Beware of Wolf
Q: I’ve tried to join two Christian college groups. One turned out to be a conversion tactic of a cult-like group. In the other, they angrily attacked my beliefs because I did not agree with a doctrinal position of theirs. What should I do?
Steven: Unfortunately, such things happen. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves — Matthew 7:15.
It is not unheard of for Christians to seek other Christian friends at college, get in with the wrong crowd, get mislead, have their faith weakened or even leave the church altogether. Just because a group calls itself Christian doesn’t mean it walks the walk and talks the talk. Use caution and don’t be an easy target.
In the first case of the above example, I’d say thanks but no thanks. I’d explain why I wasn’t interested in joining the group and take my leave. These church groups aren’t like an intramural sports team. If you play volleyball with a group of people and don’t get along with some of them, it can be worth sticking out because you might still be having fun, plus learning how to deal with difficult people. In the case of church groups, however, becoming involved with false teachings can be damaging to your faith. God tells us to avoid false teachers. For example, Jeremiah 23:16 — This is what the LORD Almighty says: “Do not listen to what the prophets are prophesying to you; they fill you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.
The second case requires personal judgement. Doctrinal disagreements are not unusual. People can disagree and still have constructive discussion on those areas of disagreement. This can lead to a deeper understanding of scripture. Then one is “testing the spirits to see if they are true.” (1 John 4:1). But if the discussion is an angry attack, it probably isn’t the most constructive of groups. I’d likely make sure I understood their position as a matter of due diligence (maybe they have a point), but if the disagreement crosses the line into persecution, then you need to use your best judgment. For what it’s worth, in Matthew 10:23, God advises to avoid persecution if one has the choice.
If no good Christian groups are found on campus, concentrate on finding a good church instead (Lesson Twelve). Maybe that church will have a like-minded student group for you to join or you could possibly start one. If that doesn’t work, hey, you said your prayers and tried. Sometimes that’s all one can do. Trust God through it all.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. ~ Matthew 7:15 (NKJV)
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