The tare (Lolium temulentum) is a troublesome weed known as the darnel, it appears to look like wheat and is also known as poison ryegrass. Jesus refers to tares in a parable describing something that is analogous to the makeup of the church where there are always a few if not many in the congregation that are not real believers in Christ and who are there to be seen as “good church going people” on their resume, or to take advantage of potential business contacts. Some simply prefer the church environment for their children, others may be attracted to the dynamic preacher and enjoy the entertainment often provided by the music and choir. Sadly many of these have never confessed their personal need for Christ and never prayed to accept Him as Savior and Lord. The parable also describes the world at large who is living outside of Christ.
(Matthew 13: 24 - 30) Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”
How often we read articles and commentaries about supposed Christians who seem to get satisfaction for upbraiding, criticizing and ostracizing those who for some reason are different, those who are homosexuals or others having a gender identification different than from their birth, and anyone whose lifestyle or eccentric appearance may seem to be outside of the normal mainstream. This begs the question, “What would Jesus do concerning these kinds of people?”
(Mark 2: 15 - 17) Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
(John 8: 2 - 11) Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
Unfortunately there are many who do not understand the gospel and the significance of how Christ’s death and resurrection drove a stake through the heart of the condemnation of old covenant laws. They can’t resist resorting to old testament legalism to mistreat and antagonize others whom they are constitutionally unwilling to accept. It is explained well by the Apostle Paul in the following analogy…
(Romans 7: 1 - 4) Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man. Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.
It is a shame that some (called) Christians refuse to enter into the will of God in Christ and obey two simple new commandments, the spirit of which supersedes all the “Thou shalt not” condemnation of the old testament law and gives only two new laws which embody the spirit of the new life of man with God.
(Mark 12: 29 - 31) “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your soul, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Last and most important for those modern day stone throwers who would divide and cause separation of those with whom they are not comfortable with, consider the will of God spoken by Christ. This taken from scripture is out of context but is applicable in a very real sense to those we speak of here as we have no right to ostracize and marginalize those for whom Christ had also died.
(You have covered yourself with anger and pursued us; you have slain and not pitied. You have made us an offscouring and refuse In the midst of the peoples. All our enemies have opened their mouths against us, fear and a snare have come upon us.)
(Luke11: 23) Jesus said, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.”
No comments:
Post a Comment