Parable of the Talents: The harvest of the weeds

[Bob Carabbio]

You're being tested.

Yup, every day. The Bible says so.

The mark of the beast is a test. Getting out of the way of harvests (big wars) is another series of tests.

In my opinion, the complete chapter of Matthew 25 is about tests:

1. Parable of the wise and foolish virgins: The fake Jesus (false prophet) comes and fools the people who take the mark.
2. Parable of the talents: Avoid the harvests (big wars) or be killed.
3. Sheep/Goat: A goat is anyone who took the mark.

SO how are you doing, trying to earn your salvation, and ignoring Scripture.

 

[civic]

Yep! Reminds me of the focus on just what is the Mark of the Beast. —If a person even KNOWS AND RECOGNIZES it when it comes, what is there to make a person think he will be able to avoid it, if he has the habit of disobedience?

Agreed. And this coming from a pretribber

 

[Josheb]

I did.

The evidence proves otherwise.


The question was,

Would you please provide the verse in 1 Corinthians 5 that explicitly states saved people are "left behind"?

The answer to that question is, "There is no such verse." The phrase "left behind" does not exist in 1 Corinthians 5, not does either word, "left" or "behind." Neither do the words, "remain," "stay," or "surviving." In point of fact the only mention of salvation is verse 5 and that is about a person still living at the time the epistle was written and how that congregation should handle the persistent sinner. It is not evident that person is already saved! He's a congregant but may or may not be saved. He will be saved if he is handed over to satan for the sinner's salvation on the day of judgment (not on any day when some are left behind. Is it possible for a saved person to be saved twice? How then would an already saved sinner be handed over to the adversary for the purpose of that sinner's salvation? (See also Heb. 6:6 and 1 Jn. 3:6).

No leaving behind anywhere in that chapter. The entire chapter is about how the Christians of the first century were to handle those who do not repent, and its end is a single conclusion: "Remove the wicked man from among yourselves." Remove the wicked man from the ecclesia, remove him from "those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

You missed it as you are unable to see how what God commands of the church to do; to excommunicate and therefore not even to eat with those unrepentant brothers, so will God do for the Marriage Supper above.

Hmmm... I miss things, you know it and I don't, AND I am blind.....

Or do you believe God can be a hypocrite?

...AND I'll fall for a non sequitor red herring.


Please keep the posts about the posts and not the posters.

 

[Josheb]

Where I have heard it so focused on, is in Dispensationalist teaching. I'm working within their parameters; my remarks are concerning the fact that even if they are able to know it for what it is, what makes them think they have the will to avoid it, if the focus is all about prophecy and not about Christ, or at least, walking with Christ. These people who think they have the freedom of will to do such a thing remind of those who think they can sin all they want and plan to repent on their deathbed.

Yep. I was jesting previously (hence the winking emoticon).

I completely agree with you. If the events described in Matthew 24-25 are still in our future, then they are so egregious in nature that they cannot and will not be missed by those 1) knowledgeable of the signs and 2) indwelt with the Spirit. This necessarily means those who are chronically exclaiming signs that are interpretive in any way are making false claims. When it occurs from this in positions of leadership or authority it makes them false teachers. Given the 100% fail-rate of Dispensational Premillennialists over the last 180 years EVERYONE should know the problem, know the solution, recognize the false teachers and avoid them (like the plague), and uniformly rebuke them in unison.

Of the five prevailing eschatological positions one of the few positions four of the five share in common is the utter (but respectful) disdain for Dispensationalism.


All see how difficult it is for the futurist who authored this op to answer some of the most valid, relevant, and basic questions related to the timing of the talent's parable, questions that should have been asked before reading the parable and answers that should have been known before doing so, too.

 

[ChristB4us]

The evidence proves otherwise.

I cannot help you see the truth in His words that as God commands the church to do, He will do it for the Marriage Supper in Heaven.

Leaving believers behind is His excommunication and the whys of it is the same whys the church is supposed to do this as it is His commandment.

