Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (11/21/13)
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TITLE: Betrayal | Previous Challenge Entry
By Stanley McMahon
11/26/13 -
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I have a pet Siberian Husky. To those who don’t know him, he has the appearance of a wolf and they treat him with the respect they think is due to him, usually giving him a wide berth. The truth is, he is really a sheep in wolf’s clothing, with quite a placid nature and a lively personality. Not so in church, where many times we find people who outwardly appear to be sheepishly mild-mannered and very cultured, even quite learned in Scripture, while underneath lies a wolf with a sharp and stinging bite that will leave scars on their unsuspecting victim.
When the apostle Paul was writing to the Philippian church he warned them against the Judaisers, he used the image of vicious dogs. My own experience is that such ‘dogs’ are those that are small in stature as well as mind, tending to be the kind that snaps at your ankles rather than mauling you. But the most dangerous type is the one that Jesus Himself experienced – the betrayer.
Judas was one of the Twelve, part of the trusted group that went away with Jesus, spent more time with Him than the other followers and had some responsibility as the Treasurer of the group. Others would have seen him as important and a key man. He was a friend of Jesus. No doubt about it, which was why it made it all the more painful for Jesus that He was emotionally wounded before He was physically crucified. He was betrayed by a friend who turned against him, a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Anyone else wouldn’t have seen it coming.
The whole sad scenario begs the question, ‘How can this be?’ ‘How can a servant with a humble heart, a brother with a mountain of experience in the Lord’s work become a biting, nasty, dangerous person, betraying not only those closest to him, but the One who loved him enough to die for Him?
An entire book would not suffice to answer that question, but perhaps one or two pointers would not go amiss by way of comment. Firstly, we would do well not to underestimate the gravity of our spiritual malaise, sin. The great prophet Jeremiah said, ‘The heart is deceitful above all things’ and he was right. While we have been redeemed and justified by Christ, we are accompanied on our journey by the reality of our struggle with sin. The danger is that our deceitful hearts lead us to believe in our own ability to be spiritually strong and gives us confidence in our own spiritual maturity rather than confidence in the power of the Spirit. We must be aware of our tendency to depend on ourselves, for this will lead us into the murky waters of self-righteousness and this will transform us from sheep into wolves.
The other thing is that we must become vulnerable by allowing the Lord to look into our lives and become accountable to both the Spirit and our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is how we will put shoes on the twin commands to love the Lord our God with all our hearts, souls, mind and bodies and to love our neighbours (including our pew neighbours and fellow committee members) as ourselves.
Our evangelical werewolves are proud creatures, resisting the work of the Holy Spirit for many years, while, ironically, often maintaining positions of responsibility within the church, just like the original one, the friend of Jesus. May it be far from our hearts to betray our Lord and our brothers and sisters in the guise of a wolf.
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