From last week’s imagery of the Church as God’s field, we turn this week to the imagery of God’s people as His flock, which has deep roots in the Old Testament. The centerpiece of the five verses that compose Psalm 100 confesses, “We are His people and the sheep of His pasture” (v. 3).
Psalm 77 uses God’s care for the generation of His people Moses and Aaron led out of Egypt as the psalmist’s encouragement for his own generation to confess their faith: “You led your people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron” (v. 20).
The prophet Isaiah used this same image to declare, “Behold, the Lord God … will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young” (Is. 40:10–11).
‘Do not fear’
In the New Testament we read of an occasion when Jesus spoke to the 12 apostles, saying, “Do not fear, little flock, for it is Your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom” (Luke 12:32). Using the imagery of His followers as sheep Jesus gave the promise of security, saying, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:27–28).
The Apostle Paul cautioned the Ephesian elders, “I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (Acts 20:29–30). We take note that false teaching can come from either of two directions — from the outside or arising within the flock.
There are two basic strategies to address the possibility of false teaching infiltrating God’s people. We could study all false teachings or heresies God’s flock has ever encountered; theoretically, This would equip us to identify and thus avoid false teaching. Or we can choose to listen closely to the voice of the Good Shepherd so we can discern teachings that have the ring of truth in them.
The strategy of studying all about heresies would leave us with minimal edification since all we would have amassed is a knowledge of doctrinal errors, but knowing God’s truth in Christ will fit us for life now and for heaven to come.
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