Wolves in Sheeps clothing

[John]

Wolves in sheep's clothing are also tyrants. These people don't have a spiritual mindset and usually are self willed. Like Diotrephes in the third epistle of John they want to be first among the brethren and take the preeminence. These are spots in our feasts and damage the image of Messiah because they do not represent Messiah though they claim they do. These are typically narcissistic men. They do not serve Messiah but rather the adversary and you can tell by their actions. You will know them by their fruit.

But beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are savage wolves. By their fruits you shall know them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes or figs from thistles? So every good tree yields good fruit, but a rotten tree yields wicked fruit. A good tree is unable to yield wicked fruit, and a rotten tree to yield good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, by their fruits you shall know them
Matthew 7:15-20 TS2009

The dichotomy between what is "sacred" and what is "worldly" is a
pagan conception and not the mindset of the Ekklesia. In the Kingdom
of Elohim, ordained spiritual elitism has no foundation since every
believer has the discernment from God to recognize those who have
particular giftings that God has given them. Among the early Ekklesia,
the word "ordain" did not mean to be put into an official title, but
rather it was an affirmation of the gifting and character of an individual
that is recognized.

The office of Pastor or Rabbi is commonly a magnet for Narcissistic
types who view the role as the "head of the church." Scripturally, the
word Pastor is used in plural form. What this means is, there is no
Scriptural evidence that there was a singular senior head pastoral
practice among the early Ekklesia. Pastor, as many know, is the Latin
word for shepherd, and the Greek word for pastors is rendered as
poimenas, which also means shepherds. Therefore, a pastor is not a
professional title, but a metaphor for one of the various functions of
the Ekklesia. A shepherd is a person who cares for and nurtures the
people of Elohim, but not within the context of a professional
hierarchical title.

I wrote to the assembly, but Diotrephes, who loves to be the first among
them, does not receive us. So if I come, I shall call to mind his works which
he does, babbling against us with wicked words. And not satisfied with that,
he himself does not receive the brothers, and forbids those who wish to,
putting them out of the assembly.
3 John 1:9,10 TS2009

The Pastoral office as defined in our western world is not the Biblical
model, but rather man made which is a distortion of gifting. The
Ekklesia were led only by Messiah where his body is recognized by
men who were all of equal standing. Everyone in the body was recognized
by their spiritual maturity and not by their hierarchical
elitism.

We can trace the deviation from the biblical Pastoral office back to
Ignatius of Antioch (AD 35-107) and the role of the bishop. The bishop
required absolute obedience in the "church" and was given complete
authority.

The ordination into an office originates from pagan rites by
empowering an individual through divine streams to become
venerable, honorable, and separated. It is the syncretism of Old
Testament priesthood with Greek hierarchy. In contrast, every person
who was part of the early Ekklesia set not themselves higher than one
another, but in humility served each another. This is the model in
scripture that Yeshua gave us.

The church we read about in the Bible was organized in a very simple way. A general
pattern was to have two or more qualified men overseeing each local congregation or
church. These men could be referred to as the "eldership". Each man must meet
several high qualifications which the Bible lists in two passages. Elders are the spiritual
leaders of a congregation. They also watch out for the souls of the members like a
shepherd.

Yeshua HaMashiach is the head of every local church or assembly. Not a Pastor, in fact
in the early assembly there were pastors.