The Ravenous Wolves of FreeRepublic

The Ravenous Wolves of FreeRepublic
How do we deal with the insults and pain of those whom Christ called "ravenous wolves"?

Many aren't aware of it but the phrase "A wolf in sheep’s clothing" has biblical origins.

Mat 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

The word translated "false prophet" here is not referring to a Godly person who has a prophecy that fails. Instead it's referring to a person who pretends to be a Christian but in reality is not. They are compared to "ravenous wolves" among the flock.

These ravenous wolves exist in life. And they exist here in the religious forum of FreeRepublic. They can be a challenge to our faith and to our Christianity. In this article we're going to examine how to identify these wolves in sheep clothing and how to use our shepard, Jesus Christ, to combat them.

Mat 7:16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

In other words, says Christ, real Christians have a certain, identifiable "fruit". The wolves among the sheep will NOT have these fruits. You can't get grapes from thorns.

Mat 7:17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

The word translated "bad" means harmful, or evil. Something that is intended to hurt or destroy. So the hallmark of bad fruit is something that is harmful or destructive to people. "Good" on the other hand is something that is beautiful, beneficial, or worthy.

So the mark of a wolf in sheep’s clothing is whether they bear good fruit, or any. In John 15, Christ gives more detail on this fruit.

John 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

This fruit is something that Christians have. If someone doesn't have Christ they then won't have this fruit.

But what is this fruit? How can we know whether the fruit is good or bad unless we know what it looks like? Luckily the apostle Paul gives us a good idea of what this fruit looks like in the book of Galatians.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
Gal 5:23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

This fruit, these characteristics, are the natural result of living and abiding in Christ, in having his spirit.
Paul sums them up beautifully in 1 Corinthians:

1Co 13:4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
1Co 13:5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
1Co 13:6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
1Co 13:7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

These characteristics apply across all organizations. Organizations do not have a lock on the spirit of God. If someone exhibits these characteristics on a consistent basis they do have the spirit of God and they are a Christian.

There are many people in various organizations on FreeRepublic that exhibit these traits. Many Catholic, LDS, Protestant and Messianic and other members of FreeRepublic exhibit these traits and thus do have the spirit of God and are Christians.

However there are a very few that rarely if ever exhibit these traits. In fact they exhibit something else....the works of the flesh:

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,
Gal 5:20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
Gal 5:21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

These behaviors are not just physical but are also spiritual. They are destructive and harmful to themselves and those they come into contact with.

That should not be surprising because the emanate not jut from the flesh, but are demonic in origin. James highlights these works.

James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.

Note that good behavior and meekness are hallmarks of of wisdom, having the spirit of the Lord. James contrasts that with other behavior.

James 3:14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth.
James 3:15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.
James 3:16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.

James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
James 3:18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

So these are the fruits. The ravenous wolves of FreeRepublic generally act like their namesakes....wolf like.

You've seen them. They'll post derogatory things about others and their faith. The purpose isn't to defend their own faith which often is hidden or not evident. . The purpose is to satisfy their hunger for division, acrimony and blood.

Like animals they seem not to know how to behave civility. They can't address others with whom they disagree without snarling, spitting and insulting. They bare their teeth and pretend that their animal nature is noble and Godly.

They justify their animal nature by pretending that they're just like us. They show us their sheepskin but they can't hide their true nature.

Like a wolf pack there is hierarchy and anyone outside of the pack is instantly set upon if one so much as questions the rules of the pack.

Like a wolf pack they howl, or ping others, when they think they've identified a victim. Peter describes their behavior perfectly:

1Pe_5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

That's how the ravenous wolves of FreeRepublic operate. They bait. They hunt down. They attack. They devour and all the while pretend that they're one of us.

How do we deal with these wolves? These impostors? These fake Christians? After all they seem to have the advantage of aggressiveness, viciousness and have no qualms about personally attacking others.

The answer is that "we" can't do anything. We're sheep. We're weak. We're helpless. We don't have the teeth or claws they do.

