Beware the Wolf Part One- Sheep's Clothing

In this article I will explore Matthew 7:15-17

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheeps clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns. Or figs of thistles?

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

So in verse 15 we’re warned against false prophets and told that they can be 

extremely deceptive why? because they’re in sheep’s clothing.

In verse 16 Jesus says that in order to identify a false prophet one must look beyond his sheep’s clothing and examine his fruits.

Ye shall know them by their fruits

The word fruits in this verse is karpos in the Greek and means work act or deed.

Just as a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit, a false prophet brings forth evil deeds.

Evil deeds is what identifies a false prophet as being a false prophet.

In Matthew 7:5 we are told …first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brothers eye. 

If we are producing evil fruit and think, well doesn’t everyone? How will we see clearly to identify a false prophet since he is known by his fruits?

Unless we remove the beam from our own eye, we will be fooled by his sheep’s clothing.

What comprises sheeps clothing?

Matthew 7:22 gives us some clues…

Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity.

These people sound very religious, they prophesied in Gods name meaning they were preachers and did many wonderful works. However, Jesus said to them depart from me ye that work iniquity, or ye that bring forth evil fruit, “i never knew you”. 

Let’s consider for a moment the word knew.

In Genesis Adam knew his wife Eve, meaning they became ONE flesh.

Gen. 2:23&24…this is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh…therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh.

In Ephesians, this same concept is used to explain the relationship between Christ and the church.

Ephes. 5:30&32

For we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones.

therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall cleave unto his wife and they shall be one flesh.

This is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

When Jesus said to those in Matthew 7 i never knew you he meant we were never ONE.

How do we become spiritually ONE with Christ? 

Romans 6:3,4&6

Know ye not that so many of us as were baptised INTO Jesus Christ were baptised into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism unto death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.

Knowing this that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin.

When we forsake sin and fully submit our will to Gods will, we are crucified WITH christ.

Once crucified with him we can be resurrected WITH him to walk in newness of life, which is being born-again.

That is becoming ONE with Christ.

The false prophet has never done this. His old man is still very much alive and that is the crux of his problem. That is what makes him a corrupt tree bringing forth evil fruit.

Lets continue to look at what comprises sheep’s clothing and how incredibly deceptive this clothing can be

1 Corinthians 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophesy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge…and have not charity I am nothing.

This proves that a person can be a gifted preacher, have amazing bible knowledge and understanding yet not have Gods love in their heart. 

God is love. When a person is filled with the Spirit they are filled with LOVE.

Rom. 5:5 says…the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy ghost…

Therefore, if a person does not have God’s love in their heart, they are not in relationship with him.

False prophets don’t have God within, rather they wear religion on the outside as a cloak to conceal that which is within.

So what lies beneath the sheeps clothing? Let’s take a peek.

Oh no, it’s a ravening wolf.

The word ravening in the Cambridge dictionary means 

Violently hunting for prey

Collins dictionary says

Voracious or predatory behaviour

Greedily searching for prey

There are certain people who are attracted to church leadership roles for impure reasons. 

They are not motivated by a pure desire to feed God’s sheep, rather a desire to feed themselves upon the sheep.

This means they use God’s people to fulfil their own dreams and ambitions, to satisfy their hunger to be heard, respected and obeyed and even for financial gain.

Ezekiel 34:2

… woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.

Notice how these bad shepherds not only kill and eat the flock but clothe themselves with their wool.

The sheep’s clothing worn by a false prophet is actually those whom he has sacrificed.

In fact if he can find someone who is particularly blameless, he will attach that person to himself because they make him look good, they cover up his true character.

Such a person becomes his prey and he won’t let them go without a fight.

Consider this description of Christ in Rev 1:14

…his head and hairs were white like wool…

Also Isaiah 1:18

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

White wool represents purity and righteousness.

If a false prophet is trying to clothe himself in your righteousness, you need to escape him now, for the sake of your own soul! For in allowing him to use you, you enable him to continue as a false prophet and therefore become just as guilty as he is.

Beware of false prophets meaning seperate yourself from them, flee them for the sake of your own soul!

In conclusion,

False prophets can be extremely deceptive.

They are gifted preachers, have incredible bible knowledge and do wonderful works. 

All these things constitute sheeps clothing. 

Beneath this clothing is a wolf motivated by selfish desires.

The wolf uses God’s people both to fulfill his selfish desires and to cloak his true character.

He hides behind their righteousness so he may continue as a wolf.

In my Beware the Wolf Part Two, I delve into the evil fruits that identify a false prophet. 

God bless.