Notes: September 2, 2009

The Parable Of The Tares

A very common misunderstanding and misapplication surrounding the story of the enemy who sowed tares in another man’s field is that the church (churches) will necessarily be a mixture of saved and unsaved folks and any attempt to maintain a regenerate membership is counter-productive. The correct understanding is quite plain…

Matthew 13:24-32, Matthew 13:36-43

  • “The field is the world” (v. 38).
  • The good seed are the children of the kingdom.
  • He that sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
  • 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.
  • The reapers are the angels.
  • “So shall it be in the end of this world” (v. 40).

Meditation Points:

  1. This is NOT about allowing unsaved people to take part in church functions.
  2. This IS about whether Christians should live in communes and about whether Christians should kill the unsaved. (The answer to both is “No”.)
  3. For an extended passage on the subject of Christians cooperating with non-Christians in religious matters, please read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 and 2 Corinthians 7:1.
  4. Again notice that the “kingdom of heaven” is already on earth interacting with the wicked one. See also that it extends on through the day of judgment.

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