___________________________________________________

THE PARABLE OF THE SOILS

Matthew. 13:3-9, 18-23, 24-30, 36-43

Introduction

There comes a time when we all should question our salvation. Not to produce doubt, but to clarify our relationship with Christ. The Apostle Paul admonished all professors of Jesus Christ to "examine [themselves] to see if [they] are in the faith (1 Corinthians 13:5)."

There are many people according to Jesus that profess to be Christians that are not, and have never been though they say and think they are. Someone wrote a hymn many years ago that says "everybody talking about heaven ain’t going there" and that’s true. Therefore, this study was constructed to examine a parable of Jesus that will help us to understand why approximately three out of every four people that profess to be Christians are in fact not.

Characteristics of the Soils (Various Interpretations)

(1) The four soils represent four Christians who are given the task of spreading the gospel around the world, but only one becomes fruitful.

(2) The four soils represent all those who have received Christ as Savior and Lord, but three of them become carnal, backbiters, and are lost. (In this view the people that do not produce fruit lose their salvation. (The question is were they ever saved in the first place?)

(3) All four soils receive the word of God, but only one of them is a true Christian the other three are not.

Note: It is the final view that is the correct viewpoint due to the fact that Luke 8:12 makes it clear that the issue Matthew raises relates to salvation and not fruit bearing. The fruit bearing process represents whether a person is truly saved or not.

Luke 8:12 reads NASB

"And those beside the road are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and be saved."

So they obviously were not saved even though they had received or heard the word of God.

I. Characteristics of the Soils

(1) Each soil is described as person

(Personal pronouns prove this point)

V19 "When anyone," "his heart"

V20 "This is the man"

V21 "Himself," "he falls away"

V22 "This is the man"

V23 "This is the man"

(2) Each soil received the seed

Here’s where it becomes troublesome. Many believe that the people in this passage received the seed and since the seed is the word of God therefore, that means they are saved. Not so—it means they just received the seed! Such scrutiny might help us to be more cautious about a term we use in our society when we ask someone have they received Christ as Savior and Lord. Now while it is proper based on John 1:12 where it says, "to as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God…" to assume that people are Christians because they say they have received Christ, it does not automatically mean that that person is a true believer. Why? Because a person’s receptivity of the word of God does not necessarily mean that the individual is saved.

(3) Each soil heard the word

Verses 19-23 indicate by the phrase "heard the word" that each person heard. However, just because a person hears the presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ does not mean that they are saved.

(4) Only one produces fruit v.22

There is no fruit in three of the four soils.

(5) The soils all look alike when the sower sows the seed

In ancient sowing sometimes there’s a bag that is attached to the outer edge of the sower’s garment. The sower scatters seeds on the surface of the soil however, he does not know the depth of the soil.

(6) There are three kinds of soil

Wayside is what can be seen alongside of the road and deals with the shelving of rock, which just happens to be all over the land of Israel. There can be soil on the top of that rock while the shelving of rock is underneath it. Normally, if seeds are thrown on the top of this type of soil, they do not take root, and consequently birds come and quickly pick them out.

Likewise stony place soil is soil that contains stones underneath it, but again cannot be detected by the naked eye. So the seeds can seep down in the soil and something will spring up, but it will never bear any fruit due to the fact that there is no depth. Therefore, when the sun comes up it scorches the plant and it dies.

In thorny place soil a farmer plants seeds and thorns spring up and literally cut the grain off so that it will never produce fruit. When it grow it looks like it will produce fruit, but it does not.

The bottom-line is the soils look alike when the sower sows the seeds, but in actuality are not.

Commentary on Appearance

Now appearance can be very deceiving as it relates to Christianity. Why? Due to the fact that there are true Christians that look and act like unbelievers and there are unbelievers that look and act like Christians. For example, people could prove that their pets are Christians because they don’t smoke or drink or hang around people that do. Therefore, we should be very careful of what we say about someone’s appearance. Man looks on the outward appearance God looks on the heart—and we don’t know. Some may say concerning certain people that profess Christ "well he or she does not act like a Christian." I believe we should act like a Christian, but many times what we’re using as the criteria for Christianity an unbeliever can do also.

(7) The soils can appear to be truly producing fruit

A tare looks like wheat and only the skillful eye of a careful farmer can tell the difference. A lot of people can look like they are Christians, but not really have any depth or fruit—and will never and cannot bear any fruit because when the sun comes up it withers and proves that it isn’t a real plant that’s going to produce fruit.

