I tend to be very focused on what the Holy Spirit teaches me during my early morning or late afternoon jogging - alone time ... One-to-one.
And so, I was asked about the wolf in sheep's clothing ...
I thought I was through with teachings about the sheep ... and that I knew this thing about wolves dressing up as sheep ...
... wonderful surprise!
Beware of those wolves
Jesus says in Matthew 7:15-16 "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Beware of those wolves
Jesus says in Matthew 7:15-16 "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?"
There are so many sick, twisted teachings about this verse, it is mind-wrecking.
Like the one borrowed from an ancient Indian tradition about the inner white wolf and black wolf that everyone has. And then you have to feed the right one so that good may prosper over evil ... how twisted is that?
God is not a pervert!
He didn't create you with good and bad inside you and now looks down to see how great of a zookeeper you are. Man!!!
We've got to place these verses within proper context.
First of all, Jesus was talking (sermon on the mount) to the multitudes that included some Pharisees, Sadisees, scribes, priests and other self-aquired offices and positions in the Jewish tradition.
Secondly, Jesus was preaching to people who followed the law. It was way before the cross (before God's Grace was poured out on all).
Thirdly, Jesus was warning the multitudes of those who displayed a form of righteousness, those who followed the law and thought that they had made it by so doing. These guys preached to others that they should follow suit and they enrich themselves with the tithes and offerings of these people .
You will know them by their fruit.
How?
The good prophets bring the Good News, the Gospel that says there is only one Offer for all for all time - Jesus - the complete and finished work of the cross!
Then there are the bad prophets, sheep who allow the ravening (harpax from another Greek word harpazō which means to take by force, to rob, to steal - as in extortion) wolf (lukos used for a cruel, greedy, rapacious, destructive person), in other words the devil to clothe himself with them (these sheep) to bring a mixed message.
The wolf brings the bad news (the broad fabricated way of vast emptiness and nothing) saying you are conditionally saved. He says: there is the cross plus what you must do ... there is the cross, but then you have to ...
The wolf brings the bad news (the broad fabricated way of vast emptiness and nothing) saying you are conditionally saved. He says: there is the cross plus what you must do ... there is the cross, but then you have to ...
These prophets allow the wolf to deny the complete, finished work of the cross and then preach the mixed message.
They bring the somewhat-good-news or the half-good-news - the mixed law and Grace message - Babylon (confusion by mixture); the tree-of-the-knowledge-of-good-and-evil, a deadly concoction that kills; the poison of the one who seeks to kill, steal and destroy, the wolf ... the sheep-hunter, who dresses up in a familiar attire.
It seems right, but it leads to destruction! (Proverbs 14:12)
The wolf ... meaning what?
By the way, the Hebrew word for wolf is ze'êb or זאב and the word-picture shows: weapon against the power of the house.
What?
It is the weapon formed against the heirs (the house that God chose for himself to live in) of the kingdom of Abba; to restrain and prevent them from exercising their power and authority (Isa 54:17).
... the very reason why all creation earnestly awaits with eagerness for the manifestation of the sons of God (Rom 8:19).
Are we appropriating our inherited dominion authority or lending our ears to the wolf dressed in the fleece of one of our brothers?
We'll know them by their fruit.
We'll know them by Whom or whom they allow to speak through them.
The second part of our scripture above talks about the gathering of grapes and figs. It is that which is given freely to satisfy your needs instead of the curse of thorns and thistles, the deceived and worthless fruit that causes aces and pains and attempts to stop you from gathering the life-giving fruit which nourishes.
The Gospel contains NO bad news ... not even a hint. Not even one thistle!
The Gospel is the All-Good-News-Only-Message, mixed with nothing ... so that you can eat and be satisfied and drink and never thirst and find His rest. It is the Tree-of-Life. And it is all about Life - the resurrected and all-victorious Jesus, now abiding in you!
It is about the sheep who has latched onto the Grace revealed!
HalleluYAH!