Are you Elect ? - The parable of the sower of the seed. BV
Having posted ample evidence to prove that men are not the ones who do the choosing but rather Christ Himself, one very common question must enter into every man's mind...
=========== Am I one of the CHOSEN FEW ? =============
This is a normal reaction - Paul asks us to check and see...
Ro 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
You are Elect if the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD comes to dwell within you..
Let's look at the parable of the sower of seed...
Matthew 13:1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Jesus plainly states after telling of this parable that it is meant for THOSE who HAVE EARS to Hear.
Did he mean everyone within the first few rows because there was no P.A. System ???
Did He mean the Highly intelligent having taken courses in Parable interpretations ??
1Co 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
It says not many but there will be a few....
Jesus explains what the hearing Ear is a few verses later but look...
Matthew 13:10 And the disciples came, and said unto him,
===== Why speakest thou unto them in parables? =====
This is a crucial question if ever there was one...
Matthew13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Surely the disciples believed that Jesus would get more converts and build a church if he would just speak plainly and stop talking in these riddles..
the answer ...
Matthew 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Given unto who... well it would appear those who have the ears to hear
It would then seem reasonable to assume then that if you hear, you must be one who has been granted the EARS to HEAR.. Lets see..
Matthew 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
These disciples are hearing things that Prophets and Holy men of old have desired to hear..
Just one small problem...
Jesus says they have blessed eyes and blessed ( of God ) ears... but..
===== They don't have a clue what He is talking about =====
Indeed then if any man is having trouble hearing they should not be discouraged.. These guys were as poor a students as anyone of us...
Jesus rebukes them for being so unbelieving Look:
Luke 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Jesus calls them fools and slow after He had risen from the dead...
There is hope for those of us who take forever to get this stuff straight.
Matthew 13:18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
One should think back to how these men used to sow seed.. They would put a huge sack cloth around their necks and throw the seed by hand.
Some would of course be wasted by falling in areas that were not a part of the garden or field ..
Matthew 13:19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
The good ground... what is the GOOD GROUND???..
Are some people good ground because their parents raised them properly?
Perhaps they have made themselves good ground before the word was sown.
Ro 3:11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
Ro 10:20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me.
No, I don't think the answer is in preparation of heart at all by the looks of that !
Maybe the good ground is those who have a WILLING HEART !
Ro 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
Maybe just born genetically different in the flesh ...
John 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
The answer it seems is not in the flesh at ALL !
Why then did Jesus say this about the good ground:
Matthew 13:16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
Who has the power to bless and make good the evil heart of man look:
Jeremiah says this about every man's heart!
Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Next time someone says "so and so has a good heart" be careful they are not talking about the flesh:
Ga 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
This is the war within all Christians... see Romans 7
What then can be said about the GOOD GROUND ..
we can see that it MUST be BLESSED of GOD to hear and to receive the seed...
Joh 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
Now we have seen by the parable that there are some who do "believe" but do not make it because the seed did not take solid root and endure the persecution, the temptations, and tribulations... Who then are those who continue to the end and are saved ??
Those who endure by the strength of their flesh ...NOT !!.
That is Works and not Grace.
=== Ro 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. ===
Who then endures and continues in Grace???...
Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Who is He in this verse ???
===== IT IS THE HOLY GHOST of GOD =====
The GOOD GROUND is that ground made good and new with a NEW HEART from the HOLY SPIRIT. Look....
Eze 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.
This is a 100% work of God in the NEW CREATURE...
2Co 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
How then can you know you are one of those whom God Loves and has chosen unto Salvation:
2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
TO Salvation through the spirit...
When Jesus said IT IS FINISHED
He meant it.. all the work is done for those who are the called in Christ by Christ.. there remains only the working out of that salvation according to the predestinated means..
One of them is having the seed ( THE WORD OF GOD ) thrown at you...
Somebody please stuff the Bible down my throat quick !
Matthew 13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
John 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Conclusion:
Good Ground is the Heart Given to Christ by God before the world began !
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said,
=== It is finished: === and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. |
