Don't be a Tare!

 

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. Matthew 13:30

 

What is a Tare?  A tare is a weed that looks just like Wheat but there are two major differences.

 

• A Tare bears no fruit (no wheat kernal)
• At Harvest Time, The Tares stand tall  

When Wheat is ready for Harvest, the Wheat stalks bend over as if they were bowing before the King in humility while the tares remain standing tall in pride.  What a wonderful picture of true and false Christians! Remember tares are NOT unbelievers. These are people who profess Christ, who look just like Christians. They go to church, they sing worship songs, they may even volunteer. But they have NO Fruit and they have never truly bowed before the King of Kings! 

So how do you spot a Tare?

 

They profess to know God, to recognize, perceive, and be acquainted with Him, but deny and disown and renounce Him by what they do; they are detestable and loathsome, unbelieving and disobedient and disloyal and rebellious, and unfit and worthless for good work of any kind.
But  you, teach what is fitting and becoming to sound wholesome doctrine, the character and right living that identify true Christians. Titus 1:16-Titus 2:1

 

Notice in the above Scripture  that you spot a false Christian by their actions and by fruit.  The Apostle Paul encourages Titus to teach good doctrine, good character and right living. These are visible and tangible deeds and works and visible qualities of character. And when we see them, we know this is a true Christian. 

So works are important. Lifestyle is important. Character is important. They do not save you. We are saved only by Grace through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. BUT they are evidence of our salvation. Without them, no court of law would convict you of being a Christian! I've run into countless "Christians" who produce zero evidence that their hearts are changed or that the Holy Spirit lives within them. Some of these people have been elders in the church, some even pastors, and Bible Study leaders!

 

What is the use, my brethren, for anyone to profess to have faith if he has no good works to show for it? Can such faith save his soul? James 2:14 

There are so many tares among today's Christians, it frightens me. If they don't repent and turn to Jesus, they will end up in hell, weeping and gnashing their teeth because they were there! They were so close! They knew the Gospel message, but they spurned the One who could have saved them. 

Don't be a tare!  How do you know if you're a true Christian? If the Holy Spirit lives within you, He will begin the work of sanctifying you, changing your heart, your thoughts, your priorities, even your desires. He will convict you of sin, teach you, comfort you, and guide you on the right path. For me this meant that things I enjoyed before I got saved, I no longer enjoyed. Sins I thought were fun suddenly became loathsome to me. I had a strange desire and thirst to read the Bible, to spend time listening to sermons, praying. Over the course of time, I began to see my own faults, weaknesses and sins and all my past mistakes. It made me sick to my stomach and fall on my knees before God in humility and repentance. I no longer had a desire for sin. In truth, it repulsed me. I could no longer listen to certain music or watch certain movies and TV. I wanted to know Jesus more and more. This is all the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit, preparing us to be the spotless bride of Christ. It doesn't happen all of a sudden after you get saved. It depends on the person and how much they are willing to submit to Jesus. It could take months or years, but if we continually submit and are obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit, it will happen! 

 

I love this description from David Wilkerson's Hungry for More of Jesus as he describes what a real Christian looks like:

They are becoming increasingly distant from the world and its pleasures. They are becoming heavenly minded, their spiritual senses exercised, their discernment increasing. The older they get, the hungrier they grow for Christ. They break loose from all earthly attachments, and with growing intensity they long to be with Jesus in His glory. For them, to die is gain because the ultimate prize is to be called into His presence and remain at His side forevermore. It is not heaven these believers seek, but Jesus in His Glory 

 

If you profess to be a Christian but are seeing none of these things in your life, it's not too late. Bow before Jesus, repent, submit yourself to Him, ask Him to fill you with His Spirit and then praise Him for His grace and mercy. You do NOT want to be left behind when He comes and He's coming soon!