Thursday: “Wolves Will Come”
Read Acts 20:25-31. What did Paul warn the Ephesian elders about? What were they to do to prevent this from happening?
During his ministry Paul often faced opposition, and he knew that it would be difficult to preserve the purity of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
In his farewell to the Ephesian elders he drew from the watchman analogy in Ezekiel 33:1-6 to tell fellow leaders that they were also responsible for safeguarding the Gospel. They were to be faithful shepherds of their congregations.
Paul’s use of the expression “savage wolves” to describe false teachers (Acts 20:29, NKJV) is reminiscent of Jesus’ similar warning that false teachers would disguise themselves in sheep’s clothing (Matt. 7:15). These false teachers did arise soon after Paul spoke this warning, and they preyed upon believers in the Asian churches that he had established. In Ephesians 5:6-14 and Colossians 2:8, we see some of Paul’s warnings to churches in Asia Minor.
In his Second Epistle to Timothy, Paul also warns Timothy, who is responsible for the church at Ephesus, against errors in the church and godlessness in the last days.
Read 2 Timothy 2:14-19 and 2 Timothy 3:12-17. What does Paul say to Timothy about how to counter false teachers and to preserve the unity of the church?
First, Timothy should know his Bible, “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15, NKJV). The antidote to these useless disputes and speculations is to correctly understand and teach the word given by God. The truths of the Bible must be rightly interpreted so that no part of the Scriptures will be set in opposition to the entire picture presented in the Bible, and also to prevent misinterpretations that may cause one to lose faith in Jesus. Irrelevancies and secondary issues are to be subordinated to the principles of God’s Word that actually will prepare believers to live a victorious life in Christ. Paul’s second recommendation is for Timothy himself to “shun profane and idle babblings” (2 Tim. 2:16, NKJV). Trivial and speculative topics are not to be part of Timothy’s teaching ministry if he is to be considered a worthy and faithful minister. These types of conversations lead only to more ungodliness and do not edify the faith of believers (2 Tim. 2:16). Truth alone leads to godliness and harmony among believers. The reason Timothy must avoid and urge his people to avoid such errors is that they sweep through the church like a disease (2 Tim. 2:17). In the end, obedience to the Word of God is the antidote to false teaching (2 Tim. 3:14-17) that could threaten the unity of the church.
| How can we, as a church, protect ourselves from similar kinds of people who, through false teachings, could bring divisions among us? |
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" God's word will prepare believers to live a victorious life in Christ. "
Satan's strategy to counteract this.
1. Make sure that the believer has no time for the word of God.
2. Make sure the believer comes to church late thus missing the important lesson discussion.
3. Make sure the preachers, leaders and pastors don't attend lesson discussion thus showing the members it is not that much important.
4. Make sure the announcement takes the lion share and congregation singing takes the least.
5. Make sure the sermon is always late, long and boring that when presented many believers will be tired, asleep and others murmuring.
6. Make sure after the sermon there are announcements and lunch time meetings that delete the word of God just heard.
7. Make sure the afternoon programs are boring so that the youth may not attend.
8. Make sure the church leaders attend meetings in the afternoons so that the church remains with no-one to feed it.
9. Make sure the camp meeting committee meets every Sabbath afternoon for the whole year to prepare for just a one week event.
10. Make sure nobody reads Ellen's books and show the members that they are expensive, difficult to get and always out of print.
11. Make sure the best preachers are branded offshoots and thus kill their influence.
12. Make sure half of the members don't attend afternoon programs and half of those who attend sleep in the church. Make others busy counting offerings and disrupt the lest that they may not get the word of God.
What if you and your friend disagree on the interpretation of a particular section of Scripture after you have both studied it carefully.
One way is to use the three P's. Precept, Principle, Person
Is there a clear rule (precept), what is the Principle behind that rule, is it in harmony with the rest of Scripture's Principle. What does this rule & principle according to your interpretation say about the character of God (Person). If your interpretation leads you to believe something about God that does not tie up with the rest of the Bible then maybe you need to revisit the process.
For example suppose you wanted to figure out whether sex between two unmarried people who love each other is right or wrong. How would you decide that?
Well, you can follow the pattern God has used to teach people truth throughout history. God began his revelation of right and wrong with the Ten Commandments. So you can compare your attitudes and actions to God’s spoken commands-his precepts. His spoken Word (the Bible) points to universal moral principles, which in turn spring from the person or character of God himself.
Precept. God has spoken some totally clear precepts-or commands-in the Bible. Like the fact that sexual involvement outside marriage is wrong (see 1 Corinthians 6: 18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3). But those precepts aren’t just a long list of dos and don’ts. They also point to bigger moral principles.
Principle. A principle is a standard you can apply to more than one situation. They help explain the “why” behind a precept. God’s law that says sexual immorality is out of bounds isn’t intended to squash your fun. That “don’t” also tells you that the biblical standard for sex is love.True love-as defined by God-sets clear boundaries for sex, requiring that you care for the happiness, health, and spiritual growth of the other person.
Person. But having your head stuffed full of God’s precepts and principles means nothing if you don’t know the Person who provides them. God’s ultimate purpose in every precept is to help people know him. Apply that once again to sex outside marriage: It’s wrong not only because it violates God’s precepts and principles but because it violates his character of love, purity, and faithfulness.
I have not received the daily lessons for two days now - Wednesday and Thursday.
Kindly help me to fix this issue
Dear Abraham,
We're not quite sure what you mean because the daily lessons are published on our blog every day. If you are referring to your email subscription, please check your spam folder, because the subscription feed is working correctly.