But we have something else. Something they don't have. We have Christ as our shepherd protecting and guiding us. They can't harm us if we depend on Christ and stay in the flock.

Really all the wolves can do is sit just outside the flock, snarling, biting and snapping at us. And maybe that's why they're bitter and angry. They realize that they're not real sheep. They envy that the sheep have real faith in their shepherd. They wonder why Christ doesn't accept their disguise as being the real thing.

Now certainly we're not perfect sheep. I'm not. Sometimes we take their bait. It's not easy to see other sheep begin attacked or to be attacked. Sometimes we want to snarl back with our little sheep teeth. But it rarely works because to do that we have to leave the side of Christ.

The best strategy is to let Christ take care of them. They're not fooling very many and they're certainly not fooling Jesus. They're interested only in satisfying their hunger. They don't want to debate. When they pretend they are they're really only dangling bait to draw others out where they will be vulnerable and away from the shepherd.

Mat 7:6 "Don't give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls to pigs. Otherwise, they will trample them and then tear you to pieces.

These ravenous wolves of FreeRepublic have figured out how to manipulate and find the "loopholes" in the forum rules so their rude, crude and unChristian behavior is tolerated. But they're not fooling anyone. A leopard can't hide his spots.

Ultimately they are to be pitied. Clearly they've had experiences in their lives where they've been hurt deeply. They've been betrayed. They've been picked on. They've been abused. So not knowing Christ they do the same to others. They behave like animals as all Christians did before becoming Christians.

But they don't have to. One day God will open up their eyes. He will show them that they are only pretending to be sheep and they will realize their animal nature and be ashamed. And then Christ will show them HOW to become sheep.

Our prayers should be that they will change. That they will bear fruit worthy of repentance. And we should examine ourselves and our attitudes toward them and others. To pray that God gives us the wisdom, kindness and gentleness to deal with those who would use us and spitefully accuse us.

Mat 5:43 "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.'
Mat 5:44 But I tell you this: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.
Mat 5:45 In this way you show that you are children of your Father in heaven.

This should be our goal. To let the light of our Father shine through and to glorify him. A tall order to be sure but the only way to stand up to the wolves.

These are not things that concern me, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t churches out there that cover your concerns.

I don,t see any thing wrong with your point, every one is a little different, some people can be happy just singing hymms, others can be happy praying.

And i believe that is scriptural, we can do it our own way.

But i don,t know if you read my first comment on this subject or not which may explain a few things, i believe we have gotten to far away from the thread.

To: DouglasKC

James 3
8
But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

10
Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.>>>

James said no man can tame their tongue, that obviously includes Christians, and since it is even easier to put it in writing there is a lot of it.

Paul said some things that i do not think was proper about peter even though they were both Christian.

I guess i see it a little different, i see so many scribes and pharisees and so many who think of them selves as all knowing but i do not think of any one as animals.

And i do think these discussions are some what beneficial because we are more apt to tell it like we think it is rather than going along with something the Bible plainly said is wrong.

For instance Jesus tells us to pray to God in secret but you can hear many preachers praying for a quarter of a mile.

But would i go to a preacher and tell him that? No but i will say it here.

P.S
my comment was by invitation based on the thread but it seems to have been averted to me.

For instance Jesus tells us to pray to God in secret but you can hear many preachers praying for a quarter of a mile.

Even that needs to be put in context. Even Jesus and the Apostles prayed in public.

Jesus opposed someone making his personal prayers public for reasons of ego and self-glorification. Personal private prayers should be kept personal and private.

But, I can find examples of public prayer lickety split in the bible.

It really gets down to defining what things are appropriate for public prayer and what things should be private.

I think your post pointed out some very good points about the early church. It was very much focused on relationships and how to get along better. Much of Paul’s writings and the lessons of Christ were how the church was to be different, to knit and grow together. Love between it’s members was to be the identifying mark.

Yes but i also believe what Paul said had a lot to do with the value of the Church body.

Any one can go to Church but it was the members who run the ministry so not just any one could be a member.

