And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”” Matthew 13:27-30 ESV

 

Another question many sinners and even believers ask today concerns how a good God can allow all the suffering and evil in the world. The question also stems from an understanding that God is all-powerful and therefore has the ability to eradicate all sin, evil and His enemies at will. There is a lot of truth in both presuppositions above.

However, without pretending for a moment that we have complete understanding of the mystery of evil, certainly there are several helpful answers the Scriptures provide for us. Today’s text is a great example of such biblical illumination. Let us unpack it briefly.

Firstly, in this agrarian parable the Lord Jesus teaches that a premature eradication of “weeds” risks also uprooting “wheat”. When you really think about this in light of the fact that all of us have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), the implications become crystal clear. Note also that, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned-every one-to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

Therefore an untimely attempt to remove all “evil”‘from the world would automatically wipe away the bulk, if not the entirety, of humanity! That obviously means you and I would NOT be spared.

Yet God is not willing that anyone should perish, but desires that ALL of us come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved (see 1 Tim 2:4). God is giving the world He loved so much that He gave it His only Son enough time to repent (see 2 Peter 3:9; John 3:16).

Dear friend, please understand that God, in His infinite knowledge and wisdom, shall tie up all loose ends AT HARVEST TIME. It’s a question of timing. Our God is not blind to all the sin, evil and pain in the world. At the right time He shall make all things beautiful once again in His time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4).

God’s so-called “allowing” of evil is actually a mark of His great patience and kindness towards millions of people who would otherwise spend eternity in hell. So in a sense, YOU are the reason why God seems to be “allowing” evil in the world. Why do I say this?

Firstly, because if you’re still a sinner, God is giving you another opportunity to repent before Judgment Day. On the other hand, if you’re already saved by grace through faith in Christ, divine “harvesters” await the Master’s orders lest you would be cleaned out with the “weeds”. This apparent divine delay is a double-edged sword: an invitation to sinners and protection of the saints. To God be the glory!

Pastor Josh