In this article I want to continue explaining the seed that fell among thorns in the Parable of the Sower but this time, approach it from another angle.
You see, after the fallow ground of one's heart has been broken up and the seed, which is the Word of God, has taken root and begun to bear fruit, it is possible at that point, for for thorns of pride or lust to enter in, choke the Word and stop the production of good fruit.
Thats why the bible says in Proverbs 4:23
Keep thy heart with all diligence…
Keep natsar naw-tsar means watch or guard
We are to guard our heart like a prison officer might guard a prison or like a customs officer screens everything before it passes through the airport.
A similar scripture to this is 1 Peter 5:8&9
Be sober be vigilant for your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour
Vigilant gregoreuo gray-gor-yoo-o means to watch or give strict attention to
In contrast to these scriptures “thorns” in the bible are associated with slothfulness.
Proverbs 24:30
I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof…
The slothful man does not dig or prune his vineyard, rather he allows it to be “grown over” with thorns.
So too the spiritually slothful person does not “cast down imaginations…bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor.10:5), rather he allows those thought and imaginations to grow over his heart.
Why is it important to continually dig and prune and diligently keep one's heart?
Because wilful sin doesn’t just happen, there is a process leading up to it.
James 1:14&15
Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed, then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death.
Everyone experiences temptation. Temptation… is common to man (1Cor 10:13). Temptation is not sin but it can lead to sin.
When one allows lust to be conceived, that is, to take hold or take root in ones heart it WILL produce sin.
It is only a matter of time before it does, for that which is in the heart manifests itself outwardly in ones behaviour.
1 John 3:7&8
He that doth righteousness is righteous…
He that committeth sin is of the devil…
committeth is poieo poy-eh-o and means produce, bear, shoot forth
This gives us the image of a tree or plant bearing fruit.
The word Fruit in the Parable of the Sower is karpophoreo and means to bear or bring forth deeds.
Ones deeds are the outward manifestation of that which is in ones heart.
He that doeth righteousness IS righteous, he that committeth sin IS of the devil.
Good fruit is righteous deeds.
Phil. 1:11 Fruits of righteousness…
Thorns however, do not produce good fruit.
Matthew 7:16&17
Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
A heart in which lust or pride have taken root, is a corrupt heart.
This is further confirmed in Hoseah 9:6&9
…nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles.
They have deeply corrupted themselves…
Notice also how in Genesis chapter 3 after Adam and Eve had wilfully disobeyed God’s commandment and were cast out of the garden, the ground was cursed with thorns.
Vs 17&18 Because thou hast…eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee saying, thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake…thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee…
Therefore the thorny ground in Luke 8:7&14 represents a cursed and corrupt heart as apposed to the honest and good heart mentioned in verse 15.
The honest and good heart in Luke 8:15 brings forth fruit with patience.
Patience means endurance.
This is a person who endures till the end and does not fall away into sin.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation…
The seed that fell among thorns however brings no fruit to perfection.
Perfection is telesphoreo tel-es-for-eh-o and means completion. This person does NOT steadfastly endure till the end. Does NOT complete the course, rather falls away.
If there’s one thing I want you to glean from this article is the ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE that as Christians we ENDURE TILL THE END.
There is NO sin confess cycle in genuine Christianity only steadfast endurance.
Let me show you that clearly in Hebrews 6
Vs 1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection (completion) not laying again the foundation of repentance…
Repentance is part of the “first works” one does in order to become a Christian. Once having laid that foundation one doesn’t lay it again.
Vs 4-6 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame.
What did the Roman soldiers put on Christ’s head before he went to the cross? Thats right, a crown of thorns, which probably looked similar to the ‘laurel wreath’ awarded to victors in those times, therefore the crown of thorns was specifically designed to mock and humiliate Jesus or put him to an open shame.
A person who repents and is forgiven by God, then falls back into sin before seeking God’s forgiveness again, is mocking Jesus just like those Roman soldiers.
Lets continue in Hebrews 6
Vs 7&8
For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; who’s end is to be burned.
These verses allude to Genesis 3 that I read earlier, in which, after Adam and Eve sinned, the ground was cursed with thorns.
A heart that was once broken up by way of Godly sorrow and repentance and is then over-taken by “thorns” such as pride and lust to the point where it manifests wilful sin, is a cursed, corrupt heart, rejected by God and fit for destruction.
Rejected is adokimos ad-ok-ee-mos in the Greek and is translated castaway and reprobate in other parts of the bible.
The word reprobate is used in Romans 1:28
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind…
In my article about the seed that fell on a rock, I mentioned how when in a sin-confess cycle I was in danger of becoming reprobate. I want to explain briefly what I meant by that.
The meaning of reprobate
We are all born with natural instincts and appetites that make us human.
The word Flesh in the bible is sarx in the Greek and means the earthly or animal nature of man apart from divine influence
However, we are not just sarx for God has also given us a moral conscience.
John 1:9
That was the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
God is light in that he reveals truth and exposes error and he put some of this light into every man, which is why, even without hearing the ten commandments, we all know that murder is wrong.
However through hearing the Word, God further awakens our moral conscience.
Romans 7:7 …I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law said, thou shalt not covet.
This is Grace charis which means the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ...the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life...
Grace brings about Godly sorrow, a deep sense of conviction that motivates one to repent from sin and turn to God.
Resisting Grace, or pushing aside truth and the conviction it brings, ignoring ones conscience so that one may continue to sin, results in condemnation.
John 3:19
And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light…
Which ties in with perfectly with Romans 1:21
Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God…and their foolish heart was darkened.
In wilfully resisting light, their hearts were darkened or in other words the light God had placed within them, their moral conscience, was darkened.
At the same time God gave them over to a reprobate mind meaning he withdraw his divine influence and gave them up to what they truly wanted.
Vs 24 He gave them up to uncleanness thought the lusts of their own hearts
With God’s influence removed, sarx or the animal nature of man is all that remains and the result is lasciviousness meaning shameless, unbridled lust.
This may give you an idea why in Hebrews 6:4-6 it is IMPOSSIBLE for those who were once enlightened… if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance.
In order to repent one must first experience Godly sorrow and how can one experience this when one's moral conscience has been darkened and Gods divine influence removed?
This is why being in a sin-confess cycle is DEADLY DANGEROUS to ones soul and why genuine Christians MUST ENDURE TILL THE END.
If you are now worried that it may be impossible for you to get right with God, i’d like to balance Hebrew 6:4 with Mark 10:26&27
And they were astonished out of measure, saying among themselves, who then can be saved? And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible
If your conscience has been “pricked” while reading this article there is still hope, however you will need to strive, struggle, fight and endeavour with strenuous zeal to enter in that straight gate. That's what I’ve had to do.
May we each be the good ground described in Luke 8:15, experience genuine salvation, receive the Holy Spirit, produce and abundance of good fruit and ENDURE till the end.
So concludes my series on the Parable of the Sower, I hope it was enlightening for you all.
Let us each work out your own salvation with her and trembling. God bless.