I've had the exact experience as Abraham (no email lesson for Wednesday or Thursday) and it's not in my spam folder or anywhere else...just not received. Help!
Neither me. I have checked the spam folder and no lesson was delivered.
In researching the behaviour of wolves I came across 3 main protection mechanism used in the wild that are recommended in scripture for use in the church. (can you think of others?)
✔1. Stay alert. ...👀
Acts 20:31 ...watch and remember
2 Tim 2:5...rightly divide the word
Eph. 5:14 ...Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.
✔2. Band together
1 Cor 1:10 ......agree in what you say, so that there will be no divisions among you. Be completely united, with only one thought and one purpose
✔3. Keep a close eye on your brother.
So are Christians to be the keepers of other Christians? Yes, ...we are to exhibit brotherly love toward our brothers and sisters in Christ with a tender heart and a humble mind (1 Peter 3:8). In this way, we “keep” those for whom Christ gave His life.
Paul wrote..."Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-15).
“Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify (build up) another” (Romans 14:19).
Have a blessed day!
Paul faithfully warned that from within the church, some would begin to turn from the truth and teach false ideas as if they were truth. Every member is warned to watch and let no man deceive them(Matt 24). The letters to the 7 churches in the Revelation reveal some of the specific details, as well as the prophecies of Daniel and the Revelation.
We have clear and specific instructions to follow that will help to safeguard the church, but few will actually follow these instructions from Christ and His apostles. (see Matt 18:15-18; 1 Tim 5:20; Titus 3:10,11)
Along with the counsel above, every member of the church must protect themselves by knowing the Word of God for themselves. Those who do not know the Truth for themselves will be tossed about by every doctrine that comes along. Such will follow men who seem to them to be worthy of their trust, looking to worldly qualifications, personalities, friendliness, and accepting their flattery.
So many among us accept too easily what popular speakers/writers are bringing to our churches. We are in greater peril than many seem to realize, and our unity is fragmented to the point of seeming beyond repair. But the Word of God tells reveals a last message given by a unified people. Only faithful Servants of God will take part in the last great work to be done on this earth just before Jesus appears in glory. It is our necessity to become those faithful servants after the Pattern given in the life(and death) of Jesus. Yes, as some would want to say: a people who demonstrate the divine nature of "self-renouncing love".
The most serious wolf is our own self. The easiest person for me to deceive is me! It all comes back to the issue of self interest or selfishness. And I have to add a word of warning about studying the Word of God. Sometimes we study the Bible so that we can prove others wrong. That too is a selfish goal. When we read the Bible we should be seeking a closer relationship with the Author, not trying to prove that we are better at using the Bible than others.
I find your comment interesting Maurice. Is it possible that some actually study to "show [themselves] approved unto God...rightly dividing the word of Truth"? Could someone study to help an erring teacher see the dangerous path they are on? How is one "better at using the Bible than other", and how do they go about proving it? And why?
How would you propose that one help another who is leading themselves and others astray with teachings contrary to scripture and our church's fundamental beliefs, so that no one will think those things which you mention in your comment? If avoiding conflict is our goal, we will probably never share the truth with an erring brother as that might upset them. Proverbs speaks well to the fact that there are those who hate any who reprove them(look at what happened to "righteous Abel", John the Baptist, Jesus, Stephen, Paul...just to name a few), while the wise will love those who save them from folly.
Understanding this, we will be able to realize our true spirit by how we react to reproof from a brother, or what we tend to assume about their motives and purpose.
Of course that is possible and hopefully what we do. All I really want to emphasise is that we all too easily deceive ourselves about our own spiritual condition. Telling others they are wrong is seriously difficult if we are not living in harmony with the word of God. We are more effective when we say less and live more like Christ.
Amen. We should be the living Gospel let the fruits speak for themselves. Holy spirit will lead us to the whole truth.
Yes of course, first the beam in our eye, then the mote in our brother's eye should it still appear once our own vision is correct. I like to think that those who are following Jesus are living according to His own example and teachings. This alone will allow unity to exist with all other followers of Christ.
The 3 parables (Matt 25) that follow the counsel to "Watch and pray"(Matt 24) show us our obligation to ourselves in being wise and filled with the Holy Spirit, and to be faithful with the talents granted us to use in the Lord's cause. Without this, our unity and helpfulness will be ineffective.
Robert,
I can relate to what Maurice is saying it happens all the time in our church. Some who thinks that their explanation to a particular scripture is right or weightier than the explanation that someone else offers. An example, recently some ladies did a presentation on Hannah- Sure enough for me it was simply but true and why I said simple is because I've heard it presented with deeper lessons but I was blessed and appreciated it. Another set found fault and didnt want to hear them with the next presentation. When I was asked what I think I carefully explained that we are all at different level of our christian walk. There are some who are babies and they have to get baby food, we who are older must realized that babies needs are to be taken care of and we must be patient. Also at times God send a message for one person and not the entire congregation.
Those who religiously wanted to be in charge and affirmed they read a lot started to criticized the content. I pray God help us all that we'll not be wolves in sheep clothing.
Hey Inge, Abraham is right we are not receiving the daily lesson updates since Wednesday neither are we able to see the commentaries. Like we have to search for them online different from how they usually come on the portal. There must be a technical error or something which I hope it can be sorted soonest. Happy Sabbath.
Thank you, Charles, Lorna Wint-Watson, and Benard, for letting us know that the email lessons are not going out. We have pinpointed the problem. It is that Feedburner, our RSS reader, is not picking up the posts. But we don't know yet how to solve the problem. Please pray that the Lord will give wisdom. (There are nearly 10,000 subscribers who are affected.)