Sheep in Wolf’s Clothing?

Jesus warned his disciples to beware of false prophets, those who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. He spoke of sending his sheep out among the wolves. And Paul warned the Ephesian elders that savage wolves would come in among them and not spare the flock. The analogy is well worn, and useful in conveying the message intended. Wolves and sheep are not social acquaintances, nor are they comrades.

Scripture also warns of sheep disguising themselves as wolves. Sheep who, in their heart of hearts, want to be sheep, but want to fit in with the wolves. They want the benefits of being a sheep, with acceptance from the wolves.

Peter writes that we are “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people”. We are to be sheep in a world dominated by wolves. But, we are not to be allies of the wolves; we are not to befriend the wolves; we are to be sheep. John warns that we are not to “love the world”. James writes, “friendship with the world is hostility toward God”. Paul, to the church of Christ in Rome, wrote that a mind “set on the flesh is hostile toward God”. And Paul, again, asks the Corinthians, “what fellowship has light with darkness?”

In earlier generations, being Biblically peculiar was a desired trait among many. Is it true of many in our generation? Will it be true in future generations? What does the trend, if not corrected, indicate? Is there more of the church in the world, or more of the world in the church, compared to fifty or a hundred years ago?

The church cannot isolate itself from the world. The church needs to be in the world. As illustrated by some in my past, it’s like the relationship between a boat and water. It’s a good thing when the boat is in the water, but not so good when the water is in the boat. Having too much water in the boat is a disaster.

In Romans 12:1f, Paul calls Christians not to be “conformed to the world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds”. Is the world molding us with its ideas, its language, its dress, its morals, its perspective, or its view of man’s relationship with God? Or, are we molding the world?

Sometimes it seems like the wolves are winning.