May 24

In Sheep’s Clothing

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves — Matt 7:15

There is something fearful in the eagerness of the devil to destroy souls. He sends his agents and messengers in forms and garbs to deceive the simple-minded and unwary. He even steals the dress of God’s own servants and children, hoping thus to gain the confidence of believers and then destroy their faith and lead them away to death. The world is full now of just such agents of Satan. They profess to be Christians, but in their hearts they are disloyal to Christ and to His cause and kingdom. They win the confidence of the sheep by passing off for sheep themselves; but the sheep’s covering is only worn outside, while underneath is the heart of a hungry, bloodthirsty wolf.

We need to be on our guard perpetually against the wiles of the devil. Eternal vigilance is the price of spiritual safety and of Christian peace. Many young people, especially of those who are intelligent and gifted, fall under the influence of those who have caught smatterings of sceptical talk which they drop in the form of sneers or mocking queries in the ears of their confiding listeners. They laugh at the simple cradle-faiths these young Christians hold, and ask with wise air, “Do you still believe these old superstitions?” Then they go on to cast doubt or to start questions about this or that difficulty in the Bible, or they caricature some Christian doctrine and hold it up in such light as to make it look absurd.

Thus they poison the minds of these earnest young believers, weaken their faith, and fill them with perplexity. Pastors and teachers on intelligent young people are continually called to try to undo the wicked and destructive work of these wolves in sheep’s clothing; but ofttimes it is impossible to undo it. Wrecked cradle-faiths are hard to restore.