II. Causes Behind Crop Failure

There are three of them…the soils that did not produce any fruit. The reasons why they did not are as follows:

(1) Insufficient Application (v.19 - wayside)

The one that has the wayside soil is said to "not understanding" of what he hears in contrast to the one that "does understand" in verse 23 of Matthew chapter 13.

Now the word "understand" in English can mean many different things. Its normal usage describes the idea of knowing or comprehending something. However, the Greek word "suniemi" that is used for the English "understand" in Matthew 23:13 conveys the idea of "bringing together." It’s interesting to note that at the end of Jesus’ dialogue about the parable of the soils in Matthew 13:51, He asks His disciples if they "understood" all the things He had just discussed with them. The word "understood" is the same Greek word "suniemi" used for "understand" in Matthew 13:23.

Another example of the usage of the Greek word "suniemi" is found in Acts 7:25 where Stephen is giving a sermon recounting the story of Moses. The scripture says

"And he (Moses) supposed that his brethren understood (here’s the word we are analyzing) that God was granting them deliverance through him; but they did not understand (here’s the word again)."

Beloved allow me to ask you a question. Do you think that the children of Israel heard that Moses was to deliver them out of the land of Egypt? The answer is absolutely! Was there any doubt in anybody’s mind that Moses believed that God was going to use him to take Israel out of Egypt? The answer is no! Why? Because they all heard Moses. Did the children of Israel understand Moses correctly that he was going to lead them and take them out of Egypt? Yes! Then what is the meaning of understand in Acts 7:25? The answer is the children of Israel did not believe Moses.

Beloved the word, "understand" is critical to salvation. It means much more than just exposure or agreement with the facts of the gospel or mere intellectual assent since a person can hear the message of the gospel, but deep down in the recesses of their heart that no one sees but God lays unbelief. Many accept Jesus Christ for fire insurance or because they are terrified of going to hell but do not really believe that Jesus died for your sins. Belief in the gospel is more than simply head knowledge regarding the facts; it is a persuasion in your heart that it is true.

Romans 3:11 states "there is none who understands." The word "understands" is the same Greek word "suniemi." Another example of this word is found in Ephesians 5:17 where it says "so then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And to not be drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit." This passage is not talking about a preacher expounding on the scriptures about the will of God and a person hearing that sermon. Paul is talking about a lifestyle that’s godly and controlled by the Holy Spirit instead of involved with sinful practice. Ephesians 5:17 then becomes a good example for the word "understand" for if we truly understand what the will of the Lord is then we are going to exemplify it in our lives. So it not only means to believe it but it means that we are committed to do with it what we say we believe. So what is one of the reasons people are not Christians who think they are, insufficient application. We go through the motions just in case the Christians are right, but we don’t really believe it. We don’t live it and don’t really intend to live it. Friends there are many people that live in the world today that have insufficient application…are you one of them?

2 Corinthians 13:5 says "examine yourself to see if you are in the faith."

(2) Emotional Instability (v.20, 21 - stony places)

(A) At first the immediate response appears to be genuine

Tears accompany many apparent conversions, but oftentimes fruit is not produced in the life of the person that cries.

This culture seeks emotional experience. For example, when a couple gets married they vow to be totally devoted and committed to one another until either spouse dies or the Lord returns. However, have you notice that more people are getting divorced these days? Why is that? Well, the primary reason is due to "irreconcilable differences," which is really just a sophisticated euphemism used to describe "unresolved conflict." Others divorce because in their mind they believe that the thrill is gone! Oftentimes couples that find themselves in these types of situations say that they don’t "love each other anymore," and soon their commitment to one another dies as well. Well, I would submit a challenge to every married person reading this study that when you get to the point in your marriage when you do not feel love toward your spouse anymore is when you need to reaffirm your commitment to them as well as deepen the quality of your relationship.

Another words, when the emotional charge begins to disappear in your marriage that is not the time to bail out, but to get tough. Why? Because if you do not "hang in there" you could setting yourself up for a pattern and lifestyle of shallowness that totally relates to life on the basis of how you feel or what you experience—and most people like this are short term.

People emotions cannot be trusted. Therefore, waiting to feel something in order to confirm a situation is dangerous because feelings run the gambit! For instance, some people question their salvation because they don’t feel that they are saved however, when asked, "What is it that they think they should feel?" the usual response is that they "want to feel good." But exactly what does it mean to feel good? A person can feel good when they exercise and feel bad when they don’t. Does that mean that they are not exercising regularly? Of course not!

