Does the Bible Address the Differences Between the Two Kingdoms?
by Tom Denlinger – vocalist for SARDONYX
Most definitely! If you are a follower of Jesus Christ and have been gifted with the art of making music, I plead with you to read and consider this word for you today. There is nothing more important than how you use the gift that He gave you. I pray His WISDOM and DISCERNMENT over you today – in Jesus’ Name.
PLEASE: Make sure you form your opinions about this debate from your time spent alone with the Father (as Jesus did) listening or reading His Word and asking Him to reveal His heart to you. How you represent the Father is critical. How you use your gift that He gave you will determine your reward when you stand before Him someday. This topic is HUGE. Please read on.
Consider this from Matthew 13: 24-30.
“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
INTERPRETATION? If Jesus would have left it at that, some of us would have still been scratching our heads. But later in the same chapter (verses 36-43) He explained the parable. As you read His words, ASK the Father for WISDOM on how this applies to you.
“Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
So we see Jesus explaining to His disciples that there are two kingdoms that are being sown:
SONS OF THE KINGDOM (being sown by Jesus, Himself)
vs.
SONS OF THE WICKED ONE (being sown by Satan)
Could this be any more clear in this debate?
Food for thought: 1 John 3:8 says that Jesus Christ came to destroy the work of the devil. In John 14, Jesus taught His disciples that He was leaving them but was sending His Holy Spirit to abide with them SO THAT they could continue on the work that He started. Verse 12 says:
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”
So what should mark the life of a musician today who is also a follower of Jesus Christ? Will there be a difference in their life? their art? their message? their motivations?