John 10:1 (NIV) I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.

John 10:10 (NIV) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

The gate is Jesus. Anyone “who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber.” It is as simple as that. Dogs, hogs, and wolves in sheep’s clothing are people who try to get to God or go around God by taking other paths. And, they are people who are out to do harm to all people and especially Christians. They try to teach people to help themselves without God. They give them false religions and human effort philosophies that exclude the power of God.

2 Tim 3:1-5 (NIV) But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.

When someone climbs through a window to get into your house, they aren’t using the typical access. If they sneak in through the back door in the middle of the night, they are trying to avoid detection. If they break in somehow, they are an intruder. If they have a key, own the home, and come in, in broad daylight, they have the right. Jesus paid the price on the cross to purchase and redeem all of us humans from the slavery of sin. If we will accept His purchase price and ownership, we will accept Him as owner of our life. We will walk through His gate, live in His pasture, and be protected from thieves that are motivated to kill, steal, and destroy us and our lives.

This has to be the message of all mentors and ministers. New and untrained Christians can fall into the control of these people. They aren’t ready to be able to tell the difference between secular humanism and true Christianity. It is easy for them to mix thoughts, concepts, principles, and teachings that are from false religions into their Christian life. It becomes our responsibility to help them be able to see what the motivation is from all these people and their teachings.