Wheat and tares

[rmyers]

I don't think the tares know they are tares because they don't believe in tares and wheat.  They don't believe in our Savior.  However, there will come a day when they will know.  When that day comes, it will be too late.  I often wonder if  during Judgment day someone I knew on earth will say to me why didn't you tell me about becoming a wheat. 

[chloe_fantastic]

 

Could you give me some examples, sis?

Sure, no problem.

 

Romans 16:17, 18

¹⁷ Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

¹⁸ For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

 

Mark 13:22

²² For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.

 

2 Peter 2:1

 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

 

 What are some of the tell-tale signs of a tare, do you think?

I think Willa described a "tare" quite well here....

 

Selfish ambitions, violent dissentions (or seditions), herecies, jealousies, and contentions (or quarrels)

Also, when Jesus explains the parable, He says this....

 

Matthew 13:38

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;

 

Which makes me think of this verse....

 

John 8:44

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

 

So we can see dishonesty's going to play a big role in the make-up of these folks, and also destruction of various kinds, given these are the trademarks of who the Word calls their father.

[*Zion*]

So, basically, fleshly minded, fleshly motivated, and seeking their own glory rather than God's.  That makes sense.  Should they be confronted, do you think?  Or just prayed for?

[chloe_fantastic]

 

 Should they be confronted, do you think?  Or just prayed for?

We do have instructions on how to handle conflict in the church...

 

Matthew 18:15

¹⁵ Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

¹⁶ But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

¹⁷ And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

 

Such an interesting topic! Thank you for bringing it up, sis.

[*Zion*]

Thinking about it, it's sure to be quite a hurtful thing to be accused of being a tare when you're not, and if one were, they would surely put up a fight.  I'm not sure I would have the words or wisdom with which to confront such a person.

[chloe_fantastic]

Thinking about it, it's sure to be quite a hurtful thing to be accused of being a tare when you're not, and if one were, they would surely put up a fight.  I'm not sure I would have the words or wisdom with which to confront such a person.

I'm not saying they should be accused of being a tare. It says, "...if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault...", which indicates to me that this confrontation should be about the actual sin that was committed, as opposed to labels like "tare".

 

That's my take on it, anyway.

[*Zion*]

Oh, sorry; I didn't think that's what you were saying at all.  However, that is how these things can be construed.  Sorry for that misunderstanding there. Totally agree, sis

[Joshua-777]

One thing interesting about wheat and tares, you can't tell them appart until they are matured. One bears fruit, the other doesn't.

^{Matthew 13:30} 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.”’”

By the harvest, it will be more than evident which are wheat and tares. Because the wheat will be clearly seen. My personal view is that the Church is going to be radient with glory at His return and the fruit in the Church will be evident to all.

Another thing to concider, He's coming back for a wedding. What does the bride do before the wedding? A bride that falls into all kinds of harletry and stains her gown isn't fit for our King. He's coming back for an equally yoked bride.

Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”
 

A Bride equipped to spread the gospel of the Kingdom to all the earth. The gospel of the Kingdom is different from say this prayer and get to heaven. The gospel of the Kingdom is demonstrating the reality of Jesus in power. So I view this as the Church equiped with the power of the Holy Spirit to be a witness to all nations.

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

^{1 Corinthians 4:20} For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.

^{Matthew 12:28} But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you.

^{Romans 14:17} for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

^{1 Corinthians 2:2} For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. ³ I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. ⁴ And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.


Now, the Church is growing into maturity and into this thing called "the unity of faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God" into perfection, which the word in the greek also means mature.

^{Ephesians 4:11} And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, ¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— ¹⁶ from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

.

These passages help paint the wheat and tares for me. You can't tell the difference until they are matured, but when they are the difference is obvious. Fruit is the testimony I understand this view is alot different from 'Church is going to fail and be decieved, the worlds going to fall apart, and Jesus has to come rescue us before things get really bad' view, but the Church is supposed to be a light on a hill that everyone can see. Jesus called us the light of the world. People are supposed to look at us and see Him. It's twisted and demonic to be encouraged by the failures of the Church because I see it as a signs as Jesus is coming back soon.  A glorious Church that represents Him well is something more worthy to be encouraged about.