“Do not plant your vineyard with two types of seed; otherwise, the entire harvest, both the crop you plant and the produce of the vineyard, will be defiled. Do not plow with an ox and a donkey together. Do not wear clothes made of both wool and linen.” (Deuteronomy_ So what in the world does a mixture of fabric, a mixture of animals, and hybrid seeds have to do with anything spiritual? God was not talking primarily about fabric, but was giving an illustration about how harmful and dangerous mixtures can be. He was warning ahead of time about not mixing the old and the new. Jesus also warned about mixtures during His time on earth.
“He also told them a parable: “No one tears a patch from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. Otherwise, not only will he tear the new, but also the piece from the new garment will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins, it will spill, and the skins will be ruined.” (Luke_ Since the birth, sinless life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, we live in the time of the New Covenant, but it has almost become cliché—a Truth that has lost much of its meaning and significance. Because we aren’t carefully taught that a radical and final change took place on the Cross, we receive the gift of salvation, and then start sowing a mixture of the seeds of Law and Grace; “wearing” the mixed “fabrics” of God’s great forgiving love and angry judgement. When our life experience doesn’t match the expectations we have of God, in anger and disappointment we judge God unfaithful and then try to excuse our anger toward Him by trying to cover it with a “patch” of resentment that can never stretch to match His goodness and mercy.
On the Cross Jesus dealt with sin and judgement, and announced with the decisive shout, “IT IS FINISHED!!” (1 John 2:2; John 5:22,27) “And He [that same Jesus Himself] is the the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours alone but also for the sins of the whole world… Even the Father judges no one, for He has given all judgment (the last judgment and the whole business of judging) entirely into the hands of the Son…He has given Him authority and granted Him power to execute (exercise, practice) judgment because He is a Son of man.”
The Cross was the final judgement on sin. The sentencing has not yet been fully carried out, but the judging is finished.
( John_ The word ”men” has been added to this verse. It is not found in the original text. The subject of this section of Scripture is judgment. In context, instead of adding the word “men”, if they deemed it necessary to add to the text, translators should have added “judgment” so that it would read, “and I, when I am lifted up from the earth on the cross, will draw and attract all judgment to myself.” Modern translations add to the confusion by no longer using italics to identify words added later and not found in the original text. This is “mixing” or using a “patch” of the old on the new.
Infinite Grace Ministries teaches the finished work of Jesus on the Cross, and how to be free of fear of judgement. Call 580-774-2884 for an appointment today!
