Getting Saved isnt EASY!

[Ariel82]

Matthew 13

“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

******


You see the SEED if the GOSPEL. Not everyone who receives the GOSPEL message is saved.

Some have it stolen from their hearts by Satan. We have atheist, agnostics, etc who don't accept the GOSPEL:


Jesus died for our sins upon the cross so that we might be born again children of God.

So they HEAR but don't UNDERSTAND.

"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 stumbles."

These are people who like the message but don't walk with the Holy Spirit. They have no roots. They follow a teacher or pastor but don't study themselves. They have no prayer life. When trouble arises in their life, they don't seek God in prayer but allow their hope to die (since their hope and faith was in the person telling the message and not God, himself). Often they have the false belief that God doesn't love them or other false doctrines because they haven't studied or prayed for themselves.

These did not follow God but just people and were not saved either.

Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful."

****

The thorny seed people:
They have not died to their fleshly desires and have not been born again. They still seek the pleasures of this world and only view the gospel as a get out of hell free card. They are adulterers with this world. Praying only to spend upon their own lust. They have not died to self and have not been born again.

Thus they are not saved either.

So you see, being saved isn't "easy".

*will continue in next post*

 

[Ariel82]

But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

We all seek to be good ground and bear fruit.

What fruit is Jesus referring to?

I have heard the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, gentleness, patience and self control.

Others I have heard say it means more disciples.

Third option is that the fruit is good works we do for the glory of God.

Maybe all three?

What is the fruit we will bear if we are good ground and allow the SEED to grow?

 

[stonesoffire]

I would say it's His likeness. The seed is the Word, who is Yeshua. Jesus. I like Yeshua better since His very name means salvation.

 

[breno785au]

According to your description, I'm the stoney one, though I don't follow any teachers or pastors nor do I place my faith in the one who told me the message of Jesus' love for me.
At times I find either through peoples opinions of what a Christian should be, or if the enemy launches an attack, I doubt whether I am really a son of God or if it's like a seedling struggling to push through the dirt to find the sun.
Through my struggles in hindsight looking like the stony one, I always find God really is there with me when I don't realise it. You'd think I would've learnt that by now, surely I am the least of the least.

 

[royalscot]

without starting with the a thought is there a god. then how do you get the brain to understand or process ,what belief is.
(acts 10.) sent for peter, who will direct you etc
he believed peter.
For God So Loved the World
16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.


this message was given after the cross, and when jesus was in heaven. and about 10 years after pentecoste, that a gentile could be save.( acts 10)

without the full story, how can the brain process. to fuller understanding. ware the message started or ended. etc

 

[samuel23]

If He is still with you then you are still in the race, just hang in there.

 

[Ariel82]

According to your description, I'm the stoney one, though I don't follow any teachers or pastors nor do I place my faith in the one who told me the message of Jesus' love for me.
At times I find either through peoples opinions of what a Christian should be, or if the enemy launches an attack, I doubt whether I am really a son of God or if it's like a seedling struggling to push through the dirt to find the sun.
Through my struggles in hindsight looking like the stony one, I always find God really is there with me when I don't realise it. You'd think I would've learnt that by now, surely I am the least of the least.

You may have a few stones or spiritual strongholds that need to be torn down, but since you acknowledge God working in your life...you may be closer to being good soil which can bear fruit then you realize

Or you might be more fruitful then you see yourself.

Sometimes it's hard to accept how much God loves us,

 

[Ariel82]

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

That is a good bible verse. Thank you for sharing.

 

[notmyown]

getting saved isn't EASY ?

it's IMPOSSIBLE !

apart from God, that is.

Matt 19:26; Mark 10:27; Lk 18:27

 

[stonesoffire]

I don't see those descriptions as individual persons but rather phases in a Christians life. Haven't we all experienced them at times?

But, I don't often say this because of the reactions I got from other bible discussions.

so, no worries Breno, the Lord will take you out of this too.

 

[stonesoffire]

getting saved isn't EASY ?

it's IMPOSSIBLE !

apart from God, that is.

Matt 19:26; Mark 10:27; Lk 18:27

Exactly right!

 

[Ariel82]

I don't see those descriptions as individual persons but rather phases in a Christians life. Haven't we all experienced them at times?

But, I don't often say this because of the reactions I got from other bible discussions.

so, no worries Breno, the Lord will take you out of this too.

