24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. 26 But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. 27 The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

Determining who is or is not a genuine believer is difficult for mere human beings, even those who have been enlightened through faith. That is the subject of this second parable of our Lord. The seed represents the Word of God and the wheat represents those in whose life the Word produces spiritual results (see the previous parable of the sower and the seed). Historians tell us that tares looked very much like wheat. They represent non-believers who act like believers and play the part well. This parable contains several key lessons about the kingdom.

First, the community of believers will include non-believers. Israel during the exodus had its “rabble,” the church has its unbelievers.

Second, the presence of non-believers is Satan’s ploy to thwart the work of God.

Third, it is not saying too much that non-believers are like tares sucking nutrients from the soil and thus hindering the growth of genuine wheat. They have the potential for hindering spiritual growth of the church.

Fourth, Christians should not obsess with creating a pure church that contains no unbelievers. Efforts to do so will inadvertently result in true believers (albeit ones that may not meet the contrived spiritual qualifications of human judgment) being put out of the fellowship. It is true that at times a believer may need to be “excommunicated” from the fellowship because of a serious, rebellious, immoral lifestyle—but the goal of such actions is not purification of the church, but restoration of the believer to true fellowship through the “shock treatment” (see 1 Cor 5).

Fifth, God will take care of the purification process at the end (“harvest” time), so we need to leave it to Him. His judgment is absolutely righteous.

Lord, help me be gracious to all, showing Christ’s love, so that those around me who are not true believers might recognize You as Lord and Savior.