The "Sign" Few Are
Paying Any Attention To:
Ravening Wolves...
..In Sheep's Clothing
                                                                                    By Pastor F. M. Riley
                                                                                    November 22, 2018
     "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?.......
     Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."   
                                                                    Matthew 7:15-20; Mark 13:22-23.
     "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit,"
                                                                    Matthew 12:33 Luke 6:43-44
     Introduction
     Any reader who cannot grasp or  understand the meaning of these very clear statements of the Lord Jesus, needs to stop reading right now,  and  seek  the  Lord  in  prayer   for   the   salvation   of   their   soul,
1 Corinthians 2:14.   What is stated is a glaring truth of nature itself.  All of mankind identifies different species of trees by the fruit the trees  bear.   Men are likened to trees in God's inspired Word, Mark 8:24.  Plain enough!  
     I love the Word of God!  I have been seriously studying it for the past 64 years, and yet I make no claim to knowing everything the inspired Word says and teaches.  After all of these years in the Lord's ministry, I  am still learning new truths as I continue to study, and the Holy Spirit guides me into truths I have previously overlooked, John 16:13.  Read Matthew 6:19-21, 12:35, and 13:52.  "Study" is the key word here.  Serious, dedicated, daily Bible study cannot be over emphasized for any true believer, regardless of how long they have been a believer, 2 Timothy 2:15.  
     No true believer ever learns everything that God's Word has in it.   Becoming familiar with your Bible so that you can find your way around in it, and having full knowledge of every truth set forth  in it, are two different things.    When one meets a "professing Christian" who claims that they have learned everything the Bible has to say and no longer need to devote their time to studying it, then KNOW that you have met a person who may be truly saved, but if so, they have never grown spiritually in the Lord, and are far from being the dedicated "Christian" they think they are.  Such people, if they really are believers, don't know near as much about God's Word, as they think they do.  PRIDE about what they do know has gotten in their way.   Find another source for learning the great  truths of the  Bible, if you want to grow in the Lord.    
"Christianity" Today
     I have never previously seen a time, when there was so much glaring ignorance of God's Word in the churches and the ranks of Christianity, as we  see displayed today.  Every false doctrine, theory, and opinion, one can imagine, is being taught in the churches and the ranks of Christianity today, as Scriptural truth.   And such Scriptural ignorance is always taught by someone  "professing" to be a "Christian."  As one listens to what some teach and preach today, it is appalling at the unscriptural ignorance that is being passed off as the truth of God's Word.  For many "ministers" today, 2 Timothy 2:15 means absolutely nothing.  Many in the pulpits of America today, couldn't "rightly divide the Word of truth," even if their life depended on it.  What such people do not realize is that their  eternal life does depend on it.  Read 2 Thessalonians 2:13.    
     Over the years I have been in the Lord's ministry, I personally know of at least five pastors of churches who finally came under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and received Christ Jesus as their Savior.  All five of them were pastoring churches in an unsaved condition.  One of them had been pastoring for nearly 20 years before receiving Christ as his Savior.  I haven't the slightest idea what those men were preaching to their congregations in their lost condition, but  it was likely a useless effort.  It was the Lord Jesus Himself who said,  "A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit," Matthew 7:18.  
The Lord's Warning
     In the Scripture passages chosen as a text for this study, it was the Lord Jesus Himself who was warning His disciples about these "false Christs and false prophets" who would come on the world scene in the future, and would deceive many.   Over and over again in the New Testament we believers are given inspired warnings about "false Christs and false prophets," deceivers, scoffers, and evil men who would come in "the last days." Dear readers, they are here!  They have come!  This is yet one more "sign" given by the Lord Himself that "the end" is near, yet this "sign" is being overlooked or ignored by most
"professing Christians" today.  Why...???
Wolves in Sheep's Clothing
     Why...??  Because these people come presenting themselves as "Christian" believers.  This way, the average Christian today, will welcome them with open arms as a fellow believer, even though they are meeting them for the first time and don't know a thing about them. I think 1 John 4:1 is still in the Bible.  So is 1 Thessalonians 5:12. .  These deceivers come talking about the subjects Christians usually talk about,  claiming to love the Lord's church and people, claiming to love God's Word, and conducting [to whatever extent possible] themselves like true believers.  By this means these deceivers are readily received today into nearly any Christian church.  
     The Lord Himself said that they would come dressed "in sheep's clothing."  And they are certainly in the churches and among God's people today!   Read 2 Peter 3:3-4 and Jude 3-4.  