Matthew 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

Luke 12:40 Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. 41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all? 42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season? 43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. 44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. 45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;

46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers. <--- God's excommunication being performed

47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. 49 I am come to send fire on the earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled? <---- Addressing those left behind as still His servants as they are being punished by the measure of knowledge they had for not being ready but found in unrepentant iniquity.

1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. <--- God's excommunication as warned by Paul.

Revelation 2:18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 19 I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. 20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. 21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. <----- God's excommunication.

23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. 24 But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. 25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.

 

[makesends]

If the events described in Matthew 24-25 are still in our future, then they are so egregious in nature that they cannot and will not be missed by those 1) knowledgeable of the signs and 2) indwelt with the Spirit. This necessarily means those who are chronically exclaiming signs that are interpretive in any way are making false claims. When it occurs from this in positions of leadership or authority it makes them false teachers. Given the 100% fail-rate of Dispensational Premillennialists over the last 180 years EVERYONE should know the problem, know the solution, recognize the false teachers and avoid them (like the plague), and uniformly rebuke them in unison.

You say, "This necessarily means those who are chronically exclaiming signs that are interpretive in any way are making false claims."

I have never really pursued, before now, the logical sequence leading to "they are false teachers". I thought only that Dispensationalists are hyperfocused madmen at worst. And at best, simply misled or misunderstanding, bonded to a worldview, past which they can't see. But, I think, you have a point.

Problem is, I know many of them personally, grew up with them and among them, and once considered myself one of them (with certain reservations where it just didn't make sense to me). I love these people, and you may have heard me say, that in spite of their theology, in the end, they are true believers, evidenced, if by nothing else, the fact that when they pray, they pray as Reformed/Calvinists do.

There is an out for me, though, in what you say: "...chronically exclaiming signs...". Those I knew did not do that, did not claim to necessarily know just where we were in the timeline. But, yeah, the ones on TV that say this or that event is God's judgement on America, and Jesus is returning within the next x years, and so on —I can't even watch them anymore, for the bile rising in my throat.

 

[Josheb]

I cannot help you see the truth...

And I cannot help you refrain from fallacious reasoning that insinuates blindness in others. Ad hominems are always wrong. In the future, please keep the posts about the posts and not the posters.


Thank you for your time.

 

[ChristB4us]

And I cannot help you refrain from fallacious reasoning that insinuates blindness in others. Ad hominems are always wrong. In the future, please keep the posts about the posts and not the posters.


Thank you for your time.

I understand your point of view & why you would say what you share from the scriptures even though I believe you are not rightly dividing the word of truth and I shared why since scripture cannot go against scripture, but you do not seem to see my rightly dividing the word of truth for why I say what I had applied from other scriptures because you do not address those scriptures for why I say what I say.

If you believe I am wrong, then rightly divide the word of truth for what those scriptures I had shared is actually talking about.

But as it is, we are at an impasse for which I admit Biblically, I am powerless to help you as the discussion is not progressing forward by Him.

1 Corinthians 3:5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.

So either the Lord lead you to rightly divide the word of truth in post # 45 or we will have to wait until He does lead you or someone else to do it for me and thus for us in order for the discussion to progress forward in His iron sharpen iron ministry that is His to do.

 

[Josheb]

I have never really pursued, before now, the logical sequence leading to "they are false teachers". I thought only that Dispensationalists are hyperfocused madmen at worst.

LOL!

And at best, simply misled or misunderstanding, bonded to a worldview, past which they can't see.

That's why I use the word "false" and not "lie." I used to call them all liars but there's a difference between a false teacher and a liar. A falsehood is simply something that is factually incorrect. A lie is a factually incorrect statement made knowingly and with intent to deceive.

