Separating the Wheat From the Tares

Read Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

We recently had a scandal breakout here in West Michigan regarding one of our most popular Christian radio hosts who was convicted on CSC charges with a minor. I am not going to dwell on the specifics; it’s gotten enough media attention already. Instead, I am going to use this small amount of space to address some key points in this case, as well as all of the “Christian bashing” that has accompanied this tragedy.

 

No One is Immune

The Bible tells us that we all fall of God’s standards (Rom 3:10, 23). Whether or not someone proclaims to be a “Christian” or works in a Christian atmosphere does not automatically exempt them from the enemy’s plan. In fact, anyone who is a true believer is actually considered to be more accountable than those who are not (Phil 3:16, James 3:1). It’s one thing to occasionally fall into random sin; it’s another to be consumed in a lifestyle that denies God and His holiness. The former is natural for all of us; the latter is when we let go of God’s hand and authority in our own life.

Life or Death

Paul tells us in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. This man made choices and played a deadly game that ultimately led to not only his demise, but the destruction of countless other lives─ including his victim’s childhood innocence. Let’s be straight up on this one: Evil comes in all forms─ sometimes it's directly head on, but usually in subtle disguise. It is not the result of random chance, but is precisely and specifically orchestrated by a much darker force (Eph 6:12, John 10:10a). As James points out, our fleshy desires will lead us down a path that ultimately will destroy us, either physically, spiritually, or both (James 1:14-15). The only way to avoid the destruction of sin is to be FULLY and CONTINUALLY embedded in God’s will and to live a life that fears Him, is built on His Word, and grounded in faith in Christ.

 

One Day It Will All Be Sorted Out

The comments and shear hatred that follow every time this story has been posted online are absolutely disgusting. I am by no mean’s justifying this man’s actions, but I am seeing a virtual war of slashing and bashing being traded back and forth between believers and non-believers like a Wimbledon match. Jesus makes it very clear in the passage from Matthew 13: the good have been sown into this world with the bad, and often they are indistinguishable from each other right now. Someone who appears to live a godly life and put on the greatest of fronts may fool us down here, but one day God will reap through our world in His final and sovereign judgment and only those who are truly His will escape eternal punishment. There will be no exceptions.

 

Our One True Hope

The non-believers in this case cannot understand how a good God would allow an innocent child to be taken advantage of by an adult; and why forgiveness is still an option. I even saw one commenter who could not understand how his sin of cussing regularly could even be compared to something as offensive as this case. Or, how can someone who lives a sinful life but (truly) repents at the end of life make it to Heaven but a “good” overall and unrepentant person not? Genesis 18:25 asks, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” The Bible also tells us that God has done all He needs to for our eternity with Him to be secured (Rom 5:8). Big or little, our sin is repulsive to God. Our finite minds also cannot grasp the magnitude of His ways (Isaiah 55:9); and what we must understand is that absolutely NOTHING that hasn’t been cleansed by the blood of Christ will enter His Kingdom. So instead of keeping score and trying to make up our own “judgment scale” along the way, perhaps we should turn our hearts and eyes to the only One qualified to not only judge us correctly, but more importantly…love us unconditionally.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. -2Cor 5:10