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Jesus’ amazing words are clear. Any thoughts about our responsibility in light of verses 29 and 30?
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Matthew 13
24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn…
36 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. 37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39 the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41 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; 42 and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
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Hi Maria
Seems it makes our responsibility pretty clear. We are to teach and share the Gospel with every human, and that we are on no place to determine who is in and who is out. For instance, I should always share it with you, and you with me….because we just don’t know.
Good topic I hope folks will chime in.
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Wally, this is a good application of what the Lord told us – thank you! Preach the Gospel to every creature. So glad to hear from you!
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Maria, In this passage the Lord acknowledges that there will be disingenuous conversions and disingenuous “Christian” churches. None of us know who has genuinely accepted Christ. But in this passage the Lord surely is not telling us to bury our heads in the sand and embrace all individuals and churches that “proclaim” the name of Christ as Christian or why would the Lord have given us so many verses about exposing false teachers?
“If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting…” 2 John 1:10
For many more verses about exposing false teaching see the link below…
https://www.openbible.info/topics/exposing_false_teachers
Right, we can’t be 100% sure that someone has accepted Christ just because they sit in a pew at an evangelical church…that’s not our job…only the Lord knows the heart…but neither should we embrace as “Christians” those people who openly adhere to and teach a different gospel (like faithful Catholics) and “hope” they somehow receive the genuine Gospel through osmosis. We have too many evangelicals sitting in on ecumenical projects these days and muddying the Gospel of grace.
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Tom, yes, we need to rightly divide the Word of God – distinguishing between the Lord’s commands. We must protect sheep from wolves by exposing the wolves, but not separate the goats from the sheep ourselves, waiting for the Lord to do this.
So glad to have your thoughts on this, and I will take the link you provided.
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Yep!!!!
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I will remember your saying “in hopes that they are really wheat”! Lord bless you and your twin blessings and husband!
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Thank you, sweet Maria !!!!
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You’re welcome, my sister!
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Amen, Tom!!!
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Thanks, Elizabeth. I praise God that several Christians gave me the unfiltered Gospel and stood up to error rather than embracing it.
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Now you do the same, Tom.
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Hey Tom!
I am glad you showed up here. You fell out of my reader. I put you back, though. Sorry about that. Your point is great, in that we should always simply state the Gospel. Osmosis never works. Heck, in my very own church, I will take a chance to share it if I get one. Just a couple of years back, we had a lady who had been a member for years and years make a profession of faith, and she admitted she had been sitting in the pew for years as lost as she could be. So….we just never know.
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Hi Wally! Thanks. I thought you were angry with me following our atheist-converts-to-Catholicism exchange. Yup, let’s keep giving out the Gospel of grace!
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No, not at all Tom! Trust me, if I have something to say, I will say it. I won’t ever leave anybody wondering. Of course, I get in trouble for that sometimes.
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Yes, I also get into a little “discord” myself at times. Thanks for re-following!
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Amen! I agree with Wally. Also, we should grow alongside the tares in hopes that they are really wheat…we do not know. Does that make sense what I am trying to say? Sometimes it’s much easier to talk in person 🙂
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Yes, this makes sense, Elizabeth. Thank you for your insight!
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Made perfect sense to me Elizabeth. Of course, you probably don’t want to be reassured by that LOL
🙂
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LOL! Wally!
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Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
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Thank you, Vincent – a blessing for me!
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You’re very welcome!
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We are servants, NOT ‘reapers’. At the same time we are to expose false teaching and like Paul, at times name names if necessary. At the SAME time, we are to be, again like Paul, gospel focused. If/when we recognize ‘tares’ among us, we should endeavor to speak gospel truth. I am of the opinion that the vast majority of ‘tares’ are those who came to Christ for the wrong reason, i.e., their ‘best life now’ in all of it’s permutations. Great question?
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Dan, that the tares are those who come to the Lord for the wrong reason, such as “your best life now,” this makes sense. Then they are sown by a false gospel that is no gospel. Yes, we are servants only. Good to hear from you!
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How can I not take a stab at your excellent question? 🙂
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So glad you answered, Dan, and thanks for the encouragement to continue! I’m grateful. When the brethren weigh in it is so good.
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Amen, Dan!!!
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Maria, I really like these question you ask now and then. They make me ponder things I might not otherwise ponder.
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Wally, thanks! Actually this is a joy for me. It must be the way the Lord made us.
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