Wheat and Weeds
March 10, 2019
28 “‘An enemy did this!’ he told them. “‘So, do you want us to go and gather them up?’ the slaves asked him.
29 “‘No,’ he said. ‘When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but store the wheat in my barn.’
I was reading this scripture and trying to think of a way to help apply this to our lives. What I have noticed over the last few years is how divided both unbelievers and those who believe they are followers of Christ have become and show such animosity for those who stand on the other side of the fence so to speak. What are we going to do when “We All Get to Heaven?”
With that being said I am also disturbed by the attitudes of so many Christians who are so caught up in pointing out others sin while overlooking their own; as if there are degrees of sin. I recently asked this question in a sermon: “What sin does someone commit that is so egregious that the person who commits it becomes a “Throwaway Soul”? Why do we not see the purpose of Christ is to bring souls to Him not chase them away? Does God want “ALL” to be saved? The Bible says He does in several places. Do we helpless sinners need to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and then show that though the fruit of our works? Again the Bible says that more than once. What I have a problem with is too many in the Christian fellowship seem to have appointed themselves “Keepers of the Clock” on when that should have been done by others.
That brings me to the point of today’s scripture. I understand this to say Jesus is the “man who sowed good seed in his field”, that field being this world. Of course Satan is who comes along and sows seeds of tares (a weed that until close to maturity looks like wheat). That can be a metaphor for those who are in the Church who may look like Christians but aren’t. They are there singing and saying all the right things but at the same time sow seeds of discord and encourage those who wish to be like Christ to involve themselves in the things of the world, bringing disharmony into the church by insisting that we condemn those who haven’t come to Christ in their timeline.
This parable (if you take the time to let it speak to you) tells you that yes there are weeds (unbelievers) that spring up all around Christians that have the potential to choke out their faith but we aren’t to be too quick to dismiss and condemn those who aren’t living on the right side of God. The scripture says; “No,’ he said. ‘When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest.” Even during the tribulation those who haven’t yet come to Christ will have the opportunity to do so. We must also give them the opportunity to mature and if they remain “weeds” at the harvest time; the reapers: (will) Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them.
I believe it was James Boice that said: “But we are not to pursue such people in an effort to destroy them. For one thing, we don’t know if immature and innocent believers might be injured by our efforts. Further, one has only to look at the Spanish Inquisition, the Crusades, and the reign of “Bloody Mary” in England to see the results of men taking upon themselves the responsibility of separating true believers from false, a task reserved for God alone. Instead of requiring these false believers to be rooted out of the world, and possibly hurting immature believers in the process, Christ allows them to remain until His return. At that time, angels will separate the true from false believers.”
Understand it is God alone who makes the decision as to who is a true believer, we don’t get to place ourselves in the position of the Almighty; we don’t have the discernment to be able to tell the difference between false and true believers.
~Pastor Floyd