Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing
(Matthew 7:15-20)
Many colloquialisms of the English language trace their origins to the words of Scripture. Today’s passage contains an example: wolves in sheep’s clothing. Sometimes without knowing it, folks quote little “sayings” that are, in reality, Scripture. Such “sayings” endure not just because they are pithy; they endure because the experience of successive generations has proven them true even if folks have long forgotten the origin of the saying.
Looks, Jesus taught, can be deceiving. Sometimes appearances are just that—form without substance. The outward, then, is not the best determining factor regarding character. This is especially true in matters of religion—matters of the heart.
Pomp and display take in many gullible souls. Consider, for example, the Roman Catholic Church. Rome has made impressive ritual and pompous costumes her veritable stock-and-trade. Yet, for all the outward show, the Roman Catholic Church is morally and spiritually bankrupt. In fact, it is no true church at all! It looks good to some—religious, mystical, holy, austere; but it fails to really point men to Christ.
How can one tell between the false and the true—especially in the religious realm? Simple: Jesus told us to examine the fruit. If a ministry is good, the fruit will be good. If it is corrupt, the fruit will likewise be corrupt. Solid, Biblical ministries produce Biblical results: lives transformed into the image of Christ. Religious chicanery produces a lot of emotion, spine-tingling entertainment, and pop-culture panaceas—with no lasting Christ-likeness to be found.
