(Please refer to the last two devotionals and also read Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43.) In our last study we saw that Jesus’ parable of wheat and weeds existing side by side in the kingdom describes a church that is mixed. It contains both genuine, regenerate Christians and people who are not. The parable addresses what we should do when we recognize non-believers in our midst. By nature weeds are weeds and shall never become wheat, but these weeds are to be left in the field (church) lest the wheat (true Christians) be injured in the process of their removal.

When Paul wrote in Romans 9:6 “For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel,” he described the same situation. Israel was God’s covenant community, and yet not all within that community were truly saved; true spiritual Israel or spiritual Jews as he wrote in Romans 2:28-29. In the same way, not all in the outward, visible church belong to the inner, invisible church. Yet they are still a part of the covenant community. These “weeds,” as it were, may well make a profession of faith, be baptized, partake of communion, attend church regularly, and look the part of a genuine Christian. Yet inwardly there is no true faith and repentance. On the other hand, they may attend church or be a part of a Christian family and not profess faith as such. Still they have a direct involvement with the covenant community. People like this are in a unique position. They are not identified totally with the world; on the other hand, they seem to be identified with Christians. They hear the word that is delivered to God’s covenant people and often live a life-style that God prescribes for them. The parable simply says to us that we should expect this situation and let it be.

Similarly Paul writes in 1 Cor. 7:14 that an unbelieving husband is sanctified by his believing wife and their children are holy. What does sanctify mean here? Just what we have said. They sustain a relationship to the covenant community without actually being saved. Their removal would disrupt families and congregations. Let them alone, and God will settle the matter at the judgment. And how do we know but that one day what we thought was a weed we shall find out was really wheat all along when that person comes to genuine faith?