Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

The oil lamp flickered against the damp walls of the Roman prison cell, casting dancing shadows across the aged face of the Apostle Paul. His chains clinked softly as he adjusted his position on the cold stone floor. Across from him sat Luke, his faithful companion and physician, carefully arranging fresh parchment and ink by the dim light. The night was deep, but sleep eluded them both, their hearts heavy with concerns for the churches scattered across the empire.

“My dear Luke,” Paul began, his voice carrying the weight of prophetic burden, “I must speak of what the Spirit has revealed concerning the times to come. Take care to record these words, for they are not meant for us alone, but for those who will face the greatest deceptions.”

Luke dipped his quill in ink, his practiced hand ready. He had long served as Paul’s scribe and confidant, documenting the journey of the early church. But tonight felt different – there was an urgency in Paul’s tone he had rarely heard before.

“The Spirit speaks clearly, my friend,” Paul continued, his eyes distant as if peering into future ages. “In later times, some will abandon the faith they once held dear. They will follow deceiving spirits and teachings that come from demons.”

Luke’s hand moved steadily across the parchment, but he couldn’t help interrupting. “Master Paul, we already see such things. The Gnostics spread their poisoned teachings, and various mystery cults lead many astray. How will the future be different?”

Paul leaned forward, the chains at his wrists rattling. “What we see now is but a shadow of what is to come. The deception will be far more subtle, far more persuasive. Such teachers will come wearing masks of righteousness, speaking words that tickle the ears of those who hear them.”

“Tell me more about these false teachers,” Luke urged, his physician’s mind seeking to understand the symptoms of this spiritual disease. “How will the faithful recognize them?”

Paul’s weather-worn face grew stern. “They will speak with great eloquence about a gospel that is no gospel at all. They will use our own words – grace, love, freedom – but twist their meanings until they become unrecognizable. They will promise liberty while they themselves are slaves to depravity.”

Luke paused in his writing, his brow furrowed. “But surely the truth of Christ is simple enough that none could be deceived?”

A sad smile crossed Paul’s face. “Ah, my friend, if only it were so. These teachers will not deny Christ openly – that would be too obvious. Instead, they will claim special revelation, secret knowledge, new interpretations that appeal to human wisdom and pride. They will say, ‘Yes, Christ is Lord,’ but then empty those words of their power through clever arguments.”

“Like the Judaizers we faced?” Luke asked, referring to their past battles with those who sought to bind Christians to the old law.

“Similar, but more sophisticated,” Paul replied, shifting to ease his aching joints. “The Judaizers at least held to the Scriptures, though they misunderstood their fulfillment in Christ. These future deceivers will question the very nature of truth itself. They will say that each person must find their own path, that all ways lead to God, that the narrow gate Christ spoke of is actually wide enough to accommodate any belief.”

Luke set down his quill, troubled. “How then will the church survive such deception?”

Paul’s eyes blazed with sudden intensity. “The same way it has always survived – through faithful adherence to the apostolic teaching, through love of the truth, through the power of the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth. Remember what I wrote to Timothy – the church is the pillar and foundation of the truth. When all else shifts like sand, this foundation remains.”

“But you speak of testing the spirits,” Luke prompted. “How will believers in those times know what is true?”

“First,” Paul began, counting on his gnarled fingers, “these teachers will be known by their fruits. Do their teachings produce holiness or license? Do they encourage genuine love or mere sentiment? Do they build up the body of Christ or create divisions?”

“Second,” he continued, “they will often be marked by pride and the love of money. They will gather followers around themselves rather than pointing them to Christ. They will speak much of prosperity and success, but little of the cross and self-denial.”

“And third,” Paul’s voice grew solemn, “they will depart from the pattern of sound teaching that we have delivered to the churches. The gospel we preached was not our own invention, Luke. We received it by revelation from Christ himself, and it cannot be changed without becoming something else entirely.”

Luke nodded thoughtfully, making notes. “I’ve observed that false teachers often begin by questioning small matters before moving on to greater ones.”

“Precisely!” Paul exclaimed. “It starts with seemingly innocent questions: ‘Did God really say?’ ‘Can we be sure?’ ‘Isn’t this interpretation too narrow?’ But these questions are not asked in honest seeking of truth. They are designed to create doubt, to weaken confidence in God’s revealed word.”

“I’ve seen this pattern in physical ailments,” Luke commented. “A small infection, left untreated, can spread until it threatens the whole body.”

“An apt comparison, physician,” Paul smiled. “And like a good doctor, shepherds of God’s flock must be alert to early signs of disease. They must not wait until the infection has spread throughout the body before taking action.”

