"...God's kingdom is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. That night, while his hired men were asleep, his enemy sowed thistles all through the wheat and slipped away before dawn. When the first green shoots appeared and the grain began to form, the thistles showed up, too. The farmhands came to the farmer and said "Master, that was clean seed you planted, wasn't it? Where did all of these thistles come from?" He answered, "Some enemy did this." - Matthew 13:24-28 (The Message)
So, did you get that? The thistles (tares) showed up, too. This passage excludes no one. As a matter of fact, I once was a tare. But let me explain what I mean. This passage is referring to the Christian body, as a whole. There are the good seeds (those who have confessed that they're sinners, walk daily with Christ, and are producing good "fruit") and then there are the tares (those that look identical to the good seeds until their insides are made known). I once believed that I was a Christian, just because I had grown up going to church with my grandma whenever I got the chance and I did that "little kid thing" where I walked down the aisle and got saved. But until I finally understood what I was doing, and actually knew that I was a sinner, and asked Jesus to come into my life and save me --in spite of how undeserving I was...I was a tare. From the outside, I looked like a Christian. I talked like a Christian. I acted the part, to a tee. But when I finally got saved I realized the following, I was basing my faith on an experience that other people told me about rather than a life-altering decision that I made within my heart. I was always that girl who would say the salvation prayer "just in case", but on that day I realized that there is no "just in case". If I'm 99% sure that I'm saved, I am 100% lost. That's all there is to it. And I also used to have the belief that Satan was making me doubt my salvation...which makes absolutely no sense. Is Satan really going to make you doubt your salvation? Who is being defeated when you get your salvation in line...Satan is. He doesn't want you to question your salvation, he wants to fool you into believing that you are saved when you aren't.
Today it hit me that anyone can be a tare or a thistle. The only way we can get to heaven is through Jesus Christ, that's it. And we're the only ones who know for a fact whether we're on the right path or not. I am so glad I came across this passage today...I just felt like it needed to be shared. As the body of Christ we need to remember though, if someone you know finally gets their salvation straight...rejoice with them! Don't be upset that they had you fooled because they may very well have had themselves fooled. Satan does that, you know.
"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith: test yourselves." - 2 Corinthians 13:5
Anyway, now that I've sort of gone off on a rant...I will say this. I am so glad that years ago when I got my salvation in line I didn't let my stubbornness get the best of me. Giving my life to Christ is honestly the best decision I've ever made, and though I still stumble and make mistakes...it makes me want to lean on Christ that much more. I learn something from Him every single day and I am blessed to do so.
Have an amazing day!
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