My text for this post is the parable of the wheat and tares. I don’t want to expound the whole thing. My only intention is to bring to light one single, doctrinal point. Nothing more. But to do that, I’m going to have to quote the parable in its entirety.
KJV Matthew 13:24-30 and Inspired Version Matthew 13:22-29
The KJV parable
another parable put he forth unto them | saying |
the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man | which sowed good seed in his field |
but while men slept | his enemy came | and sowed tares among the wheat | and went his way |
but when the blade was sprung up | and brought forth fruit | then appeared the tares also |
so the servants of the householder came | and said unto him |
sir | didst not thou sow good seed in thy field |
from whence | then | hath it tares |
he said unto them |
an enemy hath done this |
the servants said unto him |
wilt thou | then | that we go | and gather them up |
but he said |
nay | lest | while ye gather up the tares | ye root up also the wheat with them |
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 |
The Inspired Version parable
another parable put he forth unto them | saying |
the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man | who sowed good seed in his field |
but while he slept | his enemy came | and sowed tares among the wheat | and went his way |
but when the blade sprung up | and brought forth fruit | then appeared the tares also |
so the servants of the house-holder came | and said unto him |
sir | didst not thou sow good seed in thy field |
whence | then | hath it tares |
he said unto them |
an enemy hath done this |
and the servants said unto him |
wilt thou | then | that we go | and gather them up |
but he said |
nay | lest | while ye gather up the tares | ye root up also the wheat with them |
let both grow together until the harvest |
and in the time of harvest i will say to the reapers |
gather ye together first the wheat into my barn |
and the tares are bound in bundles to be burned |
KJV Matthew 13:36-43 and Inspired Version Matthew 13:35-45
The KJV interpretation
then jesus sent the multitude away | and went into the house |
and his disciples came unto him | saying |
declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field |
he answered | and said unto them |
he | that soweth the good seed | is the son of man |
the field is the world |
the good seed are the children of the kingdom |
but the tares are the children of the wicked one |
the enemy | that sowed them | is the devil |
the harvest is the end of the world |
and the reapers are the angels |
as | therefore | the tares are gathered | and burned in the fire | so shall it be in the end of this world |
the son of man shall send forth his angels | and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend | and them which do iniquity | and shall cast them into a furnace of fire |
there shall be wailing | and gnashing of teeth |
then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun | in the kingdom of their father |
who hath ears to hear | let him hear |
The Inspired Version interpretation
then jesus sent the multitude away | and went into the house |
and his disciples came unto him | saying |
declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field |
he answered | and said unto them |
he | that soweth the good seed | is the son of man |
the field is the world |
the good seed are the children of the kingdom |
but the tares are the children of the wicked |
the enemy | that sowed them | is the devil |
the harvest is the end of the world | or the destruction of the wicked |
the reapers are the angels | or the messengers sent of heaven |
as | therefore | the tares are gathered | and burned in the fire | so shall it be in the end of this world | or the destruction of the wicked |
for in that day | before the son of man shall come | he shall send forth his angels | and messengers of heaven | and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend | and them which do iniquity | and shall cast them out among the wicked |
and there shall be wailing | and gnashing of teeth | for the world shall be burned with fire |
then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun | in the kingdom of their father |
who hath ears to hear | let him hear |
verily |
thus saith the lord unto you | my servants | concerning the parable of the wheat and of the tares |
behold | verily |
i say |
the field was the world | and the apostles were the sowers of the seed | and after they have fallen asleep | the great persecutor of the church | the apostate | the whore | even babylon | that maketh all nations to drink of her cup | in whose hearts the enemy | even satan | sitteth to reign |
behold | he soweth the tares | wherefore | the tares choke the wheat | and drive the church into the wilderness |
but behold | in the last days | even now | while the Lord is beginning to bring forth the word | and the blade is springing up | and is yet tender |
behold | verily |
i say unto you |
the angels are crying unto the lord day and night | who are ready | and waiting | to be sent forth | to reap down the fields | but the lord saith unto them |
pluck not up the tares | while the blade is yet tender |
for | verily | your faith is weak |
lest you destroy the wheat also | therefore | let the wheat and the tares grow together | until the harvest is fully ripe |
then ye shall first gather out the wheat from among the tares |
and after the gathering of the wheat |
behold | and lo | the tares are bound in bundles | and the field remaineth to be burned |
again |
verily |
i say unto you |
i will show unto you wisdom in me | concerning all the churches | inasmuch as they are willing to be guided in a right and proper way for their salvation | that the work of the gathering together of my saints may continue | that I may build them up unto my name upon holy places | for the time of harvest is come | and my word must needs be fulfilled | therefore | i must gather together my people according to the parable of the wheat and the tares | that the wheat may be secured in the garners | to possess eternal life | and be crowned with celestial glory | when i shall come in the kingdom of my father | to reward every man | according as his work shall be | while the tares shall be bound in bundles | and their bands made strong | that they may be burned with unquenchable fire |
The wheat must ripen among the tares
There is an idea, held by very many latter-day saints, that they are justified in leaving the church if it is deemed by them to be apostate.
