Sheep, Goats, & Wolves

John 10:27, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

Matthew 25, 32-33, “All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left.”

John 15:19, “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.”

Matthew 7:15, “Beware of the false prophet, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

Matthew 10:16, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.”

Christianity from outside the kingdom seems full of paradox, conflict, and dualism. But from inside the kingdom there is a clarity. Inside… if you will allow, you will see that all that is important is Christ, and obedience to Him.

Take the passages above. Clearly there are godly people (sheep), and ungodly people (goats & wolves). Are we to judge a person as to their nature, and like Christ separate from them? Do we ostracize the sinner as a goat? Or do we understand our own sinful nature and condemn ourselves and worry that perhaps we are the goats and not the sheep? Why did Christ even mention sheep and goats if we were not to be aware of them and in judgment? Is He talking about associations that should be avoided?

We all have our own ideas about the matter, but the end of the end is it comes down to only YOUR relationship with Christ. He is the only one that can truly judge, and He will instruct… He will shepherd you from the goats. He will protect you from the wolves.

Is the sinner always the goat? What about the adulteress who Jesus did not condemn? What about the thieving tax payer Jesus dined with, or the thief Judas whom He allowed to follow so closely?

Is this a paradox? That we know there are sheep, goats, and wolves, but no way to determine their status in our own faculties?

“My sheep hear my voice.” Are you Christ’ sheep? Do you hear His voice? Do YOU follow Him?

If yes, then just keep following the shepherd and stop worrying about identifying the goats, and wolves in sheep clothing. Are you surrounded by goats and wolves? Then perhaps you are not paying attention to the Shepherd.