But i see your point, if an elder is bad mouthing the Bishop or his wife that does not show love.

Mat 22:37 Jesus said to him, 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'
Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39 And the second is like it: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'
Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

I see the DO IT part; but where is the TEACH ‘em how to do it part?

Like much in the Christian life, this cannot be taught nor is it possible to accomplish. Only God can accomplish it. He said, "Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."

He is the one who causes us to bear fruit. It's not a thing we learn or do, but it's something He does through us if we will abide in Him.

The poster of this thread has had some past associations with at least one of the following mentioned in post #7 of this thread that was posted last night:
Escape From The Iron-Fisted Worldwide Church of God Cult into The Power and Freedom of Jesus Christ!

And since many of these splinter groups from the Worldwide Church of God have been trying to "gobble up" remnants from that cult left and right, and have divided, and redivided, whose the real ravenous ones?

Could it be that that a certain poster has observed such tremendous in-fighting and inward accusation after accusation, and has simply "borrowed" Biblical language from others under this umbrella as to how they've attempted to fend off themselves from competing splinter groups.

Interesting possibility...but instead of guessing...or superimposing this view minus direct knowledge...I'll ask the thread jumpstarter:

Douglas, how often have you seen Matthew 7 -- and/or some of the verbiage you've used in this thread -- used by one splintered Worldwide Church of God leader contending versus another...?

(And we'll take a "crickets" response as indicative that perhaps I'm on to something here).

For those of you who want to see DIRECT confirmation of such infighting even within the offshoot splinter group Douglas has associated with, see post #215...and click on the link there.

Web posts that have been similar to this one which may have "inspired" this one:

* Martin G. Collins of TrueGospel.org: About
"This site is wholly owned and operated by Church of the Great God, Inc., a non-profit organization. The church, based in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area, is a Sabbath-keeping, non-Trinitarian organization..."
Collins preached: Sermon: Beware Of False Prophets: Their Motivation, Appearance, and Works

Collins does exactly what Douglas does in this thread...he cites Galatians 5 & Matthew 7...and even quotes a Mormon "prophet" at the end (Douglas has shown similar "affinity" with Mormons in other threads)...and Collins especially expands the meaning of "prophets" in Matthew 7...just like I mentioned how Douglas does this (see Post #151):

Collins: "The title prophet has a general application to ALL who have messages from God to man. The infamous label of false prophet also has a GENERAL application which includes: ministers, teachers, authorities, and the so-called scholars that do research (as the theologians do) and come up with their own human ideas. This sermon will analyze false prophets from a general perspective. I do not intend to get into details specifically of a false prophet, but the content of a false prophet. A MORE GENERAL APPROACH that includes all of these individuals: ministers, teachers, authorities, scholars, and theologians, whatever they may be called."

Hence, my earlier critique of Douglas applies to Collins as well:

Post #151 excerpt:
From Douglas' vanity: "Mat 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. The word translated "false prophet" here is not referring to a Godly person who has a prophecy that fails. Instead it's referring to a person who pretends to be a Christian but in reality is not."

OK, about the only thing on the mark here by Douglas is yes, people can be "pseudo" (Greek for "false") in the image they project or living a pretense that is untrue. And "pseudo" is PART of the word here in Matthew 7:15.

Beyond that...ALL: Please beware of posters like this who try to change the plain meaning of words. If Douglas had wanted to talk more directly about true and false disciples, all he had to do was to slide down to Matthew 7:21-23 which discusses that topic directly. Instead he tries to fit Matt 7:21-23 as directly superimposed upon Matthew 7:15 -- false prophets.

The Greek word here is pseudoprophetes -- so it LITERALLY is "false prophets!" (Even though Douglas claims it somehow doesn't mean "false prophets")...

I mean, "Just, wow! Douglas! That's a NEW one I've yet to hear!"

To be a "pseudoprophet" IS to misrepresent God's Word...which is kind of ironic here when Douglas claims that the Greek word "prophetes" doesn't mean "prophets!"