      Once these deceivers have been received into a local church body, they begin working to ingratiate themselves into positions of trust and influence in the church and among God's people.  After a  time they are teaching a Sunday School class, or have even "pretended" to surrender their lives to the Lord's ministry, so they can have more power and influence over the people they have chosen to deceive.  .    
      This is where the danger really begins in the churches and among true believers.  These deceivers substitute false teachings for the truths of God's Word.   Of course, they do it slowly and subtly, so as to not frighten off the prey!  Remember, that the Lord Himself described these deceivers as "ravening wolves."
     The Greek word translated as "ravening" in this statement of the Lord, is the word, "harpax."  This word literally means, "Greedy; swindling; robbing; extorting; violent."  See Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, No. 727.  Dear readers, this is the bottom line of what such deceivers are all about; POWER and MONEY.  These deceivers want a prominent position in a church, where they will be looked up to,  and financed by the gullible members of the church.   And when they have destoyed and devoured one church, by their deceitfulness and greed, they will then move on to another one.  They leave behind them a trail of ruined churches, broken hearts and lives, and disallusioned and discouraged believers.    
How To Identify These Wolves
     The Lord Jesus explicitly said, "Ye shall know them by their fruits," Matthew 7:16.  These deceivers can then be recognized by "the fruits" which come forth from them.  The Lord Himself used thorns and thistles to emphasize the warning He was giving to His disciples.  Thorn bushes do not bear grapes.  Thistles do not bear figs.  Both grapes and figs are good for mankind, but there are passages in God's Word which clearly state that the thorns and thistles upon the earth are fit for nothing, but to be gathered and cast into the fire.  Plain enough?
     So we believers identify such deceivers.......
     By their fruits!  Literal wolves howl!  So do these deceivers.  If things in a church do not go exactly  the way they want them to go, they will complain, criticize, speak in anger and offensively, falsely accuse and outright lie to and against those standing in their way, until the church body splits up, or just closes their doors.   Folks, I have seen this happen in a number of churches across the years. These are some of the "fruits" of these deceivers.  Listen carefully to what is coming out of their mouths, how it is spoken, and whether it is in harmony with what God's Word actually and literally says.  
       From such wicked deceivers comes the "social gospel" with it's "just do good and  be a good person,"  way of salvation.  Also such deceivers almost always deny the Divine Inspiration of the Scriptures, often claiming that the Bible is just a book written by a few Jewish men who wanted to draw attention to themselves.  These deceivers almost always deny what the Scriptures actually and literally say, making adjustments to God's Word which "fit" their own opnions and theories.   They often deny any future resurrection and rapture of God's people,  and reject the literal return of Christ.  Such deceivers perfectly fit the inspired description given by the Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 3:3-5.       
 What to do About These Wolves
     First, expose them, using the "light" of God's Word.   Stand up to their "false teachings," countering it with the "rightly divided" Word of God.  Wicked and evil men love the darkness, and  hate "the light" of God's Word," and will flee from it, Psalm 119:105; 119:130.   
     Second, examine them.  Such deceivers, when exposed, should be brought before the church body, and carefully examined as to their real beliefs .  And when found to be "false prophets and false teachers,"  with no sign of repentance or remorse on their part,  they should be excluded from the church body.
     Third, warn your fellow believers.   Warn other churches about such wicked deceivers and "false teachers."  Why should such "false teachers" be allowed to spread their "false teaching" and outright lies from one church to another, without someone sounding a warning?  
     Over my years in the Lord's ministry, I have run across several supposed "men of God" who left a long trail of destroyed churches behind them.  Every church they pastored ended up closing it's doors.  Beware of such so-called "men of God!"  .  
     I personally know of preachers who just couldn't keep their hands off of the women in the churches they were called to pastor, and who were involved in one scandal after another.  True believers and true churches need to be warned about such people.  
     I remember one preacher who had been married and divorced six times, and was looking for another woman to be his wife.  This man was in total violation of the Biblical qualiifications for a man to serve as one of the Lord's pastors,  1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9, yet some of the churches were still willing to call him to serve as their pastor, obviously not aware of his marital history.  
     Folks, God's people should be warning the Lord's churches, and their fellow believers about such "false brethren,"  2 Corinthians 11:26.         
But Shouldn't We Pray for and Try
to Win Such False Teachers to the Lord?
     Indeed we who are true believers should always be concerned about the souls of those who are lost in sin and unbelief.  But even God's Word sets a limit!  Listen....."A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;
     Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself," Titus 3:10-11.  
