The Most Important Parable?

[Bobber]

I understand part of the parable I think. It says that wealth is deceitful and the cares of this life will cause the word to be unfruitful. Serving God and money blinds us i believe. Jesus says our eye can be full of light or it can be full of darkness that may resemble light. Perhaps we think its light but its really darkness. He says this when he teaches us not to store treasure on earth and not to worry about worldly things like the Gentiles do. Love for this world and money is idolatry. Psalms 115 says that people who make or trust in idols will become like them. They will have eyes but can't see. This is spiritual blindness in my opinion. The thorns seem interesting because Jesus warns us about false teachers. He says by their fruit you will know them. He then asks if men gather fruit from thornbushes. If i connect these two scriptures, to me this seems like he could be saying that false teachers will be deceived by wealth and the word will be unfruitful in them because they care about the concerns of this life. But I'm unsure if that connection is right or not. These idolaters would be spiritually blind too I assume. This makes sense seeing how they're false teachers and they show their blindness by misunderstanding the scriptures.

I agree with much of what you've said but I don't think it's referring necessarily about false teachers.....just Christians which when under trial find that their faith collapses. Cares or concerns of this life is like worries. It just takes a real commitment to put their faith in the word of God and in prayer.....and hold fast to it.

 

[AlightSeeker]

I agree with much of what you've said but I don't think it's referring necessarily about false teachers.....just Christians which when under trial find that their faith collapses. Cares or concerns of this life is like worries. It just takes a real commitment to put their faith in the word of God and in prayer.....and hold fast to it.

I think it refers to both false teachers and those who follow the same path that they do.

 

[Bobber]

If i connect these two scriptures, to me this seems like he could be saying that false teachers will be deceived by wealth and the word will be unfruitful in them because they care about the concerns of this life. But I'm unsure if that connection is right or not. These idolaters would be spiritually blind too I assume. This makes sense seeing how they're false teachers and they show their blindness by misunderstanding the scriptures.

Most certainly this can apply the way you say. But I would in no way believe it would be limited to false teachers but also all of us potentially. What serve to be OUR motivations of life? Do WE all look to God as truly our source? If we didn't have a dime could we by faith look up and trust God to provide? I'm not against having assets or wealth but can they have us? If God told us to disperse sizeable amounts in ways he led would that cause us to freeze up? Not saying God will say that but he could? Who and what is our source?

 

[Michael Snow]

Nope don't believe that at all. Verse 17 states

17But they themselves have no root, and they remain for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

If they did remain for a period of time that means they had LIFE. A season means a period of time., or they were saved.

This illustrates the difference between Calvin and Wesley, two heroes of the faith. Wesley said that on justification, he did not differ a hair's breadth from Calvin.

On this verse, Calvin did not believe these were saved. Wesley believed they were saved initially. BOTH Wesley and Calvin agreed on the KEY Point: These who fell away were LOST.

See Chapter Four, Sin and Silence.