Saints and Sinners Together

The purpose of this parable of Jesus is to show that part of the mystery of the kingdom is that it exists in the world in the lives of Christ's people who live and work with Satan's people, and this will continue until the final consummation of the Age. As George Eldon Ladd says, "The Kingdom has come, but society is not uprooted." Therefore we should not be too shocked by the ungodly behavior of those in the world around us. We should also recognize that we, too, have been infected with the mindset of the world and for that reason we need our minds renewed continuously by the Word and through the Spirit. In the End, evil powers and wicked people will be separated and sent to everlasting punishment, while God's people will be taken to live as "shining lights" in the Father's presence forever.