A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious.
But it cannot survive treason from within.
An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for
he is known and he carries his banners openly against
the city.
But the traitor moves among those within the gates
freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the
alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself.
For the traitor appears no traitor; he speaks
in the accents familiar to his victims, and he
wears their face and their garments, and he appeals
to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of
all men.
He rots the soul of a nation; he works secretly
and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars
of a city; he infects the body politic so that
it can no longer resist.
A murderer is less to be feared. The traitor is
the carrier of the plague...
- Marcus Tullius Cicero 106 BC - 43 BC
Jude 3-4 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to
write unto you of the common salvation, it was
needful for me to write unto you, and exhort
you that ye should earnestly contend for the
faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
For there are certain men crept in unawares,
who were before of old ordained to this condemnation,
ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into
lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God,
and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Psalm 10:4-10 The wicked, through the pride of
his countenance, will not seek after God: God
is not in all his thoughts. His ways are always
grievous; thy judgments are far above out of
his sight: as for all his enemies, he puffeth
at them. He hath said in his heart, I shall
not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.
His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief
and vanity.
He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth
he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.
He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the
poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net.
He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring
lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
2 Peter 2:1-3 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as
there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves
swift destruction.
And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth
shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words
make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and
their damnation
slumbereth
not.
Galatians 2:4 And that because of false brethren
unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy
out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus,
that they might bring us into bondage:
Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children,
tossed to and fro, and carried about with every
wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
2
Timothy 3:6-8 For of this sort are they which
creep into houses, and lead captive silly women
laden with sins,
led away with divers lusts,
Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge
of the truth.
Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do
these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds,
reprobate concerning the faith.
Acts 20:28-31 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.
For I know this, that after my departing shall
grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing
the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise,
speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples
after them.
Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space
of three years I ceased not to warn every one night
and day with tears.
Matthew
7:15-20 Beware of false prophets, which come
to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they
are ravening
wolves.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather
grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit;
but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither
can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is
hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