Now, apostasy is kind of a relative term, since the church has been more or less apostate pretty much since its inception. The apostasy of the LDS church, then, is judged by people according to whatever degree of apostasy they are using as their standard. For some, the LDS church is labeled apostate from the time of Joseph’s death. Others take the stance that once they distanced themselves from polygamy, then the church apostatized. Others use the State as the measuring stick, meaning that since the church is becoming the State’s servant, or uniting with it, it must be apostate. And so on and so forth.
All of these rationalizations, although given with the very best of intentions and with the most sincere of hearts, are at variance with what the Lord Himself has stated concerning the prophesied path of His church and how His saints are to be gathered. This idea, which is embraced by these groups and individuals, is not given of God, but comes of the evil one, who tries, at all times, to get people to oppose the purposes of God.
God’s purpose is that all the penitent come into His church. Yes, the very church that all these people believe is too apostate to enter, too apostate to remain within. It is His stated purpose that everyone in the church grow together, both wheat and tare.
The gathering of the elect will not occur outside of the framework of the parable of the wheat and the tares. I have written much on this blog about the tribal model, but I’ve never written that it is Zion, nor that it supplants the church, nor that one should leave the church and just establish his or her own tribe. After I learned about the tribal model, I’ve always promoted both church and tribe.
Those who believe that they can remove themselves from the church and ripen into wheat, in isolation from the tares, are mistaken. It is the design of God that the wheat ripens among the tares, smack dab in the middle of them. There are multiple purposes involved in this process, but one is surely the effect that ripened wheat has upon unripened wheat and tares.
Angels appear when the wheat is ripe
There are many people who think they are wheat, but unless an angel has ministered to them, one cannot know for sure. It is the height of arrogance to think one is wheat without the ministration of an angel. Such people are merely fooling themselves or believing the delusion that the devil is sending their way, for they are still in the gall of iniquity and in the bonds of hell. Anyone who thinks that they are chosen of God without having been chosen of God (through His angel) still has his or her heart locked up in pride and is in need of repentance. The proper gospel attitude of one who has not, yet, been chosen, is not, “Oh, God, I thank thee that I have been chosen of thee to be saved, while my foolish brethren have chosen to perish,” but of, “Oh, God, have mercy on me, a sinner, and on my brethren who also have sinned, and grant us all mercy and faith unto repentance and salvation!”
The appointed sign of wheat is the ministration of an angel. This is how a person knows he or she is wheat, for unripened, earthly wheat and unripened tares are indistinguishable. When the wheat finally ripens, it turns golden. It kind of becomes shiny. People can see with their own two eyes a visible change come over the plant. It becomes plainly obvious that it is not a tare, which never turns golden or shines.
The gospel wheat, then, when it ripens, has some visible manifestation occur, which shines. Light, or fire, is imparted to these wheaty individuals. And having been baptized in this fire and seen the lightning light of the angel, they now can impart this light to others, or let their light so shine that others can give glory to God. So, ripened wheat bears testimony of the witness (or visible manifestation) that has come to them after the trial of their faith.
Prior to that manifestation, unripe wheat and unripe tares pretty much look the same. They may have differences in beliefs, as well as similarities, but belief is not what distinguishes a wheat from a tare. The distinguishing characteristic is primarily the ministration of angels, as well as other gifts manifesting.
This jolt, (the testimony of having been ministered to by angels), in the midst of the congregations of those who profess to know the Lord is what God has designed to occur. When a man is suddenly revealed as wheat, the tares will have a natural reaction to him, as well as all those around who are, as yet, unripened wheat. This helps both the unripe wheat and the unripe tares to fully ripen. This is the division that is prophesied to occur and it must and will occur only after both wheat and tares have grown together.
Until the harvest is fully ripe
Now, those of us in the church should not feel indignant that the wheat and tares are growing together in the church. Jesus told his very angels to let it happen. It is, therefore, in accordance with the will of God. What makes us think we are better or more informed than God or His angels? But one may wonder how long we must grow together, or how will we know when the harvest is fully ripe, or how will we know when it is time to depart from the tares?
Jesus answered this: when the angels are sent. The angels are sent when the harvest is fully ripe. Therefore, the harvest is fully ripe when the angels are sent. It is as simple as that.
There is no justification
There is no justification in telling people to leave the church, nor in telling people not to join her, for the gathering of the Lord’s people must be according to the parable of the wheat and the tares, which calls specifically for the growing together of both wheat and tare. And there is no justification in saying that the harvest time is fully ripe (and thus that it is okay to leave the church), for reapers (angels) will be sent individually (meaning to each individual wheat) when the time comes for the wheat to be gathered out from the tares, and until that time comes, no one is justified to tell unripe wheat to leave the tares.
Again, as I’ve said before on this blog, there may be extenuating circumstances which call for a temporary or extended leave of absence from the body of the church, but these are the exceptions to the general rule.
Will the church get worse? Yes. Will it grow together with the tares even more so? Yes. Will it totally unite with the State? Possibly. Is any of this reason to leave the church or encourage anyone to leave it? No. We are not to encourage anyone to leave the church, ever. Such instructions to leave will come directly to each person from an angel of God, whose duty is to gather the elect from the four quarters of the earth. Our current duty is to encourage all people to join and remain with the church body, to grow together with the tares and to ripen themselves into wheat among the tares.
Then comes the gathering of the wheat from the tares. And then comes the gathering of the tares from the wheat. But that is another story.
LDS Anarchy 