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Whatsoever
Things Are True
by Dan Coburn Pastor, Emmanuel Baptist Church pastordan@mtida.net Who Told You That? Last week we looked at a familiar parable from the Bible regarding harvesting. Jesus often spoke to folks in terms that touched their lives; terms they already understood, – like farming. Looking back, we see Jesus sharing with the people about the Wheat and the Tares. This was a warning to the laborers in the field (the world). In Old Testament times, it was easy to spot God’s people. They looked different from the balance of the world. They kept themselves different by design. Now however, God has saved people out of every nation, and if for no other reason than cultural differences, it’s not so easy at a glance to determine who is and who aint. Now converts are made from all over the world, and received into Churches upon their profession of faith. For this reason, it is infinitely easier for the “enemy” (Satan) to slip in an occasional counterfeit. Most Churches have them. Most of them don’t know they are counterfeits. Most think they are really wheat. How can this be? Well, some have been sold a bill of goods by a false teacher (who often thinks they are wheat as well). Confusing? Is this just my interpretation? What did Jesus say about it? “Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Matt. 13:36-43. Let’s turn the Spiritual Switch: Everyone this time of year is concerned with fire. I suppose in Jesus’ day they burned fields (sometimes on purpose), and were familiar with how that goes. Right now, I can’t run a mower for fear of starting a fire. So how do you know if you are a wheat or a tare? The answer is found in Jesus’ own words, that you can look forward to if you don’t “Savingly Know” Him. “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?” Matt. 7:16. How will you answer this one? “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” Luke 6:46. “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me:” John 14:21 The match is at the ready, but – “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10 13. That’s why the gospel is called “the good news”. God bless. |
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