PASTORAL THEOLOGY
LECTURE 10
WOLVES IN SHEPHERD’S CLOTHING
Does this sound like a ‘wolf’?
1 Peter 5:2-4 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
John 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
This definitely is not a wolf; it is a shepherd that loves the sheep. There is a huge difference between a true shepherd and a wolf in shepherd’s clothing.
The Alpha Male Wolf:
The model of many a pastor
A term originating from the animal kingdom, in which some species arrange individuals into a ranked order. For example in wolves, the pack order is split into two chains of command, one chain for the male, and one for the female. At the top of each chain is the 'Alpha' animal, and at the lowest of the chain is the 'omega' animal. Thus, the position of 'Alpha Male' means the male in charge of all the other males in his social group. This position can be seen being fought for, for example in school, by way of social interactions, group contests, or simply fighting to determine who is the 'hardest'.
The position of Alpha Male is seen as one of the most socially desirable (in wolves as well as humans) as having it enables a male to make decisions about how their social group/pack is run, to exact submission and obedience from subordinates, and generally to control things and boss others around at will. The power of the alpha male is matched only by that of the alpha female, who is just as in control as the alpha male is. Though in human society, individual ego and desire for authority often exclude the possibility of a partnership at the top.
Humans seem to have a remarkable tendency for aggregating ultimate authority to one (usually male) person. Little has changed from wolves to humans in this regard; humans still fight for the dominant position, but unlike wolves (continuing the example), who challenge for dominance and alpha status nonviolently using visual, auditory and smell clues, humans often get in bloody, protracted, and vicious fights/wars to determine who is the most powerful, and hence can dominate the rest of the pack.
Lots of wolves roaming about
There are a lot of bad pastors out there. It’s not so much that they are doctrinally unsound, but that they as a person are bad. In fact these bad pastors are really baaaaaaaad….even though they sound like a sheep.
How does a wolf put on shepherd’s clothing?
A wolf typically only comes to a pastorate by not being known prior to that flock; thus an ‘open pulpit’ is a classic way. They usually don’t ‘church plant’ because that takes too much time and the beginning sheep will scatter quickly with the wolf showing its fangs now and then.
A wolf pastor (wolf spider) is not there because he is called to help the sheep; he is there in order to gain control, have the power, get the money, be famous, and tear things up if he doesn’t get his way!
John 10:1,2 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
A wolf isn’t appointed by Jesus Christ; they are there to get what they can and then leave!
They appear very shepardy
These wolves in shepherd’s clothing appear very shephardy: they pastor large churches, they have doctorate degrees, they write books, they teach in famous Seminaries, they are popular, they get invited to speak at conferences, they even get voted as pastor of the year!
Look for them fangs!
Wolves can seem friendly, respectful, gentle, appropriate; but, that is a wolf tactic that gets the sheep to trust it and then he starts to pull back its jowels and there are those huge fangs! And then you hear those howls! Then you find that you are their prey!
It can be somewhat difficult at first to recognize a wolf in shepherd’s clothing.
2 Cor 11:13-15 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
These wolves, backed by Satan himself, can be very tricky…very smooth…very much believed to be a shepherd. They can even transform themselves into an independent, fundamental, KJV only, separated, sin-hating, bride of Christ, Baptist!!
You can know it’s a wolf by them eventually acting wolfy
Matt 7:15-16 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?
As wolves, they can not hide it perfectly; it will slip out here and there; and sometimes there will be that wolf fruit that is oh so obvious: anger, rage, unfairness, hurtful, attacking, destroying, killing!
A wolf pastor seems majorly focused on the carnal things: numbers, buildings, ranking among pastors, authority, books, etc..
How do you know if a shepherd is inwardly a wolf?
Matt 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
There will be false teaching; he will eventually show his fangs, his growl, and he will indeed attack some of the sheep. But, you need to beware; they are outwardly something entirely different; it isn’t obvious to the untrained observer.
The classic example of a wolf in shepherd’s clothing was Diotrephes
3 John 9-10 I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
These Diotrepheical wolves have to have the preeminence…always. And they will get rid of anyone that starts to jeapardize that (i.e. assistant pastors…prominent men). He ‘overprotects’(isolates) his flock from ‘good shepherds’(evangelists, preachers, missionaries). He speaks very meanly about these other ‘men of God’. He is a control freak, and won’t let anyone in the church dare fellowship with any of these types he feels threatened by. He will push for church discipline left and right so that he remains the ‘preeminant’one!
The wolf pastors are ‘big brutes’.
Jer 10:21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.
Jer 12:10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
They are overconfident, powermongering, demanding, mean-spirited, uncaring…
These wolves are a bunch of cattle herders
Jer 23:1-2 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.
They drive the delicate little sheep like a herd of cattle in the wild, wild west. They are basically unconcerned with the sheep; their only real concern is getting ‘the job done’; getting to where they need to be going. If some of them die on the ‘cattle drive’ then too baaaaaad.
The ultimate wolf goal is to pervert the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
Gal 1:6-9 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
If a shepherd begins to start waterring down the plan of salvation here and there…watch out; you probably have a wolf amongst you! He may start pushing for ‘easy believism’; he may agree that one can lose their salvation; he may adopt the Sovereign Grace ‘election’ heresy; he may start becoming extremely liberal and say that ‘as long as you believe in a god you will go to heaven’.
Are there such animals as ‘innocent wolves’?
A wolf is a wolf; though, there may be some wolves that are less voracious than others. But, a wolf wants to eat sheep, and there is no escaping that. There are some pretty dumb wolves out there. There are some very obvious wolves roaming about. There are some wolves that seem somewhat tame, but are not. Don’t be fooled; a wolf is a wolf!
Can a sheep change into a wolf?
Can a sheep go baaaaad and change into a wolf? Not exactly, but they can mimmick a wolf…but they are a sheep and will always be one. Thus, it takes a wolf to be a wolf…a lost person who is self-centerred and having Satan behind them.
Can a wolf be delerious?
Some wolves actually may think that they are true shepherds of the sheep. And they go from one sheepfold to the next every 3 to 5 years, destroying one after the other and always wondering why? They blame it, of course, on the sheep. All along the reason is because they are a wolf in shepherd’s clothing!
How come sheep will follow a stranger…a wolf?!
John 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Maybe because the sheep are not too smart.
Maybe because the wolf is really sneaky and smooth.
Maybe because the sheep are by nature quite unsuspecting and trusting.
There are bad sheepy shepherds out there that allow a wolf pastor to come on in to the flock.
John 10:11-12 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.
These shepherds are sheep that have gone bad and don’t want to protect the sheep anymore and when they leave the flock, will not be too concerned if a wolf pastor comes on in.
Zech 11:17 Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.
What should a church do if they have a wolf behind their pulpit?
The church needs to protect themselves from it; they need to get all the sheep together and verify that he is indeed a wolf and then baaaaah that wolf to another pasture far away from them. Not an easy task for a bunch of ‘innocent, docile sheep’.
Sadly, people today are so concerned about not hurting the feelings of others that the obvious wolf in shepherd’s clothing will get pity from the lambs that it is circling around! Even other outlying shepherds will decide not to warn that flock of the wolf they have in order not to be too judgemental!
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