assault by the wolves?
Jesus answered that one for us:
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." (Matthew 10:16, KJV, emphasis mine)
WE are NOT to shut everyone out; instead, we are to use discernment in these matters:
1) Bring it Before God:
Let me relate to you a story in which a group of God's people did NOT bring a matter before him, and it hurt them PLENTY:
"However, when the people of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai,4they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended. The men put worn and patched sandals on their feet and wore old clothes. All the bread of their food supply was dry and moldy. Then they went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal and said to him and the men of Israel, “We have come from a distant country; make a treaty with us.” The men of Israel said to the Hivites, “But perhaps you live near us. How then can we make a treaty with you?” “We are your servants,” they said to Joshua. But Joshua asked, “Who are you and where do you come from?” They answered: “Your servants have come from a very distant country because of the fame of the Lord your God. For we have heard reports of him: all that he did in Egypt, and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan—Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth. And our elders and all those living in our country said to us, ‘Take provisions for your journey; go and meet them and say to them, “We are your servants; make a treaty with us.”’ This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. And these wineskins that we filled were new, but see how cracked they are. And our clothes and sandals are worn out by the very long journey.” The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the Lord.Then Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the assembly ratified it by oath.Three days after they made the treaty with the Gibeonites, the Israelites heard that they were neighbors, living near them. So the Israelites set out and on the third day came to their cities: Gibeon, Kephirah, Beeroth and Kiriath Jearim. But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the assembly had sworn an oath to them by the Lord, the God of Israel.The whole assembly grumbled against the leaders, but all the leaders answered, “We have given them our oath by the Lord, the God of Israel, and we cannot touch them now.This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that wrath will not fall on us for breaking the oath we swore to them.” They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the entire community.” So the leaders’ promise to them was kept.Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by saying, ‘We live a long way from you,’ while actually you live near us? You are now under a curse: You will never cease to serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.” (Joshua 9:3-23, NIV, emphasis mine)
Joshua and the rest of the leaders took what the Gibeonites said at face value: they DIDN'T bring it before God to ask him his advice on the matter, and they ended up making a treaty with an aggressive enemy!! Likewise, when we encounter someone, a preacher, teacher, or someone in need or someone we are getting to know, we need to bring them before the Lord and ask HIM about them. If the Lord doesn't want us involved with them or that person is out to do harm to us, the Lord isn't going to simply let us fry.
2) Know Your Scripture:
"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. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." (2 Peter 2:1-2, KJV, emphasis mine)
"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. " (Galatians 1:4-5, KJV, emphasis mine)
"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. " (Acts 20:28-30, KJV)
Whether it is some slick preacher who is ranting on the TV, or someone in your circle who is doing something that is clearly against scripture, we need to know God's word and be firm on it. There are going to be issues that we will disagree on, that's true. But on what scripture SOLIDLY teaches we have to stand firm no matter what; that means matters of right and wrong, the Law, salvation, Jesus' deity, grace, and so on. What God said is what God said, and that's it. Don't let someone twist scripture to suit their purposes; if they have to do hermeneutical gymnastics in order to make a point, then they are twisting scripture and trying to manipulate YOU.
3) Follow the Leading of the Holy Spirit:
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:12-14, KJV, emphasis mine)
"And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:5-6, KJV)
"This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. " (Galatians 5:16-26, KJV, emphasis mine)
We need to be sensitive to the leading of the spirit: sometimes we will THINK it is God leading us, but it may be our own thoughts, feelings, or even the Adversary whispering in our ear. These things can dull our discernment, and make us far easier prey, especially if a wolf has been trying to "work on us". Also, we are told not to trust the spirits, but to test or try them. This means we must compare how we feel led to scripture, and bring it to the Lord in prayer, asking him to confirm it. The Holy Spirit will NEVER ask us to do something that is wrong and goes against scripture, both explicitly or implicitly.
By using Discernment, the all-purpose tool for living in this life, we can sift the wolves and predators out without shutting out those that need us or those that care for us. We use discernment as a filter, allowing the ones we are led to by the Lord in, and keeping the ones who would do us harm away. We aren't going to be perfect; sometimes people can be slick and slip through. But if we bring the matter before the Lord, we trust him to keep us safe and to stand by us in times of need.
I bid all of you peace, but this last part I feel I must direct to the "wolves", as many have been roaming around us as of late, and I cannot remain silent about it:
"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. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds; ) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities." (2 Peter 2:3-10 KJV, epmhasis mine)
We are watching you; we know what scripture says, and we know what God says is right, and what God says is WRONG. You even hide in "sheep's clothing", seeking those in body on whom to prey on and you coiner them, attempting to devour them as you would food or drink.
God is watching you as well, and we are constantly in prayer to him.
"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" (Hebrews 9:27, KJV)
"O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.: But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. " (Matthew 12:34-37, KJV)
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28, KJV)
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." (Jeremiah 17:9, KJV)
You may be able to fool other people, but you CANNOT FOOL GOD. You WILL stand accountable for what you are doing. Your very thoughts will be testimony against you, and you will have NO defense.
The Lord promises one more thing:
"But if ye will not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the LORD: and be sure your sin will find you out." (Numbers 32:23, KJV, emphasis mine)
Your sin WILL find you out.
You have been WARNED.
-Robert
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