Harmonize The Parable Of The Wheat And Tares With
The Command To Withdraw


Intro:
A.	An important rule of Bible study is to never draw a conclusion from one verse, or 		
	group of verses, that will contradict another.

I.	Examination Of Parable. Read Matthew 13:24-30,36-43.
	A.	This is one of the few parables in which Jesus gives a detailed meaning. Vs.36-43.
		1.	Sower - Son of man. V.37
		2.	Field - world. V. 38
		3.	Good seed (wheat) - children of the kingdom. V.38
		4.	Tares - children of the wicked one. V. 38
		5.	Enemy - devil. V. 39
		6.	Harvest - end of the world. V. 39
		7.	Reapers - angels. V. 39
	B.	The church exists in the world.
		1.	Disciples are in the world (John 17:11) but not of the world (Jn. 17:16)
		2.	Kingdom is not of this world. John 18:36
		3.	Christ came into world but men love darkness rather than light. Jn. 3:19
		4.	Satan is the prince of this world (John 12:31) and the god of this world 			
			(2 Cor. 4:4)
	C.	Verses 37-40 
		1.	Jesus is the sower of the good seed in the world; the children of the 				
			kingdom.
		2.	The devil is the sower of the tares in the world; the children of the 				
			wicked one.
 		3.	In the end of the world Jesus will send His angels to sever the wicked 				
			from among the just. Mt. 13:49; 25:31-33.
	D.	Verses 41-43
		1.	Having given the parable, Jesus goes on one step further.
		2.	He explains that not only will this be done in regards to the world but 			
			also "His kingdom".
		3.	In His kingdom there are those who "offend" and "do iniquity".
		4.	These He will also cast into the furnace of fire.
		5.	Having said these things about "His kingdom", we must not conclude that 			
			the conversation of the servant to the householder pertained to the 				
			church V. 27.
 			a.	That conversation pertained to the parable when Jesus was 					
				explaining how He came into the world to establish His kingdom.
			b.	We must remember that the "field" of the parable was the "world", 				
				not the church!
	E.	Since Jesus will gather out of His kingdom those things that offend and them that 		
		do iniquity, we must not conclude that this does away with our responsibility to 		
		exercise discipline in the local church. Then we would have two passages 			
		contradicting each other.
		1.	We are commanded to "withdraw":
			a.	Matthew 18:17; Romans 16:17-18; 1 Corinthians 5:5,11,13; 
				2 Thessalonians 3:6; Titus 3:10
		2.	Church has the right to accept or reject anyone into its fellowship. Acts 			
			9:26; Romans 16:1,2
		3.	However, even though we may withdraw from someone, they are still in the 			
			kingdom. The Lord adds them to the church (Acts 2:47) and we cannot cast 			
			them out.
			a.	When we withdraw from someone, we are just excluding them from 					
				the fellowship of the local congregation.
			b.	It will be the Lord who will gather out of His kingdom those who 				
				offend and do iniquity.
		4.	Another point we must consider also:
			a.	There are some things that we as a local congregation cannot 					
				judge about a person who professes to be a Christian.
				(1)	We don't know their private life.
				(2)	We don't know their heart.
				(3)	We don't know their sincerity.
			b.	The Lord does! While we may never be able to exercise discipline 				
				in these matters, rest assured that the Lord will.
				(1)	We will most certainly gather out of His kingdom ALL 						
					things that offend, and them which do iniquity!

Conclusion:
	A.	There is no contradiction or difficulty in harmonizing the parable of the wheat 		
		and tares with the responsibility Christ has given for the local church to 			
		"withdraw from every brother that walketh disorderly".

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