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Day By Day In The Christian Life #16 Parable Sower Seeds Often Misread
C) THE SEED SOWN AMONG THE THORNS
1) APPLICABLE VERSES
a) [Mt 13:7, 20-22]:
(v. 7) "Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
(v. 20) The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
(v. 21) But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, quickly he falls away.
"he falls away" = "skandalizetai," he falls away from the faith he expressed which saved him unto eternal life.
(v. 22) The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful."
b) [Compare Mk 4:5-6, 16-17]:
(v. 5) "Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
(v. 6) But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root."
c) [Compare Lk 8:13-14]:
(v. 13) "Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away.
"aphistantai" = "They fall away," present, middle voice, indicative mood.
(v. 14) The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature."
2) BELIEVERS WHO DO NOT PERSEVERE IN THEIR FAITH WILL LIVE UNFRUITFUL LIVES
"but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful" =
Here again is an indication that the individual became a born again believer because verse 7 of Mt 13 indicates that the seed did begin to grow but got choked out. So verses 7 and 22 of Mt 13 indicate that the individual had the potential of doing something fruitful with the word but failed on account of worldly concerns. Consider that only true believers have the potential to be fruitful with the word of God.
a) Compare Eph 2:8-10]:
(v. 8) "For it is by grace you have been saved [permanently: pres. + perfect participle], through faith - and this [salvation] not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -
(v. 9) not by works, so that no one can boast.
(v. 10) For we [believers, (vv. 8-9)] are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us [believers] to do."
Unbelievers can do nothing to please God, they have no potential of this nature at all:
b) [Ro 8:8]:
"Those controlled by the sin nature cannot please God"
D) THE SEED SOWN ON GOOD SOIL
1) APPLICABLE VERSES
a) [Mt 13:8, 23]:
(v. 8) "Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
(v. 23) And the one on whom seed was sown on the good ground, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit, and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty."
b) [Mk 4:20]:
"Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, [i.e., believe in it unto eternal life] and produce a crop-thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."
c) [Compare Lk 8:15]:
"But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop."
Last and most productive is the believer who bears fruit. First he must believe in order to be enabled to produce fruitfully. Cf: Eph 2:8-10 indicates first to be saved by faith not by works; then one is to perform good works, (v. 10), once one is permanently saved unto eternal life. As Mk 4:20 says "hear the word, accept it".
But that is not the end of the Christian life, it is only the beginning, one must persevere in that faith so that one will produce godly fruit. So each believer has the opportunity, (but not the certainty), to produce fruit; and will do so in accordance with his faithfulness, as Lk 8:15 says "those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop." And Mt 13:23 indicates different productivities: "some a hundredfold, some sixty and some thirty."
Although all believers are indeed directed by God to maximize their lives on earth in faithful divine good work production, (Eph 2:10), notice that some are not as faithful as others. Thus believers do have their unfaithful moments as well, but none are indicated here as in danger of losing their salvation. As a matter of fact, specific productivity levels are often dependent upon God's sovereignty and not man's response.
In the parable of the Talents we have such a concept presented:
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