What is the meaning of the Parable of the Sower?
Matthew 13:3 - 9
ESV - 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.
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Asked July 01 2013
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Anonymous (via GotQuestions)
For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Danny Hickman
There's a tendency by many in the church to try to determine whether the people claiming to be born again are "truly" born again. I think, that they think, that they're doing a good thing by alerting everyone to the possibility that many might just "think" they are saved and aren't really. They use scriptures like 2 Cor 13:5, Paul saying 'examine yourselves to see if you are in the faith.' And Matt 7:22 'didn't we.. do many works in your name,' and Jesus answers 'depart from Me, I never knew you. And these: "You will recognize them by their fruits." "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom..." These all make "christian police" of some of the "law abiding" congregation. What is overlooked is that every person could join that police force and begin to accuse every other person of only belonging to the church and not to the Lord. The result is the "artificial fruit" that leads to "depart from Me."
That ought not be. It has caused people to join ministries and do all sorts of things to try and "bear fruit" that proves they are born again. They fail to heed Matt 7:22.. What looks like proof to us doesn't matter. Also, the ones who examine others could be missing what Paul said. He said examine "yourselves." I've never heard anyone use that verse on "themselves."
Truth: Being born again is a matter of confessing your sin. After that, you are a new creation (2 Cor 5:17); you are "in Christ," whether you "bear fruit" or not. Fruit is a cherry on top.
Danny Hickman
The popular view is that you
"MUST bear fruit, and if you don't it's more likely than not that your salvation is not authentic. You just had a moment of regret and there was no real change. There should be a marked change if "true" repentance occurred."
That sounds biblical in one respect, but it isn't. There is only one repentance, and it is "true" repentance. There's only one sorrow, and it's "true" sorrow. Sorrow equals regret, disappointment due to loss. With repentance the conscience gets involved, but not with sorrow or regret.
Therein is the disconnect; the tendency to misunderstand "repentance." To repent is to change your thoughts, your mind about a thing.
Ex 13:17 introduced "repent" to the lexicon, the bible story. After Pharaoh let the people go, God didn't lead the people the near way, the way of the land of the Philistines, for God said, "The people "repent" (might change their minds) when they see war." This is irony; the first use of the word "repent" is that God didn't want His people to repent (have a change of heart)...
Repentance NEEDS TO LEAD TO a change of behavior to offer the full reward of its work. The gospel ignites repentance (A change of heart for sin). Behavioral change might be minimal. Spiritual change (internal) is where the real war begins. Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart (1 Sam 16:7).
Church "chemistry" will change and reform will result in improvements when this is taught instead of "the law."