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Volume 25 Number 3 March 2023	Page 5

Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

Enoch Benjamin

Jesus spoke about the false teachers.

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (Matthew 7:15-20 NKJV)

These teachers did not teach the truth. Similarly, Jeremiah 23:16 warned in his time, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, Not from the mouth of the Lord.’”

Jesus warned the people to be careful of the servants of the devil, who can look like servants of God; the apostle Paul identified this problem, too. “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

False teachers can be known by their fruits or their works and by the things they do and what they want other people to believe. They teach from their own understanding rather than from the Truth – God’s Word. Jesus said in Matthew 15:8-9 that the people drew near to Him with their mouth, but their hearts were far from Him. They worshipped in vain because they taught the commandments of men.

The wolves in sheep’s clothing are those who pervert the Holy Scriptures. They turn from the truth, corrupt the Word of God and lead people astray by their false teachings. The apostle Peter said that false teachers will secretly bring in destructive heresies and the things they do not understand (2 Peter 2:1-2).

The false teachers in this age mix up the Old Testament and the New Testament laws. They teach people to worship like David and not according to the teachings of Christ. For instance, they worship in vain by using mechanical instruments in worship rather than merely singing as stated in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. Other misconceptions and false teachings are:

• Dancing in the church (1 Corinthians 14:40)
• Women as preachers and pastors (1 Corinthians 14:34) 
• So-called speaking in tongues (1 Corinthians 13:8) 
• Claiming to prophesy new revelation (1 Corinthians 13:8) 
• Claiming to perform miraculous healing (Mark 16:17-18; 1 Corinthians 13:8) 
• Paying tithes instead of freewill offerings (1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 2 Corinthians 9:7) 

The Bible is very clear about the above. The church must not participate in anything that is unscriptural. The New Testament contains the law of Christ, which is the teaching we must follow. [The Old Testament, including the Ten Commandments, have been replaced by the New Testament for people living since the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ nearly 2,000 years ago (Romans 7:6-7). Christians practice what the New Testament authorizes. ~ Louis Rushmore, Editor]

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The Need for Personal Evangelism

J. T. Bristow

Introduction:

1. How wonderful it is to be needed! One of the joys of marriage. One of the joys of parenthood. One of the joys of Christianity. There are physical needs, and there are spiritual needs.
2. Everyone has a need for something or someone. True of kings and true of hermits. True of Christ, the world and us. Our lesson will stress the needs involved in personal evangelism.

Body:

1. Christ Needs Us.
   1. Christ has revealed His need.
      1. He needs “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).
      2. He needs “laborers” (Matthew 9:37).
      3. He needs “teachers” (Matthew 28:20).
   2. His need is perpetual (Matthew 28:20).
      1. In day of Judgment, we can’t laugh this off nor argue it away!
      2. Without God we can’t convert a single soul; without us, God will not (cf., John 15:1-6).
2. Lost Souls Need the Gospel.
   1. Souls need to be coming to Christ in a steady stream.
      1. The fields are white unto harvest (John 4:35).
      2. The invitation is extended (Matthew 11:28-30).
   2. The power of salvation is the Gospel (Romans 1:16).
      1. Man is powerless to save himself.
      2. The Gospel is man’s only hope (cf., 1 Corinthians 1:21).
   3. Personal evangelism coupled with mass evangelism is the way!
      1. This is the first century method (Acts 2:46; 20:20).
      2. Today’s great need is a first century method with first century power producing a first century result!
3. We Need Fruit.
   1. It is estimated that 95% of church members never win a soul!
      1. Think of it! If this is true, 5% do 100% of the personal evangelism!
      2. We can become so busy with “churchanity” that we don’t have time for “Christianity!”
      3. This means we may be majoring in the minors and minoring in the majors.
   2. Fruitless Christians will be lost!
      1. No plainer or more emphatic language appears in Scripture regarding any other subject (John 15:1-6; Luke 13:5-9).
      2. “Must I go and empty handed? Thus my dear Redeemer meet? Not one day of service give Him, lay no trophy at His feet? Oh ye saints, arouse, be earnest, Up and work while yet ‘tis day, Ere the night of death o’ertake thee, strive for souls while still you may!”

Conclusion:

1. We must put forth a definite effort to persuade a definite person to obey a definite Saviour at a definite time!
2. How can we remain idle when we know that the longing in Christ’s heart for the lost to be saved remains unsatisfied?