The ministry of the gospel of grace is not a neutral exercise. It is a dividing line. To truly shepherd the flock, we must not only feed the sheep but also expose and warn against those who would devour them—wolves who masquerade as teachers of grace, yet undermine the very foundation of our assurance and liberty in Christ. These false teachers do not announce themselves; they cloak themselves in biblical language, drawing near to believers only to erode their confidence before God, attack their peace, and drag them back into the bondage of works-righteousness.
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.”
(2 Corinthians 11:13)
The most effective and God-ordained method for exposing these wolves is not endless argumentation or personal confrontation, but the clear and uncompromised teaching of the gospel of grace. When the truth of Christ’s finished work is proclaimed without dilution or apology, two things inevitably happen. First, true believers are nourished and strengthened—their hearts anchored in the sufficiency of Christ, not their own performance. Second, those who oppose the gospel are forced into the light. The pure message of grace offends those who secretly despise it; their reaction exposes their true allegiance.
“And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:”
(Galatians 2:4)
This process is not optional or secondary—it is essential for the health and clarity of the church. As the unadulterated message of grace is set forth, wolves find themselves unable to maintain their disguise. They bristle, take offense, and often begin to openly renounce the doctrine of Christ’s sufficiency. Their anger is not a sign that the message is too strong, but that it is finally being made clear enough to draw the line. Their reaction is a mercy to the church, for it unmasks those who would otherwise continue to subvert households and trouble consciences under a veil of piety.
“For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.”
(Titus 1:10-11)
This is why the apostolic command is to earnestly contend for the faith—not a generic faith, but the faith once delivered, centered on Christ’s finished work and the liberty He purchased. When wolves are exposed by the gospel itself, believers who were previously confused or oppressed by subtle legalism suddenly see the difference. Clarity dawns. They recognize who truly proclaims Christ and who undermines Him. This clarity is not a luxury; it is the very means by which the church stands fast in the liberty Christ has given, refusing to be entangled again in the yoke of bondage.
If we fail here—if we compromise the message or shrink back from exposing error—we lose more than theological precision. We lose the very ground of our assurance, our peace with God, and our ability to stand as sons and heirs. The cost is nothing less than the church’s liberty and the believer’s confidence before God.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
(Galatians 5:1)
Everything hinges on Christ and His finished work. The message that offends the wolves is the same message that gives life, peace, and completeness to the sheep. In Him, we are justified, sanctified, glorified, and made whole. To proclaim anything less is to betray our calling and to leave the sheep vulnerable to those who would devour them.
“And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”
(Colossians 2:10)
Let the gospel of grace be sounded clearly. Let it nourish the saints and expose the wolves. Only then will the church walk in the clarity, freedom, and assurance that Christ has secured—standing firm, unashamed, and unmoved in the liberty of the sons of God.
