JP41: WOLVES, THORN BUSHES, AND THISTLES: GUARDING YOUR FAITH AGAINST FALSE SPIRITUAL LEADERS

When I maneuvered the push mower around a dying shrub surrounded by dust and small grass, there was an annoying pinch in my lower leg.  And, then another and another until shock and reflexes kicked in with alerts that something wasn’t right.  

The loud motor (this was before earbuds) and dust obscured my senses to the hive of yellow jackets emerging from the ground in a unified attack.  Thinking the backyard was safe, I was completely unaware of the thorn-carrying beasts until their ambush was complete.

I wonder what you would have thought had you seen me flailing, running, and swatting like an unbalanced dryer with wings.  

You may have actually laughed a little.  I do when I think about the unnatural scene from years ago.  

Jesus knows we live in a world where we’ll be stung unexpectedly.  Here at the end of a defining message on His heavenly ethic, Jesus warns about a stinging threat from an unsuspecting place.

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit, you will recognize them.” (Matthew 7:15–20)

Watch Out For False Spiritual Leaders

Spiritual Leaders, known as prophets in Jesus’ day, are people who claim to speak for God and include a variety of roles such as pastors, teachers, ministry leaders, and so on.

The kind and caring Shepherd, Jesus warns His followers that some of the people who claim to speak for God don't possess the maturity and character needed for their role.  

Isolated from true biblical transparency and accountability, pastors (or elders, teachers, ministry leaders, etc…) become predators when fears and insecurities cause them to react, unlike their true selves.  

We don’t like to think of spiritual leaders as potential predators and it’s hard to think that people with so much power and influence could prey on the trust of those they lead.  It’s enough to get us down when we think about it…(just remember me fighting off those yellow jackets)!

Jesus, though, is making us wise.  He is clear that false prophets’ actions aren’t neutral, describing them as wolves who damage the flock.  

Appearing as humble, godly sheep on the outside, they are exposed as wolves through the normal trials of life as their flock is bitten, nicked, and stung lamb by lamb.

How do we recognize a false spiritual leader and what do we do when a false prophet is not held accountable?

Value Fruit Over Fringe

Jesus says that false spiritual leaders cleverly dress like the real thing.  The fringe of their outward appearance and pastoral ways give the impression that they are legit.

Valuing the fruit over the fringe is key to spotting good trees and good leaders.

Just as there are good trees and bad, there are good spiritual leaders and bad.  So we must learn to spot good trees first.  If the tree is good then the fruit will be also.  

Here are some ways we can recognize bad fruit from an unhealthy spiritual leader:

1. Teach a false message of hope apart from the good news of Jesus. (Galatians 1:9)

2. Proclaim visions from their own mind and attribute them to God. (Jeremiah 14:14, 23:16)

3. Lower the bar for what it means to follow Jesus. (Jeremiah 23:17, Luke 9:23)

4. Lord their authority over their peers and others. (Matthew 10:42-43)

5. Desire to be known by their title. (Matthew 23:7-8)

Think of it as the principle of "roots before fruit".  If the roots are well fed and watered, the tree will be healthy and bear good fruit.  If the roots are damaged or distorted the tree will bear fruit of a different kind.  Fruit that may look good, but lacks nutrients or spoils quickly.

See The Person Instead Of The Position

The fruit may look good, but if the tree is bad the fruit can't be good under the light of God's righteousness.  This is why we must learn to see the person instead of their position.  Just because someone holds a position, doesn’t mean that he or she produces good fruit.  Guard yourself by prayerfully looking past the position to the person.

Facing False Spiritual Leaders

What do we do when we find ourselves exposed to or stung by a false spiritual leader?  

First, we need to examine ourselves.  Jesus is not talking about matters of preference.  Spiritual leaders aren’t bad because they don’t agree with our style or other preferences.  That’s probably a good thing!

Next, we pray and ask the Holy Spirit to lead us.  If the leader is truly a wolf in sheep’s clothing, then it’s not a safe environment for you or others.

Finally, pray for the false prophet to come to repentance for their good and the good of the flock.  

Thankfully, most spiritual leaders are doing their very best, by the grace of God, to serve people in one of the hardest jobs around.  May the Lord bless and strengthen them for every good work!  

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for living an example of what it’s like to lead with love.  Guard my faith from false leaders and help me to find leaders who want your applause and are satisfied with a life that is yielded to you for the good of others.  

Wolves, Thorn Bushes, And Thistles: Guarding Your Faith Against False Pastors

1. Watch Out For False Prophets

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”

2. Value Fruit Over Fringe

“By their fruit you will recognize them.”

3. See The Person Instead of The Position

“A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.”

4. Facing False Pastors

“Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes.  They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. They keep saying to those who despise me, ‘The LORD says: You will have peace.’ And to all who follow the stubbornness of their hearts they say, ‘No harm will come to you.’ But which of them has stood in the council of the LORD to see or to hear his word? Who has listened and heard his word?”  (Jeremiah 23:16–18).

“Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load.” (Galatians 6:1–5).

"Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways." (James 3:1–2).

Photo by Samuele Giglio on Unsplash