“When anyone hears the word about the kingdom but doesn’t understand it… when anyone hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, but has no root, no substance of faith… when anyone hears the word, but the worries of this age and the seduction of wealth choke out the word and allows the seed to die… they will say to me on the Day of Judgement, ‘Did we not speak messages from God in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’
In return, I will say to them, “Who are you? I do not recognize your face. Get out of here.”
Hear and understand this parable. The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sows good seed in his field. My Father’s word is good seed. But while people were sleeping, the enemy comes and sows weeds among the good seed. Perhaps you have noticed weeds among those in your church. This has been a problem since the beginning of the Good News. My apostles, Paul, Peter and John, my brothers James and Jude, wrote about the weeds found among believers.
When the plants sprout and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. Though some might think it wise to pull the weeds and cast them into the fire now, in doing so, the good plants might also be uprooted. For this reason, we let both grow together until the harvest: the good seed alongside the seeds of weeds. At harvest time I will tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them.
Watch out for false teachers and preachers. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Every plant that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. These are the enemy’s seeds. By their fruit you will recognize them.
He who has ears, let him hear. Anyone who sets aside one of the least of my Father’s words and teaches others to cast aside his seed will be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. If anyone causes those who believe in me to fall into sin, it would be better for that person to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
Such individuals practice sin and are proud of it. Though such boasting grieves the Holy Spirit, these are those among you who welcome sin and encourage others to join in their wickedness.
My apostle Paul speaks of this when he says:
I wrote that you should not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. Such individuals live among you and say, ‘Everything is permissible for me.’ True, but not everything is beneficial. They say, ‘Everything is permissible for me.’ And yet you are not to be slaves to sin or mastered by anything. Your bodies are members of Christ himself. Shall you now take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
He who unites himself with me is one with me. Your body is a temple to the Holy Spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. You are not your own. You were bought with a price and that price is my life sacrificed for you.
The man who loves my Father is known by my Father. The man who loves me is known by me. You have my word. My word is the good seed. Reject the seed of the enemy and grow the seed of his word placed within you.