(1Tm) Righteousness and Lawlessness

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Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matthew 13:30)

We understand from the above verse that both the wheat and the tares will come to maturity, and then Christ will come for the harvest. The harvest, in the Scriptures, is symbolic of judgment.

The "wheat" is Christ being formed in the members of the Body of Christ. Therefore we understand that the saints will come "in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13). The Lord Jesus will return as soon as the saints attain spiritual maturity.

The "tares" represent the expression of Satan in the peoples of the earth. We understand that while the saints are growing into the fullness of the image of Christ the wicked of the earth will be growing into the fullness of the hideous image of Satan.

The believers will mature into the fullness of godly behavior. The wicked will mature into the fullness of sin and rebellion against God. Then the Lord Jesus will appear from Heaven and separate the tares from the wheat, binding the tares in bundles to be burned.

At that time the righteous will shine as the sun in the Kingdom of God.