Christians while examining ourselves to see if we are truly saved is good for clarity sake, it should not be done just on the basis of feelings alone because they cannot be trusted. Also realize that there is a hunger in this world to find purpose and meaning and it is all related to whether or not people experience something or not. Purpose, meaning, value, and self-esteem come from the Lord. The answer to these issues is not wrapped up in our ability to understand "who we are." Nevertheless, the bible tells us exactly who we are…sinners—yet God loves us anyway (Romans 3:11). As Christians, it is only when we do what is right in the sight of God that we will truly feel good. However, when we do what is bad we will always feel bad (Genesis 4:3-7). Furthermore, the bible teaches that the Holy Spirit resides in every believer that has placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. It also teaches that the Holy Spirit is a person (John 16:7-15) and that He can be grieved (Ephesians 4:30) and insulted (Hebrews 10:29). Galatians 5:17 teaches that He (the Holy Spirit) lusts against our sinful desires while James 4:5 instructs that He "yearns jealously" over us because He dwells within us. Well if when we sin it causes these types of responses by the Holy Spirit, how then can we really expect to feel good. Always remember we are not to feel our way into good behavior, but to behave our way into a good feeling.

(B) But after careful analysis it becomes obvious that the necessary roots are missing

(1) No depth of earth v.5

(2) No root in himself v.21

(3) The specific reason it does not endure v.21:

Persecution and affliction arises they bounce

At first many are excited, but as soon as a little struggle comes along like a pastor falling into sin, losing your job or not being able to find a spouse they are nowhere to be found.

III. Materialistic Pursuits (v22 – Thorny ground)

(A) The presence of growth is misleading

Something was choked because something grew that looked like fruit

(B) The Problems:

(1) The cares of this world

The word "care" in Greek means to divide as in allegiance, to be distracted, and is also translated as anxiety. What the text basically means is that a person is more focused on the world and less on eternity and the Lord. What are you laying up treasures for?

Where do your commitments really lay?

(2) The deceitfulness of riches

1 Timothy 6:6-11,17-19

These verses teach that Christians should have a real grasp on what counts for eternity and not be proud and super confident about the things of this world that will soon pass away. It is unfortunate that many so-called Christians are materialistic and do not have an eternal perspective on life. Instead they have become critical of those who do often saying that to be "heavenly minded is no earthly good."

CHRISTIANS WAKE-UP!!! PEOPLE IN MATTHEW 13 WITH INSUFFICIENT APPLICATION, EMOTIONAL INSTABILITY, AND WHO PURSUE MATERIALISM ARE NOT CHRISTIANS THOUGH THEY INDEED LOOK LIKE THEY ARE.

IV. Conclusions

(1) Human response varies from person to person.

True believers will often look like those who merely profess to be Christians and vice versa, for example, the weed and the tares (Matthew 13:24-30). Some Christians look like non-Christians and some non-Christians look like Christians. If the parable applies to the percentage of people in any given generation who outwardly receive Christ by outward public profession (and this is an assumption), then it means that only 1 out of every 4 people who apparently appear to be Christians are in fact really Christians. There are millions of people (on the surface) that profess to be Christians, but the more (in depth) those professions are examined in light of bible the numbers become quite dismal. I wonder how many people reading this study claim, profess, and assume to be Christians, but in fact are not? We all need to take second look!

(2) Mere outward profession is never enough.

Though we try to get people to walk the aisles, pray a certain formula or sign a card that states they received Christ on a certain day and time does not mean they are automatically saved.

(3) Agreement or exposure to the facts does not guarantee conversion.

Just because you have heard the word and received the seed does not mean that you are saved.

(4) Commitment is desperately needed.

The word "FAITH" as a verb in Greek is the word "pestuo", which means to BELIEVE. It does not mean mere intellectual assent nor does it mean emotional experience. However, it always means total trust and absolute commitment.

When you say that you BELIEVE in Christ do you really understand what you are saying? Do you TRUST the finish work of Jesus Christ on the cross? Do you BELIEVE that Jesus died and paid for every sin that you could ever committed in your life? Do you BELIEVE that He is alive and not dead and rose from the dead and coming back? You not only BELIEVE it, but you are TRUSTING your eternal salvation to that work of Christ alone. You not only TRUST it, but you have COMMITTED your life, future, and eternity to someone whom you have never seen with your physical eyes but you read about in the bible. People that is SALVATION and that is the only thing that brings the FRUIT of salvation.