I believe God doesn't try just once and give up. At least He didn't in my life. He sent people over and over again to tell me the GOSPEL. He helped soften my heart and get rid of the stones and thorns until the SEED took root in my heart. Until I could hear the Holy Spirit tell me I was God's beloved child....I think he was saying it for a while but I didnt have very deep roots and he had to constantly water and shine His light for my faith to grow to maturity.

 

[stonesoffire]

His mercy and grace. The goodness of the Lord that leads to our repenting. Amen Ariel.

 

[Desertsrose]

According to your description, I'm the stoney one, though I don't follow any teachers or pastors nor do I place my faith in the one who told me the message of Jesus' love for me.
At times I find either through peoples opinions of what a Christian should be, or if the enemy launches an attack, I doubt whether I am really a son of God or if it's like a seedling struggling to push through the dirt to find the sun.
Through my struggles in hindsight looking like the stony one, I always find God really is there with me when I don't realise it. You'd think I would've learnt that by now, surely I am the least of the least.

Hi Breno,

Sorry, you can't claim that category, (the least of the least). Paul already did saying he was the chief sinner. So you're in good company aren't you.

We're all a work in progress - it sounds to me like you're being sanctified. Some of us don't run the race at the same pace. Regardless of our speed, we're all in the race and that's what counts.

 

[Desertsrose]

I believe God doesn't try just once and give up. At least He didn't in my life. He sent people over and over again to tell me the GOSPEL. He helped soften my heart and get rid of the stones and thorns until the SEED took root in my heart. Until I could hear the Holy Spirit tell me I was God's beloved child....I think he was saying it for a while but I didnt have very deep roots and he had to constantly water and shine His light for my faith to grow to maturity.

Amen, Ariel!

As I look back, I see a few times where God was calling, wooing me towards Him and His truth before I was born from above.

 

[Desertsrose]

We all seek to be good ground and bear fruit.

What fruit is Jesus referring to?

I have heard the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, gentleness, patience and self control.

Others I have heard say it means more disciples.

Third option is that the fruit is good works we do for the glory of God.

Maybe all three?

What is the fruit we will bear if we are good ground and allow the SEED to grow?

​Yuppers Ariel! All three.

 

[Desertsrose]

getting saved isn't EASY ?

it's IMPOSSIBLE !

apart from God, that is.

Matt 19:26; Mark 10:27; Lk 18:27

Hi notmyown, I so agree with you there and it's His power also that keeps us walking in His truth.

I've always tried to square that in my mind with this scripture - Matthew 11:28-30

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

I hear so many say that the Christian life is so difficult, so hard.

And yet, Jesus says here that we'll find rest for our souls and that His yoke is easy and the burden light.

I often wonder if we're the ones making it so difficult. Maybe we're not yoking ourselves with Jesus.......so that He can carry the difficult load for us.

I believe that it's an ongoing process each and every day. Each day we need to yoke ourselves with Jesus......even moment by moment.......thought by thought.

I do know that when I want to or try to handle the difficult situations in my own strength, I fail and it is a heavy burden. I can't do it in my own strength. I'm guessing that many of us do just that. We try to use the strength in ourselves and it just isn't enough.

I have experienced how light the load becomes when I really do give it to Jesus. That peace that passes all understanding comes upon us when we do give it all to Him......whatever that all is.

Is that how it is with you guys as well?

We say it's so hard and difficult and then after we give it to Jesus, the burden is so easy in comparison. We put everything on Him and trust Him to resolve whatever it is we're struggling with.

 

[Ariel82]

I found it difficult to reach the point where I trusted that God listened when I prayed. He had to remind me over and over with my life and I still forget sometimes.

Growing up was hard, but maturity brings peace, joy and love. Not that I feel completely "perfect" or mature.

 

[p_rehbein]

Mayhaps they could be both?

I'm pretty sure He was speaking of how the Gospel is preached, and how it is received.

In my own experience, I know folks who fit each of the descriptions given. Paul spoke of some of these as well in his Epistles.

Helps me to have the Scripture to read as I think about it.....

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.


As I said, I can relate these to people I know quite well........some of them even in my extended family.

I don't see those descriptions as individual persons but rather phases in a Christians life. Haven't we all experienced them at times?

But, I don't often say this because of the reactions I got from other bible discussions.

so, no worries Breno, the Lord will take you out of this too.

 

[mailmandan]

That salvation is by grace through faith and is not by works is easy to understand (Ephesians 2:8,9). It's just not easy for many people to ACCEPT.