Having seen in the article “the means and
forms of temptation” the forms that temptation can take (especially the trials
through affliction and persecution and the trap of obeying the desires of the
old man, the flesh) we can also see these categories in action in the parable
of the sower. There are two categories in the parable of the sower that though
they heard and received the Word they did not bring forth the desired fruit.
And the question is why?
Concerning the second category of the parable of the
sower, Matthew 13:20-21 and Luke 8:13 tell us about it:
Matthew 13:20-21
“But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word
and immediately receives it with joy; “yet he has no root in himself, but
endures only for a while. For when tribulation or
persecution arises because of the word, immediately he is offended.”
Luke 8:13
“But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with
joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.”
As we see, the people of this category heard the Word
and they initially received it with joy! In other words they were very
enthusiastic about the Word. But then the temptation, the trial, came, and its
form was tribulation and persecution for the Word’s sake i.e. because of the
Word these people were persecuted. And there they lost the game. Instead of
persevering, holding on to the Word they had originally with so much joy
received, they stepped back and fell away. If you are a young believer full of
zeal for God: though it may seem that the devil is nowhere around you, this
will not last forever. The temptation, the trial, will come. You will need to
persevere, holding on to the faith and the Word which with so much joy you
received. As the Word tells us:
Hebrews 10:35-39
“Therefore do not cast
away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of patience, so that
after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: “For yet a
little while, and he who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just
shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My
soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who draw back
to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.”
Affliction may take various forms. I have seen people
falling away, abandoning the faith, because their parents or relatives and
friends confronted them and rejected them because of their faith. Of course
persecution may take more severe forms too, like being thrown into a prison or
being tortured for your faith. It can also result in death, like it happened
for Stephan and James the brother of John. For you and all those who are tried
the Word says:
Romans 16:19-20
“For your obedience has become known to all.
Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good,
and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace will
crush Satan under your feet shortly.”
and 1 Peter 5:8-10
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a
roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the
faith, knowing that the same afflictions are experienced in your brethren that
are in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal
glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish,
strengthen, and settle you.”
Hold on to the faith and do so till the end. Put your
life and situation on the hands of God and be ready to go through whatever may
come up, yes even ridicule and torture. God is with you. He will strengthen you.
He will encourage you. Just like He did with Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane.
Just like He did with Paul in the prison, when he was persecuted by the Jews
(Acts 23:11). As Paul said: “as we become partakers of the sufferings so also
we become partakers of the comfort that comes from God” (2 Corinthians 2:1-7).
The comfort that comes from Him outbalances whatever ridicule or torture a man
may bring to us.
Concerning the third category of the parable of the
sower, we read about it in Mark 4:18-19:
“Now
these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of
riches, and the lusts for other things entering in choke the word, and it
becomes unfruitful.”
And Luke 8:14
“Now the ones [that] fell among thorns are
those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.”
These men heard the Word, understood the Word yet
became fruitless. Why? Because they left the door of their heart open to the
thorns of “the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the
desires for other things” (Mark 4:19), which entering in, choked the Word. As
we have already seen James saying:
James 1:13-15
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am
tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man:
But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his
own lust, and enticed. Then
when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin: and sin, when it is full-grown,
brings forth death.”
and 1 Timothy 1:6-9 tells
us
“But those who desire
to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful
lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.”
Something to note: The same effect as the temptation
of riches and the lusts of other things have also the cares of this world. They
also bring fruitlessness. Therefore if you want to be a Christian who brings
forth fruit, i.e. a real Christian and not just a Christian by name, you should
remove the thorns of the cares, riches and pleasures of life and prevent them
from coming back again. You need to take action. You need to change, and God
will help you in this if you really want it. The temptation in the third
category of the parable of the sower does not come through persecution and
affliction by the devil. Here the temptation takes more subtle forms, which
however require again our resistance. Caring about what this world cares (“the
cares of this world”), wanting riches or lusting after other things are very
dangerous. They are thorns that have to be removed. As we saw Paul saying:
Romans 13:14
“put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision
for the flesh, to [fulfill its] lusts.”
“Make
no provision for the flesh” means that we should not take care of the flesh and
its desires. Instead we should feed ourselves with the pure milk of the Word so
that we grow through it (1 Peter 2:2).