With an Honest and Good Heart

“’A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.’ As he said these things, he called out, ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear.’” (Luke 8:5-8 ESV)

“Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.” (Luke 8:11-15 ESV)

When Jesus Christ lived on this earth in the flesh he often spoke in parables. And this is just one of them. Now when I think of this parable being realized in real life, and I consider who this might apply to, I think of this. In the gatherings of the church there are really four types of people. We have those who make no profession of faith in Jesus Christ at all, those who profess faith in the Lord but whose faith is shallow (superficial), those whose faith did take hold but eventually the cares of this world began to choke it out and they became unfruitful, and then those who are on fire for the Lord.

So, which ones are genuinely saved in the end, according to the Scriptures? They are those who bear fruit, right? (see John 15:1-6) And they are those who are walking (living in practice) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh. They are those who have died and are daily dying to sin and to self and who are following the Lord Jesus in obedience to his commands, in practice. They are not necessarily perfect people in every respect, but they are not making sin their practice. Righteousness and obedience to the Lord Jesus are their practice, by the grace of God, in the power of God.

[Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 9:23-26; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Galatians 5:16-21; Galatians 6:7-8; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Hebrews 10:23-31; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10]   

Now, any of these first three can eventually become number four. There is nothing that says that any of the first three will always remain in their present condition. All of us have the opportunity to change and to become like number four any time in our lives by genuine obedient faith in Jesus Christ, a faith that is not of our own doing, not of the will nor of the flesh of man, but of God and gifted to us by God and persuaded of God. And this faith produces the fruit that God intends because it is faith that is of God and comes from God and so it submits to God’s will and purposes.

[Hebrews 12:1-2; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; Ephesians 2:8-10]

And what kind of fruit is this speaking of? It is speaking of repentance, obedience to the Lord, walking in righteousness and holiness and not in sin, godliness, honesty, moral purity, faithfulness, lovingkindness, compassion, caring about others, ministry to other people, caring for the hurting, meeting others’ needs, and sharing the truth of the gospel, etc. It all really comes down to us living in submission to God with a willingness always to follow him in his ways in doing whatever he wants us to do or say and to go wherever he says to go. Are we living for self? Or for God?

What a Savior

By Marvin P. Dalton

Once I was straying in sin's dark valley

No hope within could I see

God sent from heaven a loving Savior

To save a poor lost soul like me

He left the Father with all His riches

With calmness sweet and serene

Came down from heaven and gave His lifeblood

To make the vilest sinner clean

Death's chilly waters I'll soon be crossing

His hand will lead me safe o'er

I'll join the chorus in that great city

And sing up there forevermore

O what a Savior O hallelujah

His heart was broken on Calvary

His hands were nail-scarred

His side was riven

He gave His lifeblood for even me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRWCM-PFO8Y

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