May 24

In Sheep’s Clothing

Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. — Matt 7:15 BSB

The devil is dangerously eager to destroy souls. He sends his agents in disguises meant to deceive those who are unsuspecting or easily misled. Sometimes, he even dresses his agents in the garb of God’s own servants, hoping to gain the trust of believers and then lead them astray. Today’s world is full of such agents of Satan. They claim to be Christians, but their hearts are disloyal to Christ and His kingdom. They gain the trust of God’s people by appearing to be sheep, but underneath the sheep’s clothing, they are ravenous wolves.

We must always be on guard against the devil’s schemes. Constant vigilance is the price of spiritual safety and Christian peace. Many young people, especially those who are intelligent and talented, fall under the influence of those who have picked up bits of skeptical thinking. These wolves drop hints of doubt or mockery into the ears of their unsuspecting listeners. They laugh at the simple faith of these young Christians and ask, with a knowing air, “Do you still believe in those old superstitions?” Then they proceed to raise questions about the Bible or mock Christian doctrines, twisting them in a way that makes them seem absurd.

In doing so, they poison the minds of these young believers, weakening their faith and filling them with confusion. Pastors and teachers are frequently called upon to try to repair the damage caused by these wolves in sheep’s clothing, but often the damage is irreversible. Once a simple faith has been wrecked, it’s incredibly hard to restore.