The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, "Sir, did you now sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?" He said to them, "An enemy has done this." The servants said to him, "Do you want us then to go and gather them up?" But he said, "No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 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."
Here is the church--true and false converts sitting alongside one another until the fearsom Day of Judgment arrives when God will sort out the genuine from the false. It shold make us tremble at such a thought. Fear is a friend if it brings us in genuine repentance to the foot of the cross: "By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil" (Proverbs 16:6)
Soul Search
Do I have a healthy fear of God? How will this be evidenced when I am tempted to sin?
Prayer:
Father, make me wise with my eyes.
