“Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers” – Matthew 13:40-41
Long ago, Jesus answered one of the questions that people of faith continue to struggle with. Why does an all-good, all-powerful, all-knowing God permit evil-doers to live amongst His people? Why are they allowed to harm the children of God? Why doesn’t He just zap them on the spot???
Sometimes this question is used by the enemies of God to cast doubt upon His existence, faithfulness, or power. However, there’s no mystery about the answer – Jesus already told us why. While immediate justice would satisfy our human sense of right and wrong, Jesus used the parable of the wheat and the weeds to explain why our thirst for immediate retribution is seldom satisfied. The parable explains that it’s the devil who plants wickedness in the hearts of people who live near and amongst those made new by the Gospel. Jesus explained that like good wheat and destructive weeds that have grown together, prematurely removing the unrighteous from among the righteous would cause great harm to the righteous. Just as the roots of the wheat and the weeds become entangled and tearing one out tears out the other, believers lives are often entangled with the lives of those far from God.
It is for the greater good of God’s people that He isn’t constantly zapping unbelievers in their midst. The answer Jesus gives to this painful and challenging cry for justice is that justice WILL come. However, we must look for God’s justice in His perfect timing rather than our flawed timing. The eternal justice our hearts long for in the midst of persecution and abuse will come after Jesus returns. After weeds have had every opportunity to repent and be transformed into wheat. Once their removal will no longer bring sorrow and hurt to those who are in Christ.
The day is coming when God’s perfect justice will be done. Those who are in sin, living lives in defiance of King Jesus and hurting His followers will be gathered and judged. Until that day, God’s people are to be comforted by the presence of Jesus in and with them while sharing the Gospel with those who are currently weeds. #FollowJesus