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Recognizing Wolves In Sheep’s Clothing
Last updated on: November 12, 2023 at 1:30 pm by Elle Clark
Recognizing Wolves In Sheep’s Clothing 2023-11-12T13:30:46-08:00 Elle Clark
Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
Wolves In Sheep’s Clothing
In the Bible, Jesus cautions the people to “Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.” Matthew 7:15.
Figuratively, those who disguise themselves as sweet and nice persons but are actually ruthless, mean, and spiteful would be considered to be Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing.
Anyone who misrepresents themselves as a good person yet has evil or harmful intent would be considered to be Wolves in Sheep’s clothing.
Unmasking Deception
Have you been deceived? Has someone misrepresented themselves to you? Did you recognize the danger ahead of time? Or was it after the fact?
Have you ever been out on a date when the other party suddenly tells you an absolute? They may say something along the lines of “God told me that you are the one I am to marry.” This would be said out of the blue and in such a fashion that you feel slightly uncomfortable, yet you feel almost honored.
These Wolves are waiting to prey on your good nature and your sense of obedience to God. Consider asking this person, “How did God tell you this news?” Listen carefully to their answer. It’s important to understand and recognize that such absolute words are actually a sign of a person’s immaturity.
Many will say, “God gave me a dream, and I know we are supposed to date and marry.” The key here is to listen to the person’s response and ask God for your own discernment. Is God telling you the same thing? Or do you have a feeling that you need to stay away from this person?
It’s important to leave plenty of room for Jesus and make sure that you’re listening to Jesus, not a wolf. God never lies. He assures us of this in Hebrews 6:18. If this person really did know that God said this, they aren’t relying on faith. God leads us by Faith. God rarely reveals the future to us. Hebrews 11;1.
Recognizing False Prophets Or Wolves In Sheep’s Clothing
Sometimes, it’s not as easy to recognize a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Here are a few ways that can help you to identify them:
- Does it align with what you’re reading in the scriptures?
- Do the two of you have the same belief system?
- Do you share the same moral values?
- Is the relationship one-sided?
- Is the other person in the relationship in a big-time hurry and rushing to convince you that this is from God?
If the answers to questions one through four are “No,” then you may not be hearing from God. Consider some soul-searching and revisit the questions.
If the answer to question five is that the person is in a big-time hurry, this may not be from God.
Relationships work best when we are equally yoked. We need to be on the same page in the same book to ensure that our relationship follows God and works right.
About Elle Clark
Elle is a Pastor’s Daughter and has been writing for over three decades. She writes about youth mentoring, addiction recovery, parenting, senior advocacy, gardening and sustainability, and an eclectic mix of other topics. She resides in Northeastern Washington with her husband and children. You can read more about the author here.
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