     Folks, praying for such people is one thing.  Wasting the time the Lord has given us, witnessing to such "false teachers" over and over again, is another thing.   When these "false prophets and false teachers" have made it clear that they have no intention of believing the
"rightly divided"  truth of God's Word, and becoming a true Christian believer, then the Word of God itself tells us to "reject" such people and move on.  Time is short, and so is life.  Don't waste what time the Lord has given you, trying to win people to Christ, who have audibly and publicly  set their hearts and minds against the truth's of God's Word.
Calling a man as Pastor
     Many churches today, when needing a pastor, invite some supposed "man of God" to come and preach for them "in view of a call."  Okay!  So far so good!
     However, at some point before the church actually receives a man to serve as their pastor, the man should be interviewed by the entire church body.  He should be required to share his personal testimony  of  salvation before the entire church body, plus giving some information about his marriage, home, and personal life.  Then the members of the church should be free to ask him about his personal beliefs on the fundamental doctines of God's Word, which the Lord's churches have held as Scriptural truth for centuries.  If he passes this "test," then, and only then, should the church call him to serve as their pastor.  
     Folks, if the man is a true "man of God," he will not be offended by being ask these questions.  In fact, he may appreciate the opportunity to let the church body know how he stands on certain important issues of Biblical truth, and what they can expect from him if they choose to call him as their pastor.  The Lord Jesus Himself told His disciples to "Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing."  Is it then just too much effort for a church to carefully examine a man before they call him as their pastor?  Well...??      
A Final Warning
     These "false prophets and false teachers" do not come with a sign on them, announcing that they are "false teachers and deceivers," and that their intentions are to steal, and kill, and destroy, John 10:10. .  But they are here today, in the churches and among God's people.  
       Every true believer needs to be aware of it.  Take whatever precautions are necessary to protect yourself, your family and loved ones, and your church body, from the "false teachings" of these wicked people.  How?
     By being on guard against any corruption of God's Word.  Folks, always take God's Word at face value for what it actually and literally says.   Stay true to the Word of God.  Study it for yourself, and learn how to "rightly divide the Word of truth," 2 Timothy 2:15.   Do not settle for anything less than the "rightly divided" Word of God when calling a man to serve as your pastor, or even in your fellowship with other believers.   
      Satan and his followers hate the Word of God, and will do everything they can to twist it's meanings, change and adjust it to make it say something other than what it literally says, and corrupt it any way they can.   Refuse to accept such corruption of God's Word!  
     Folks, personal opinions and men's theories, have no place in the exposition of God's Word, nor are they a substitute for the right division of the Word of God.   Just stay with the Word!  John 17:17.   
     And remember what the Lord Jesus Himself said, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing.......," Matthew 7:15.  
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     Dear readers, I know the Lord Jesus is coming for His people SOON, but how soon I cannot say.  In the meantime, I certainly need the prayers of every reader of my studies who is a true believer.  My eyesisht is failing badly.  I can hardly see my computer screen now, and my eyes appear to be getting weaker almost from day to day.  I have manifying glasses laying all over my room and desk.  By the use of a magifying glass, I can still read my large print Bible.
      Looking up references in my Strong's Concordance is really a task, as Strong's has such small print.  I have wanted to purchase a large print Strong's, but I don't know whether such is even available in large print.  If so, it would likely be in several volumes, rather than just one book.  I sure do need the prayers of my brothers and sisters in Christ for the healing of my eyes and the restoring of my sight.  If it gets much worse, then my Bible Study ministry will soon be ending.  
     I have other health problems also, but none as bad as my eyesight.  I don't know why a young fellow like me should be experiencing all these health problems.  I am only 84 years old, and I thank our gracious God for every one of those years.  I have enjoyed the blessings of our gracious Lord throughout my entire life, and I still desire to live until our Lord comes for us.   
     It is needless to say that I am eagerly looking forward to my new body, fashioned like the "glorious body" of our Lord.  
           "No more sickness, no more sorrow, will we ever see;
           In that great Tomorrow, awaiting you and me!"
    "Even so, come, Lord Jesus," Revelation 22:20.
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     I want to thank every reader who has prayed for and supported my Bible Study ministry over the past ten years.  You have helped make it possible for the great truths of God's Word to go into many parts of the world via the Internet.  Souls have been saved, and God's people have been  built up in the faith and the knowledge of God's Word.  I thank and praise the Lord for it, and I thank our dear readers so very much. Let's all  thank and praise the Lord for His goodness and mercy.
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My personal contact information:
POSTAL........Pastor Francis M. Riley, 14275 Co. Rd. 8120, Rolla, MO 65401
EMAIL..........francismriley34@gmail.com
PHONE........573-202-6493  
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