In a discussion on the death penalty with Elizabeth this week, I found myself divided on this sensitive issue. Understanding God commands us not to kill, He also empowers chosen believers to go out and slay their adversaries. Liz was clear as to her beliefs that some crimes deserve capital punishment. As I shared my thoughts that everyone deserved the chance to hear the word and accept God as their Lord and savior I realized my wife has a point. Some people are just pure evil and will not listen. I assume God knows their hearts and allows the law, acting as God’s appointed soldiers to end the lives of the evil that live among the faithful.
God’s call is too often ignored and we must understand He uses a wide array of challenges designed to give us the opportunity to repent from our sins and accept Him as our Lord and savior. For some people, God shines His light during a church service. For others, He surrounds them with righteous people. But for murderers, rapists and violent offenders, He sometimes chooses death row, a terminal path far more humbling than an alter call.
As good inevitably coexists with evil, we are commanded to trust God and allow Him to weed out evildoers leaving fruitful believers to inherit His kingdom. A good example of this can be found in the parable of the Wheat and the Tares:
“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No; lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” (Matthew 13:34-30)
With enemies that spread filth rather than eternal joy, in this parable the field represents the world we live in. The weeds that are sowed are indicative of all the unrighteous distractions and evil temptations we are faced with daily while on earth.
In this parable, Jesus uses Tares which closely resemble wheat yet are poisonous to humans. Since Tares can only be distinguished from wheat during harvest, farmers wait until both tares and wheat bare fruit then simply cast out the weeds. Like evildoers and hypocrites upon judgment day, tares are easily identified, gathered and thrown out to burn eternally in the lake of fire.
Those not walking in God’s light need to be afraid of this eternal doom which is mentioned several times in the bible. The lake of fire, the bottomless pit or hell are all indicative of a place I am driven to avoid at all cost. The weird thing is, all we have to do to keep ourselves from being thrown in hell is repent of our sinful ways, accept Christ as the son of God and be willing to obey God’s commands as we walk in Jesus’ footsteps.
I like to think anyone with half a brain would take a look at God’s promise and within a few breaths be able to see the light however, such in not the case. The world is becoming a place where immoral sin thrives like tares carefully sowed in a wheat field. Church goers and unbelievers alike are becoming immune to wide spread profanity, pornography and sexual immorality. Come harvest, many are in grave danger of getting burnt…
In a wheat field, either you’re wheat or not. If you bare righteous fruit you will be chosen and inherit a place in your master’s barn. Otherwise, you are welcome to grow among the wheat enjoying the warmth of the sun and feeding from the earth however, know that you will not survive harvest time. The farmer will not be fooled and His judgment will be swift upon you and those like you.
It is important for believers to recognize the value of this parable Jesus shared with the multitude. This story clearly indicates there are, and always will be tares among us until the harvest. In this parable, God promises judgment upon the unrighteous that surround us allowing us to grow independently of the evil that thrives along side God’s family.
Let’s pray.
Father God;
We thank you for your blessings in our lives
For looking after us, our families,
Our friends and all those in need.
Lord we pray you will continue to protect us from evil
That you will shine your light bright upon us day and night,
And we look forward to your harvest
When you promise eternal rewards.
Father we pray you guide our footsteps
So that we may become more like you,
And ask you to strengthen us
To steer from evil and resist temptation.
God we love you and thank you for all that surrounds us!
Praise God,
Amen!
This message was written by Daniel St.Pierre
Email: DanielStPierre@ThriveThroughChrist.com