I do believe some Dispensational Premillennialists are liars, but I think most simply teach falsely don't realize it. I'd put Camping and Lindsay in the liars Camp. Both were confronted with their falsehoods on more than one occasion, and both persisted unrepentantly and for gross profit. Darby was misguided and appears to have had some stronghold in which he was bound because he kept moving from sect to sect to sect until he established his own (and he called it the Extreme Brethren).

Also, a Dispensationalist can teach on any number of biblical topics and be correct or orthodox, but when it comes to eschatology the the model propagates a plethora of false teachers and no other eschatology does that to the frequency, severity, or duration found in Dispensationalism.

But, I think, you have a point.

I do that sometimes .

Problem is, I know many of them personally, grew up with them and among them, and once considered myself one of them (with certain reservations where it just didn't make sense to me). I love these people, and you may have heard me say, that in spite of their theology, in the end, they are true believers, evidenced, if by nothing else, the fact that when they pray, they pray as Reformed/Calvinists do.

As I just said, they have something correct. We all believe humanity is sinful and in need of salvation, God exists, and His resurrected Son is the only means by which anyone can have salvation from sin.

Unless that sinner is a Jew when Jesus comes.

There is an out for me, though, in what you say: "...chronically exclaiming signs...". Those I knew did not do that, did not claim to necessarily know just where we were in the timeline. But, yeah, the ones on TV that say this or that event is God's judgement on America, and Jesus is returning within the next x years, and so on —I can't even watch them anymore, for the bile rising in my throat.

Perhaps, but are they guilty of complicity? If I were dispensational and I heard a Dispensationalist teacher make a false prognostication (however vague or qualified it might be) I'd speak up and say that is incorrect. Similarly, if I heard that teacher maker such an error repeatedly then I'd tell my kin not to listen to that teacher's teaching on eschatology. Staying silent is a problem.

 

[makesends]

LOL!

That's why I use the word "false" and not "lie." I used to call them all liars but there's a difference between a false teacher and a liar. A falsehood is simply something that is factually incorrect. A lie is a factually incorrect statement made knowingly and with intent to deceive.

I do believe some Dispensational Premillennialists are liars, but I think most simply teach falsely don't realize it. I'd put Camping and Lindsay in the liars Camp. Both were confronted with their falsehoods on more than one occasion, and both persisted unrepentantly and for gross profit. Darby was misguided and appears to have had some stronghold in which he was bound because he kept moving from sect to sect to sect until he established his own (and he called it the Extreme Brethren).

Also, a Dispensationalist can teach on any number of biblical topics and be correct or orthodox, but when it comes to eschatology the the model propagates a plethora of false teachers and no other eschatology does that to the frequency, severity, or duration found in Dispensationalism.

I do that sometimes .

As I just said, they have something correct. We all believe humanity is sinful and in need of salvation, God exists, and His resurrected Son is the only means by which anyone can have salvation from sin.

Unless that sinner is a Jew when Jesus comes.

Perhaps, but are they guilty of complicity? If I were dispensational and I heard a Dispensationalist teacher make a false prognostication (however vague or qualified it might be) I'd speak up and say that is incorrect. Similarly, if I heard that teacher maker such an error repeatedly then I'd tell my kin not to listen to that teacher's teaching on eschatology. Staying silent is a problem.

Amen that! I have a real problem with something like that last you mention, in those who are combative for the sake of Dispensationalism, as though it is their very religion, and not just a timeline arrangement, yet, when they hear other dispensationalists claim things you mentioned above, they go silent, though Scripture is explicit about false prophecy.

 

[Marilyn C]

Matthew 25:14-30 - Parable of the Talents

I know you can read and understand, so line-by-line analysis seems unnecessary. I want to go next level.

In the parable of the talents, we find Christians caught up in the harvest of the weeds. One type of Christian (the 1-talent group) does not escape the harvest and is killed.

Jesus came to confirm the promises to Israel not the B/C for that had NOT been revealed.

`Now I say that Jesus has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, TO CONFIRM THE PROMISES made to the fathers. `(Rom. 15: 8)