Some individuals, some faith groups are characterized by proselytizing individuals already in the fellowship of genuinely Christian groups rather than winning unevangelized lost souls to faith in Christ, just like the Judaizers both Jesus and Paul roundly condemn (Galatians 5:12; Matthew 23:13, 15; John 10:10; Acts 20:30).
I bring up this characteristic of mistaken faith groups out of the order of discussion I originally planned because this very issue was reflected in a comment I recently read and responded to:
“Think about it:
//Many are anti-Catholic, who want to convert Catholics to Protestantism, and that is something the Popes or the Bishops through the centuries fought against.//
Is it not the case, even today, that many Catholics are anti-Protestant, who want to convert Protestants to Catholics?”
I have noticed that faith groups that are characterized by a focus upon proselytizing individuals already in the fellowship of genuinely Christian groups are sometimes characterized as High Control Groups—yet another feature of some mistaken faith groups.
I consider such proselytizing activity “sheep stealing.”
Carefully consider the Scripture texts cited:
Gal 5:12 I would they were even cut off, who trouble you. (DRB, Douay-Rheims Bible)
Gal 5:12 I would rather they should lose their own manhood, these authors of your unrest. (Ronald Knox translation)
Gal 5:12 I would they were even cut off which trouble you. (KJV)
I have included the following comment on Galatians 5:12 in my Bible study resources, The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (1992, 2024) and the Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury (2016),
cut off. literally, cut themselves off. i.e. mutilate or castrate themselves. D. A. Hayes remarks on this passage, “There is something of ’grim ferocity’ about this language. There is nothing delicate in it. It is offensive to white-fingered and white-cheeked and white-livered people who sit in their easy-chairs and read these burning words today. They blush when they read them (Gal 1:8, 9), and they blush more when they read that passage farther on in the Epistle to the Galatians in which Paul says: ’I wish that those who unsettled you on the subject of circumcision would go off and castrate themselves! Possibly in that way they would lose all further interest in the subject.’ They think that such language ought not to be used in the presence of ladies. Paul was not thinking about the ladies when he dictated those words. He was hot with anger against the Judaizers who were making trouble for him through all the Gentile field. He had to say something which would stop it; and he did. His righteous anger brought about a righteous result” (Paul and His Epistles, p. 51). Gal 5:10, Gal 1:8, 9; Gal 4:17, *+Gen 17:14, *Exo 12:15; Exo 30:33, +Lev 22:3 note. +*Deut 23:1, Jos 7:12; Jos 7:25, Mrk 9:43; Mrk 9:45, Jhn 9:34; Jhn 18:10; Jhn 18:26, Act 5:5; Act 5:9; Act 27:32 g. *1Co 5:2; *1Co 5:13, Php 3:2 g. Tit 3:10, 1Jn 2:19.
trouble. Gr. anastatoō (S# G387, Act 17:6). **Gal 1:7; Gal 6:17, Mat 26:10, **Act 15:1; **Act 15:2; **Act 15:19; **Act 15:24; +Act 17:6 g. Act 21:38 g.
In Paul’s letter to the Galatians he warns very plainly that to respond to or follow the Judaizers’ false message would lead to the loss of salvation for any of the Galatians who had responded in faith to the Gospel message brought to them by the Apostle Paul (Galatians 5:4).
Mat 23:13 But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
Mat 23:15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
From what Jesus taught, some proselyting activity has the potential to be very harmful to those who are convinced to respond positively to the pressure to convert to a mistaken faith group.
Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
The context of John 10:10 is very instructive:
Joh 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
Joh 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Joh 10:3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
Joh 10:4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
Joh 10:5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Jesus gave further explanation about how this parable is meant to be understood when he said:
Joh 10:6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
Joh 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.
Joh 10:8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Therefore, the true sheep who follow Christ are those who know His voice. They do not respond to other false voices of those Jesus called “thieves and robbers.”
Paul, in his final message to the Ephesian elders, warned them:
Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Again, the context is instructive:
Act 20:25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
Act 20:26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
Act 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
Act 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
Departures from the true faith began very early in the history of the New Testament Church. The supposed “age” of a doctrine is no sure proof of its truthfulness unless it conforms to what is taught in the 27 primary source First Century historical documents we know as our New Testament today.