The lamp sputtered, causing both men to pause as Luke trimmed the wick. In the brief darkness, Paul’s voice grew contemplative.

“You know, Luke, I sometimes lie awake wondering if we’ve done enough to prepare the churches for what’s coming. We’ve planted, we’ve watered, but will the roots go deep enough to withstand the storms ahead?”

Luke’s voice was gentle but firm. “Paul, you’ve given your life to this cause. You’ve been beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, imprisoned – all to ensure that the truth of the gospel would be preserved and passed on. The Spirit who inspired your letters will also preserve them and use them to guide future generations.”

“True enough,” Paul acknowledged. “Yet I see in the Spirit that many will turn away from sound doctrine. They will gather around them teachers who say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn aside to myths and endless genealogies rather than focus on what promotes godliness in Christ.”

“What kinds of myths do you foresee?” Luke inquired, his quill poised.

Paul’s face darkened. “They will create a Christianity without the cross, a faith without repentance, a gospel without holiness. They will speak of God’s love while denying His justice, of His mercy while ignoring His righteousness. They will promise heaven to those who have not been born again, and offer peace to those who remain enemies of God in their minds and actions.”

“Surely such obvious distortions will be easily spotted?” Luke protested.

“Not when they come wrapped in the language of compassion and tolerance,” Paul replied. “These teachers will present themselves as more loving, more accepting than those who hold to the truth. They will accuse faithful shepherds of being harsh, unloving, stuck in the past. Many will be swayed because they want to be seen as enlightened and inclusive.”

Luke was silent for a moment, absorbing the weight of these words. “It seems that the greatest danger isn’t from outside persecution but from internal corruption.”

“Yes,” Paul agreed. “The devil has learned that the blood of martyrs is the seed of the church. But false teaching? That can destroy from within what persecution could not destroy from without.”

“So what hope can we offer to those who will face these challenges?” Luke asked, his pen ready to record words of encouragement.

Paul’s face softened, and a quiet joy seemed to illuminate his features. “The same hope we’ve always proclaimed – Christ crucified and risen! The same Lord who called me on the Damascus road, who opened your heart to believe, who has sustained us through every trial – He remains faithful. He will preserve His church.”

“But they must be prepared,” he continued with renewed vigor. “Tell them to store up God’s word in their hearts, to study it diligently, to measure every teaching against it. Remind them that the Spirit of truth dwells within them, teaching them to discern truth from error.”

“What about those who are young in the faith?” Luke questioned. “They seem most vulnerable to deception.”

“This is why we’ve established elders in every church,” Paul responded. “The body of Christ is designed for mutual protection and growth. No believer should walk alone. The young should learn from the mature, and all should submit to godly leadership that points to Christ.”

Luke scratched his chin thoughtfully. “I’ve noticed that false teachers often isolate their followers from other believers, encouraging them to trust only their interpretation.”

“Indeed,” Paul nodded. “They create us-versus-them divisions, claiming special insight or authority. But the true gospel creates unity in Christ while false teaching ultimately leads to division. Remember this pattern – truth unites believers around Christ, while error unites people around human personalities.”

The night was growing old, but neither man felt the weight of fatigue. The urgency of their discussion drove them on.

“Paul,” Luke ventured, “you’ve spoken of the characteristics of false teachers and their methods. But what of their impact on the churches? What will be the practical effects of their teaching?”

Paul’s expression grew grave. “They will produce a form of godliness that denies its power. People will claim to know God but by their actions will deny him. They will love pleasure rather than God, be proud rather than humble, be lovers of self rather than lovers of truth.”

“You mean they will still maintain a Christian appearance?”

“Exactly,” Paul confirmed. “They will keep some of the forms and language of faith while emptying it of true content. They will speak of love but practice license. They will talk of grace but continue in sin. They will praise Christ with their lips while their hearts remain far from Him.”

Luke shook his head sadly. “It sounds as though they will inoculate people against the true gospel by giving them a false version that’s just similar enough to deceive.”

“Well put, doctor,” Paul said with grim appreciation. “They will create a counterfeit faith that vaccinates people against the real thing. When confronted with true gospel preaching, such people will say, ‘Oh, I tried Christianity, but I found something better.’”

“But they never really encountered Christ at all,” Luke finished the thought.

“No, they encountered only a human imitation, a shadow without substance.” Paul’s chains clinked as he gestured emphatically. “This is why we must be so clear in our teaching now, why we must establish the truth so firmly that it cannot be easily displaced.”

Luke dipped his quill again. “What specific doctrines do you foresee coming under attack?”

