BE CAREFUL OF LOOK-ALIKE TRUTHS

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

Matthew 13:25

Wheat and tares look alike. According to the footnote in the New King James Bible of Matthew 13,
“Tares closely resemble wheat but are poisonous to human beings. They are indistinguishable from wheat until the final fruit appears.”
The foot reveals that an unskilled and inexperienced person can mistakenly take tares for wheat, as seen in the story in 2 Kings 4: 38-41. Elisha’s servant was asked to prepare a pottage meal for the sons of the prophets,

“And one went out into the field to get green plants and saw a vine of the field, and pulling off the fruit of it till the fold of his robe was full, he came back and put the fruit, cut up small, into the pot of soup, having no idea what it was.”

(verse 39 BBE)

The ignorance of the person that cut up the vine almost killed the sons of the prophets that ate the pottage. In Spiritual matters, ignorance is dangerous, and Paul emphasized this when he said to the Corinthian church,

Now concerning spiritual things, brothers, I don’t want you to be ignorant.
1 Corinthians 12:1(WEB)

While the truth makes people free to be what God wants them to be, look-alike truths keep people shackled in the devil’s bondage. In this article, I will examine two look-alike truths about God’s Kingdom and contrast them with the truth of God’s word.

LOOK-ALIKE TRUTH #1

BEING A KINGDOM CITIZEN EXEMPTS YOU FROM THE SUFFERINGS AND PAINS OF LIFE

The gospel some people heard stated that once they accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord, all their problems, pains and sufferings would automatically disappear.

They embraced salvation to escape the tribulations of life, and when their experiences did not match up with what they had heard, they backslid.
Nothing is farther from the truth than this! Jesus stated emphatically that in this world, we would have tribulations. (John 16:33a). He, however, gives us the most incredible comfort of all times in that same scripture:

‘Be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’

Jesus never promised his followers a life without storms or problems. Instead, He promised to be with us in the storm and see us through every trouble and tribulation.

I will be with you when you go through (dangerous) waters. And when you go through rivers they will not carry you away. When you walk through fire it will not burn you. And the fire will not make a fire out of you.

Isaiah 43:2 (Easy English)

LOOK-ALIKE TRUTH #2

ONCE A KINGDOM CITIZEN, FOREVER A KINGDOM CITIZEN; REGARDLESS OF THE WAY YOU LIVE

Have you heard about citizens of a country whose citizenship was revoked because of their misconduct? How about certified medical practitioners whose licenses were revoked because of certain misdeeds? God’s kingdom has laid-down principles and rules which kingdom citizens must follow to enjoy their relationship with the king. Indeed, God is longsuffering and patient, and He is the good Shepherd that will do everything to restore those who have strayed. However, His righteousness demands that everyone who names the name of Christ departs from iniquity. (2 Timothy 2:19).

We cannot continue in sin and expect God’s grace to abound. We cannot keep breaking the rules and expect the referee of our lives to keep applauding our blatant disobedience. As Paul pointed out, many have made a shipwreck of their faith because of their lifestyle. (1 Timothy 1:19). God wants us to continue in Him in holiness and righteousness to the very end because only those who endure to the end will be saved. (Matthew 24:13)

It is, therefore, erroneous to believe that our lifestyle does not affect our kingdom’s citizenship. If we live contrary to God’s pattern of life, we are at the peril of getting our citizenship revoked.

It is essential always to judge the doctrines we embrace in the Light of God’s word. In the last days, there will be many false teachings and teachers. God’s word, therefore, remains our tested and trusted umpire in judging the things we hear and believe.

I leave you with these final words as spoken by Jesus: Take heed what and how you hear! (Mark 4:24, Luke 8:18)
Shalom.