Wolves and Deceivers

Acts 20:28-30 - Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Paul is about to leave Ephesus and he calls the elders before him. He warns them of spiritual wolves who will come after he leaves to spiritually decimate the church. He exhorts them to watch and protect the sheep. His heart breaks along with theirs as they say their good byes. If there ever was a pastor’s heart it was beating inside of the Apostle Paul.
Paul also reminds them that,
“I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.”
How things have changed since then. I do not believe it is sensationalism to say that most of what claims to be Christianity in the west is another religion with the name of Jesus forced upon it. It should break our hearts to see what men have done to God’s wonderful gospel. So much of it portrays God as a financier rather than a crucified and risen Savior. And rarely, except on Good Friday, do we hear about those divine sufferings and the grievous wounds. The church has turned its back on the Lamb.
Christian television is a disgrace. The overwhelming majority of programs are filled with a man made religion that bears no resemblance to the Christ of the gospels. Most programs are about getting God to enhance your life, and the way is usually through the giving of money. The wolves stand in pulpits and unashamedly preach things that are antithetical to the Kingdom of God and the teachings of Jesus. And like wolf pups, the people eat the regurgitation that spews from their lying lips.
The entire ecclesiastical structure in the western church accommodates and enables an atmosphere conducive to hirelings and not shepherds. The pastor does all sorts of things that have no benefit spiritually for him or his people. His messages are filled with humor and anecdotes that are designed to uplift rather than to present truth with which the Holy Spirit can work. The redundant spectacle of the Sunday gatherings are little more than self help sessions of encouragement, and though the sheep are spiritually emaciated, they leave with a warm and fuzzy feeling.
Not too long ago, even when I was saved in 1975, someone like Joel Osteen would never have been embraced by such multitudes. But today the wolves run in packs and teach things that destroy men’s souls rather than implore men to believe the gospel and follow the Lord Jesus. The average pastor spends more time on the phone, or on the golf course, or in restaurants than he does in penetrating and sacrificial prayer. These wolves have not snuck in through a side door. They walked right through the front door and without shame changed God’s gospel and made it a tool for man’s earthly success.
Many preachers live in mansions; many pastors have airplanes; many drive very expensive automobiles; many wear designer clothes; many have expansive financial portfolios; many have numerous investments; many have the gift of gab rather than the gift of preaching; and many have little or no prayer lives. And other than a passing reference, Jesus is nowhere to be found. But make no mistake, even the orthodox churches are in desperate need of a spiritual revival. For we ourselves must also embrace some of the blame for allowing such wolves to grow among us. Like Samson, we don’t even know our power is gone.
And many evangelical pastors lead their people to love and serve a fallen nation. They allow its banner (flag) to be displayed in the place of worship, they celebrate that nation in the worship service on the 4th of July, and many even place their hands over their hearts and pledge their allegiance to it right in a worship service. And then, in an act that is completely contrary to the teachings of Christ, they support this nation's wars and lead prayers to the Father that He may grant American soldiers the divine power to kill more of them than the enemy kills of us.
You do not consider those men wolves? Maybe not in the same category as the Joel Osteens, but they have been deceived through nationalism, and the embracing of violence as a means has been used of Satan to eradicate the power of Christ in the church. We are no longer a peculiar people. We now are patriotic Americans who happen to use the name of Jesus from time to time. And please do not forget that Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, Robert Schueller, Rob Bell, Kenneth Copeland, and all the rest are also very patriotic as well. Should that not be an obvious red flag to all of us?
And so here we are, awaiting the year 2012. The western evangelical church is a creation of the culture, and we remain blind to not only what we have become, but blind to what we could be for Christ.
Jam.5:1-3 - Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
Rev.3:15-17 - I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
And while some believers rot in Chinese prisons, and others have been murdered in Pakistan, and others hide in Muslim nations, and others have been macheted in Uganda, and others have contracted fatal diseases because they ministered to the lost, we can go about our business and have a “merry christmas”. And the western believer continues to seek his “best life now” and refuses to seek Christ.