36 ... and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
Matt 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.
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.
"TARES" - zizanion ^2215^ is a kind of darnel, the commonest of the four species, being the bearded, growing in the grain fields, as tall as wheat and barley, and resembling wheat in appearance.
It was credited among the Jews with being degenerate wheat. The rabbis called it "bastard."
The seeds are poisonous to man and herbivorous animals, producing sleepiness, nausea, convulsions and even death (they are harmless to chickens/poultry).
The plants can be separated out, but the custom, as in the parable, is to leave the cleaning out till near the time of harvest,
The Lord describes the tares as "the sons of the evil one"; false teachings are indissociable from their propagandists.(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)
The Rabbi's called them "Bastards" and so do I: "Bastard Children", who profess that they "know Christ" and who emphatically claim to be His yet do not obey and tremble at the word of God when they hear it, repent if need be and come back under the authority of Christ!
Matt 7:
16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
A "Corrupt Tree" is only fit for corrupting the Truth simply because it has never wanted the Truth and can't bear it. A "Good Tree", on the other hand, wants only the Truth, gladly bears it, loves it and cannot corrupt the Truth! A Corrupt Tree "Spits out the Truth" (as God will spit them out of His mouth), whereas a good tree "sucks it in because IT IS the Truth and it is the Life of that tree"!
It's in the "bringing forth of our individual fruit" from OUT OF our heart and using it to TEACH others that either Corrupts or Testifies truly to the Word of God IN the heart! What corrputs is not so much in the "hearing" but in "how" one hears in the "believing and doing" of what one hears. (Faith - giving one the ability to believe and do the Truth, comes by "hearing") What % is his toleration towards error that he allows to enter in him - some or none??? Will he agree to disagree - Will he build bridges - Will he compromise - when the Truth is at stake, for the sake of...UNITY??? (The Word is One and those who stand on it are also united as one!) THAT is why we are instructed to "test everything" against the word of God, and make sure it is the word of God, BEFORE we suck it in!!!
Oh there's enough of a resemblence to the true Christian in the Tares that without our examining them closely by comparing their words against the Scriptures we cannot know the difference. (No wonder Satan is out to "play down" the word of God! This is especially true in the "early stages" of Growth! THAT is why some leeway is given to "baby Christians". To these Paul says...
Heb 5:
Both "professing Christians"; the Tares and the Wheat, are very hard to distinguish in the early stages of development. But as time goes on (individually speaking) and as the end approaches (corporately speaking) the difference between the two becomes "Obvious" to those who have their spiritual senses exercized able to discern between what is NOT of God when they hear it (false doctrine) and see it (i.e. Toronto, etc.) and what IS of God (Heb.5:14; 1 Cor 2:14-16; Mt.6:22).
This is all very plain and simple truth! This is like "child's play" to those having put on the mind of Christ, but to the others "WE" (because we oppose their doctrine and what they are doing in going after "strange fire") are the "child" and the "enemy" all rolled into one. Regardless, I say what I say in the fear of God not men! I know what I am saying and why I am saying it: This is my story!
I am saying this: "A Tare is one who CONTINUALLY Refuses To Be Instructed In The Word Of God, and will even FIGHT against it with a lie, thinking that 'they alone' have the 'hidden key' to the truth and are right!" (There is no 'hidden key' or 'way' of interpreting...just simplicity!)
There is a "Pattern" here as there is in "wilfull sin"! It's not the "once or twice" occurrence I speak of but a "Pattern" - a "spirit" of needing to continue in it - a "fleshly need" for having to have it - a "hardening of the heart" to the truth - our "having to be right" rather than having God's unchanging word alone - 'as is' - be right!!!
(A) Either I am seeing this "Pattern" occuring more and more in the "church" these days - OR -(B) I am simply not grown up enough yet (I.e. "I haven't the discernment") to recognize it and call it for what it is: "The Spiritual Corruption of God's Word"!
The Lord is good! He tolerates many of us for quite a while, but not necessarily forever. "He wants to see "FRUIT"! And that can only come about through receiving and obeying Him with our whole-hearted cooperation. Our Lord's intent and purpose is to get us to grow up so that the Father would be glorified in many sons conformed to the image of Jesus, not to be stuck on floors or being slain in the spirit, or barking like dogs all of their lives! To me walking in the fear of the Lord is the best teacher I know to get our goals and perspectives straight and keep them that way.
Following are a few examples of why it is best to take God in a no nonsense approach as One who will do everything (the good and the bad) He says He will. It is in our walking in the fear of the Lord (working out our salvation in fear and trembling before Him) that will safely speed us on our way to the victory that is already ours in Christ... if we would but only walk in i!.
Luke 13:
Although the story pertains to the Jews during Jesus' time, it's double meaning applies to us today as well. What the Lord is after is: "Fruit"! The fruit of recognition of who He is and our obedience in the knowledge of Him! It shows He will only tolerate so long those who bear no good fruit for which they were designed by God to bring forth! He wants to see "Results" in His Vineyard. A good lesson to be learned!
Matt 3:
Beware of having the pride of the Pharisees, thinking they belonged exclusively to God when they had and were nothing! Again "Good Fruit" is what the Lord is after. He will tolerate nothing less. Another good lesson!
John 15:
Each of us "branches" are expected to remain in Him and bear fruit, made clean through His voice. If we don't we're going to be cut off. Apart from Him and His words we are nothing and we can do nothing! A solid lesson!
John 14:
Here is the Bottom Line! Only in the keeping of His words in our heart does one get both the Father and the Son to come and live in them and call them (His Temple) "His home"! And this is what happens "IF" we love Him: By being cleansed thus readying the vessel to receive God in the Love of the Truth. It all hangs on the "IF" word... "IF"! Then "How much is: IF"??? It's all or nothing! A powerful lesson!
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
His sayings consist of doctrine as well. Only those who LOVE the Truth will "hear" the lessons taught this day in the fear of the Lord, and abide in them. May we abide fully in Him and let His words alone abide richly in us.
(For more teaching on the Wheat and the Tares go here --- April 2005 Newsletter)
Biff
So, unless you are a chicken - The next time someone thinks it's not important to be associated with false teachers and teachings, think again! A little "degenerate poison" goes a long way! The whole purpose behind the Devil sowing his seed among the wheat is to confuse the church as to the truth, think less of the truth than they ought, poison them to the truth through false teaching and cause them to fall away from the single-eyed Love of the Truth.
By this shall we know them: "Those who remain under the Authority of the Word and Keep His words are the Wheat". Because it is from the True Knowledge of Christ as the Truth ("Sanctify them to the Truth: thy word is Truth!") where all of the Fruits of the Spirit originate and flow...
17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Just as a tree "sucks up sap" from it's root and keeps it flowing against gravity in order to have and maintain life, so too does a God-fearing, Deeply Rooted, and Truth loving Christian suck up the word of Life against all the gravity and opposition found in "mens" teachings!!!
11 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
This is exactly the way that a "Bastard Child" - a Tare, thinks. Some may view the "Prodigal son" who left His inheritance as being a bonafide child of God. I don't! I was in his shoes, and I don't! A bonafide child of God is one who "comes to their senses" and repents (turns away from error and turns to the Truth) when confronted with the Truth. These are absolute facts!!! If they won't come to their senses then they are no child of God but a child of the Devil under his power, having "Cut Themselves Off" from the tree of Life:
I choose to believe (A) as I know we are on the verge of the last days. The lines have been drawn and many "Christians" have taken sides, either for or against the Truth. There seem to be few 'fence riders' any more. Yet to those who are searching I will give a word of warning as well as a word of encouragement...
6 He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.