********************************

ALL: Beware of all of these Armstrong Worldwide Church of God splinter groups!

And, as I'm beginning to sift out MANY digital articles written by the Armstrong splinter group leaders, at first glance, it appears they just can't get easily away from citing Matthew 7:15-20 as some kind of "weapon" vs. whoever they are contending against...

(Sometimes it's other "church of God" splinter groups; sometimes it's Christian groups)

Here's another example:

"Thus INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS are to bear fruit. And, beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them (Matt 7:15-20)."
Source: Unity: Which Church of God for You? [Note: While misusing the word 'unity' -- the author actually discusses more of the 'disunity' within 'Church of God' splinter groups!]

But note what this Herbert W. Armstrong splinter-writer has done in misusing Matthew 7: He did exactly what a Church of God North Carolina leader did in 2011 (cited in my last post) and what DouglasKC has done in THIS thread (cited at end of last post, #452...cf. post #151):

He/they expand(s) Jesus' specific condemnation of false prophets (Matthew 7:15) and applies it in this case to all "individual members."

Here, Jesus condemned specific people proclaiming to carry God's DIRECT message to others in Matthew 7:15, yet this writer expands it to ALL "individual members";
...another church of God writer (see post #452) expands it to: "...ministers, teachers, authorities, scholars, and theologians, whatever they may be called;"
...and DouglasKC expanded it to include all pretense Christians!

I think we see how this abuse of this verse is rather viral within Church of God groups!!!

BTW, God is a God of redemption...and was bringing back stray Armstrong disciples:

Here is the transformation of the portion of Armstrong's church that went Christian:
A Short History of Grace Communion International

They say:

Transformed by Christ

A Brief History of Grace Communion International In the early 1930s, Herbert Armstrong began a ministry that eventually became our denomination. He had many unusual doctrines. These he taught so enthusiastically that eventually more than 100,000 people attended weekly services. After he died in 1986, church leaders began to realize that many of his doctrines were not biblical. These doctrines were rejected, and the church is now in full agreement with the statement of faith of the National Association of Evangelicals. To reflect these doctrinal changes, in April 2009, the denomination changed its name to Grace Communion International. This name better reflects who we are and what we teach. For a press release, click here. For a letter of further explanation, click here.

Here is the story of how the church developed and how it changed. Transformation of a denomination

Jesus Christ changes lives. He can change an organization, too. This is the story of how the Lord changed our denomination from an unorthodox church on the fringes of Christianity, into an evangelical group that believes and teaches orthodox doctrines. The story involves both pain and joy. Thousands of members left the church. Income is less than one fourth of what it once was. But thousands of members are rejoicing with renewed zeal for their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

(You can go to above link to read a LOT more)

New thread up today on Herbert W. Armstrong's break-off splinter groups: You May Be Shocked at God’s answer…Should You Trust “God’s Ministers”? [Cultist: 'Ravenous wolves']

Original link to this article written by one of Herbert W. Armstrong's lieutenants in his cultic warfare...a guy named McNair who was quick to the draw in referencing Worldwide Church of God leaders as...yes, YOU guessed it..."ravenous wolves..." a fave tactic of HWA break-off groups!!!!: You May Be Shocked at God’s answer…Should You Trust “God’s Ministers”?

Authority-wise, McNair doesn't make an appeal to God or Jesus Christ, but to Herbert W. Armstrong:

* "My appointment to serve on the WCG Doctrinal Teams. Mr. H.W. Armstrong appointed me to serve under him over the Headquarters Doctrinal Team in 1974..."
* "My ordination as an Evangelist in the WCG. Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong ordained me as an Evangelist—over 51 years ago."
* "Appointed Deputy Chancellor of Ambassador Colleges in England, and Pasadena, CA. In 1960, Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong appointed me Deputy Chancellor of Ambassador College, near London."

This is what happens with personality cults: Everything is boiled down to the "filter" or "mousetrap" of one single man who isn't Jesus Christ.

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