However, in this entry, I offer to you 9 marks of false teachers, penned by Zwingli.
I hope they may resonate with you, and help you to discern those who are false and those who are true shepherds.
1. All who do not teach are nothing but wolves, though they might be called shepherd, bishop, or king. See in this connection how many teaching bishops there are.2. Those who teach their own dreams rather than the word of God are wolves.3. Those who teach the word of God, yet not to the honor of God, but for themselves and their head, the Pope, for protection of their fabricated high station, are harmful wolves, coming in sheep’s clothing.4. Those who teach already and teach even with the word of God, but do not, however, disturb the greatest aggravators, the leaders, but allow their tyranny to grow, are flattering wolves or traitors of the people.5. Those who do not practice with works what they teach with the word are nothing among the Christian people, destroying much more with their works than they build with their words.6. Those who do not pay attention to the poor but let them be oppressed and burdened, are false shepherds.7. Those who wear the name of shepherd, yet rule in the worldly sense are the most evil werewolves.8. Those who gather riches, filling sack, purse, storehouse and cellar are true werewolves. And finally, those who do other things with doctrine than undertaking to plant the knowledge, love and childlike fear of God among the people are false shepherds. They must soon be removed from the sheep or they will devour them entirely.9. Therefore it is easy to understand that all those are false shepherds who lead from the Creator to the creature.
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