Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43
Matthew 13:24-30, 36, 37
All the spiritual good in the world comes from him. Whoever the servants may be, the Master who sent them to sow good seed is Jesus, our Lord.
Matthew 13:38
The field is the world; for everywhere is the gospel to be preached, and the church to be formed is in the world, though not of it. The whole world belongs to Jesus: let Satan rage as he may, he is only an usurper. Despite all opposition, it is in this great field of the world that the Lord has sown a church, and maintained it in being.
Satan is a busy agent, and is always doing his best to hinder the good work of Jesus. The seed of the serpent, and the seed of the woman are at deadly enmity.
Matthew 13:39
Our Saviour did not mean such tares as grow in our country, but a sort of mock wheat common in the east. The evil one could not prevent the springing up of the good seed, and therefore he tried to impede its growth, and spoil its harvest by throwing in among it noxious seed. The devil cannot destroy the church, and therefore ha endeavours to mar its beauty by the introduction of hypocrites. These are in many respects so like to true Christians that it is not possible to remove them without expelling genuine believers with them by mistake. Open sinners we can easily remove from the church; but not those who have the outward manners of Christians; however wrong at heart they may be, we are unable to judge them, and must let them remain.
Matthew 13:40-42
The true character of men will develop itself in due season, and will be clearly seen at the last day. Angels will have no difficulty in discerning between sincere believers and mere formalists. Men may deceive the church to-day, and do it much mischief by creeping into it while they are unconverted; they ought, however, to tremble, for the hour comes in which the unquenchable fires of divine wrath will consume all pretenders.
The church, while yet she ripens here,
Mix’d and imperfect must appear;
Sinners and saints together meet,
The tares are mingled with the wheat.
But a dividing day will come,
And hypocrites must hear their doom,
“Depart, accurs’d, to endless woe,
Prepared for devils and for you.”
Lord, may I then accepted stand
Among the wheat at thy right hand;
Before the angels stand confest,
And hear thy lips proclaim me blest.
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