Wheat and Weeds

God does not physically separate out Christian institutions from non-Christian ones. Most institutions carry on with the same role. The only difference is in the way that authority is exercised within them. This is why Jesus said that we cannot see the Kingdom of God (Luke 17:20,21). The Kingdom of God is not visible, because there is not a set of Christian institutions and a separate set of non-Christian ones.

There will often be no visible difference between a Christian business and a non-Christian one. For example, a Christian joinery workshop will look the same as any other one. The staff will use the same equipment and have the same set of skills. They will often do the same tasks and produce similar products. The big difference is in the hearts of the owners and manager and the way that they exercise authority. The difference should be evident in the way they do business.

The parable of the wheat and weeds illustrates this point (Matt 13:24-43). The owner allows the wheat and the weeds to grow up together. Some Christians interpret this parable to mean that the Kingdom is never victorious, but they do not understand how crops grow. Wheat and weeds cannot grow together equally. One will always grow faster and choke out the other. If the weeds choke the wheat, the crop would not be worth harvesting. This can happen and many farmers have ploughed their “choked out” crops back into the soil.

A good crop of wheat will grow faster than the weeds, choking them out. The parable describes a good harvest, so this is what has happened. The wheat has grown better than the weeds. If good increases, evil must decrease. Jesus is describing a time when good becomes so powerful that evil is forced out of the world. There are a few weeds left, but they are so feeble that they have no impact. They are choked out by the good wheat of the Kingdom of God.

In the parable of the mustard seed, the birds come and shelter in the branches. This is because the mustard tree becomes so strong and brings peace, that even those who oppose it (the birds) see its benefits and try to get some of them. The Government of God brings such blessing that even those who hate God enjoy its benefits, even while they still hate its King.