Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
org
Jesus Christ said that the kingdom of heaven can be likened to a man
who sowed good seed in his field; but while the man slept, someone
came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. "An enemy
hath done this," said the man.
Notice two phenomena: The growth of wheat and then the invasion of
"lying-wheat" next to them. The parable further reveals that the man
who owned the field says, "Let them grow together until the harvest"
(see Matthew 13:24-30). Truth is planted and the lie takes its own
preferred place next to it. They continue growing together, one very
close to the other. Lucifer, in heaven, challenged the living God and
started his allowed trafficking. Lucifer traveled through heaven among
the angels propagating his lie. How could God allow the devil to work
in heaven right next to the truth? One third of the angels fell as a
result of the lie. There are many illustrations of this phenomenon.
First, God is very secure. If God allows for the lie to express itself right
under the nose of truth without flinching, then it speaks of God's
uncontrolling nature. Only authoritative, controlling, insecure people
will eliminate all opposition immediately. But God allowed Satan in the
Garden of Eden after He planted it. God allows the lie because He
shows us that the strength of truth in the heart is REAL STRENGTH.
When we see it, we fall in love with it. Why would Jesus Christ allow
Judas Iscariot to handle the moneybag knowing he was a thief? Does
God allow the lie, the work of evil to come very close to Him and to
us? Does He use evil as a tool to reveal His nature of love and truth?
When Christ stood before Pilate, the lies had been sown in Jerusalem
and were working here and there throughout the country.
If we were in charge of this world, we'd get rid of all the poisoning
elements, wring our hands and say, "That's that," sit down, and have a
glass of iced tea. After we dealt with all our enemies and looked at
everything we created we would say, "Anybody have any questions?"
Would free will be free will if evil could not come as close as our own
hearts? If we could not hear the lie whispered in the garden - "you
shall not surely die" - then would we have a test in our hearts? Would
we have a meaningful choice? Would the free will in our hearts be
exercised? Would we have meaningful relatedness?
By our new birth, we are equipped and promised all we need to live in
the truth. The Holy Spirit's ministry is to reveal to us the value of our
choices. We live as a constant object of God's love and care with
unwavering guarantees of our ultimate destiny by the boundless grace
of God through His Son Jesus Christ. We should be well taught and
very much grounded in our new state of uncontestable favor with God.
From this position, we can approach the awesome privilege of living in
a dark and evil world.