Sergeant Joseph Lockhart was sitting at the radar at Pearl Harbor when he noticed a squadron of airplanes coming on December 7, 1941. He reported to his commanding officer, "I see some unidentified aircraft approaching." The commanding officer said, "Forget it." And, 3,000 of America's best perished in that day of infamy. Warnings were ignored at Pearl Harbor resulting in terrible tragedy. Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves." The devil goes to church too. Satan is not opposed to religion. Satan is opposed to biblical Christianity. And religion is one of Satan's chief weapons. Satan comes against the Church in two basic ways. First, by persecution, but that usually causes the church to grow strong. Second, by infiltration and this is the great danger to today's church. It is the infiltration of false prophets wearing sheep's clothing. They are wolves dressed in fleece (not purchased from Land's End catalogs). They appear to be part of the flock. To complete their disguise, they use biblical language even while they twist its meaning. Jesus gives us a warning which is not to be ignored. As you strive to enter the narrow gate and walk on the narrow road, beware of those who would mislead you. Phony preachers are marketing their false doctrine topped with a thin veneer of orthodoxy. But it is often what you do not hear, rather than what you do hear, that is the issue. They are deceptive and dangerous. Scripture instructs believers to "test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). And beloved, if its new, it ain't true! |