Paul’s response was measured but firm. “They will question everything we’ve taught – the nature of God, the person and work of Christ, the reality of sin, the necessity of repentance, the authority of Scripture, the existence of absolute truth, the reality of judgment to come.”

“But surely not all at once?”

“No, the erosion will be gradual. Like water wearing away at a rock, they will slowly chip away at foundational truths. They will raise doubts here, suggest alternative interpretations there, until the whole structure of faith is undermined.”

Luke looked up from his writing. “You’ve seen this pattern before, haven’t you? In the Greek philosophical schools?”

Paul nodded. “Yes, but this will be more dangerous because it will come from within the church itself. The philosophers at least made no claim to Christian faith. These teachers will claim to be improving or updating the faith for a new age.”

“How should the faithful respond? With arguments? With discipline? With both?”

“With truth spoken in love,” Paul replied. “We must maintain both grace and truth, just as we see in Christ. We must be firm in our convictions while gentle with those who have been deceived. Remember, our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

The lamp flickered again, and Luke rose to add more oil. As he did so, he asked, “What encourages you, Paul, when you think about these coming challenges?”

Paul’s face brightened. “The faithfulness of God! He who began a good work will carry it on to completion. Christ promised to build His church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. Yes, there will be those who fall away, but there will also be those who stand firm, who grow stronger through testing, who shine like stars in a crooked and depraved generation.”

“Tell me more about these faithful ones,” Luke urged, settling back down with fresh ink.

“They will be known by their love for truth and their love for one another,” Paul said warmly. “They will hold fast to the word of life even when it costs them dearly. They will choose the reproach of Christ over the approval of the world. They will encourage one another daily, speaking truth in love, growing up into Christ in all things.”

“But won’t they be labeled as divisive? As troublemakers?” Luke pressed.

“Of course,” Paul chuckled softly. “Just as we have been. The world has always called those who stand for truth divisive. But real unity can only be built on truth, never on compromise with error.”

Luke nodded, adding another line to his notes. “What final words of counsel would you give to those who will face these challenges?”

Paul was quiet for a moment, his eyes closed in prayer. When he spoke, his voice carried the weight of prophetic authority mixed with pastoral tenderness.

“Tell them to guard the good deposit that was entrusted to them. Tell them to guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in them. Remind them that God’s word is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It will not return void but will accomplish His purposes.”

“Tell them to put on the full armor of God, for they will need every piece in the battle ahead. Tell them to stand firm in the faith, to be on their guard, to be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”

“But most of all,” Paul’s voice grew gentle, “tell them to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus, the author and perfecter of their faith. Tell them that the same Christ who called them will keep them, that the same Spirit who sealed them will guide them, that the same Father who chose them will preserve them.”

Luke’s quill moved swiftly, capturing every word. The night was now well advanced, but neither man felt the need for sleep. They were aware that they were recording words not just for their own time, but for generations yet unborn who would face similar challenges.

“One last question, Paul,” Luke said as he reached for a fresh sheet of parchment. “How can believers maintain hope when they see these things coming to pass? Won’t it be discouraging to see many fall away?”

Paul’s answer was immediate and confident. “Remember what our Lord said – these things must happen before the end comes. When believers see these prophecies being fulfilled, they should lift up their heads, knowing that their redemption draws near. Every apostasy, every false teaching, every departure from truth is simply another sign that God’s word is true and His promises are sure.”

“Besides,” he added with a hint of his old fire, “God always preserves a remnant. Even in the darkest times, He keeps those who are truly His. Think of Elijah, who thought he was alone until God revealed the seven thousand who had not bowed to Baal. It will be the same in the times to come – God will always have His people who remain faithful.”

The first hints of dawn were beginning to show through the high window of the cell. Luke gathered his writing materials, carefully storing the precious parchments that contained their night’s discussion.

“Thank you, Paul,” he said quietly. “These words will strengthen many hearts in the years to come.”

Paul nodded, his aged face peaceful despite the chains that bound him. “May the God of all grace, who called us to his eternal glory in Christ, after we have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle all who read these words. To Him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.”

As Luke prepared to leave, Paul called him back for one final word. “Remember, my son, the greatest defense against false teaching is a heart that truly loves the Lord. When we love Him supremely, when we treasure Christ above all else, when we delight in His truth – then no counterfeit can satisfy, no matter how attractive it may appear.”

Luke paused at the cell door, committing these words to memory. The guard was approaching to let him out, but he turned one last time to his beloved mentor and friend.

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, Paul.”

“And with yours, dear physician. And with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ in truth.”

The cell door closed, and Paul was alone again. But he was at peace, knowing that the words they had shared would echo through the centuries, strengthening and encouraging believers in their stand for truth until the day of Christ’s return.